Ah, the fascinating world of marketing! As a new entrepreneur or struggling business owner, you might feel overwhelmed with jargon and complex digital marketing strategies.

But what if I told you that marketing isn't as daunting as it seems, and it has an intriguing correlation with something we are all familiar with… dating? That's right! 

The dynamics of digital marketing remarkably mirror the stages of dating. 

In this Digital Marketing Masterclass blog post, I’ll unravel this engaging analogy to make your journey into the world of business & marketing more relatable, accessible, and more fun.

This is the process I have honed and improved over the past few years that has generated over $10,000,000 in revenue for clients and brands I've worked with the past few years.

For now, I hope that what I share can help you can walk away with a framework to help you start and/or grow your business to new heights. Heck, you can even apply these marketing concepts to your dating life and walk away with an incredible relationship too!

Let’s haves some fun and dive in!

Clarifying Your Goals: What Do You Want?

Never get started on path if you don’t have a destination you would like to arrive at.

A sailor or a pilot never gets on their boat or into to the cockpit without a destination in mind.

Ask yourself, “What do I want?” What is your dream outcome?

Identifying your business objectives is the stepping stone in the marketing landscape, just as knowing your ideal partner's traits and relationship goals is crucial in dating. Whether you're entering the realm of entrepreneurship or in the dating pool, the first step towards success lies in outlining clear goals.

For example, as a new entrepreneur, your goals might be to build a business that can support your dream life. You want to work from a laptop. Would like to make $10,000 profit per month. Take a 7 day trip each quarter. Whatever the goals are, get extremely clear on what your want.

In the world of dating, you get clear on what type of relationship and partner you're seeking before you start putting yourself out there. 

Food for thought, if you approach either as casual, you get surface level, casual results. Take it serious, do the work, and you’ll reach your goals and get serious results. This is what separates the impactful men from the boys and the impactful women from the girls. 

The business is the vehicle that can get you to your dream life. Dating is the vehicle that can get you to a healthy, thriving relationship and marriage. 

The goal here is to get extremely clear on a destination you would like to arrive at. From there, it’s time to reverse engineer how to get there. 

Identifying Your Ideal Match: Who is Your Perfect Customer?

Once your goals are set, the next stage in business involves identifying your perfect match, just like in dating. 

This means understanding your perfect customer. The clearer you are about your ideal customer, the more targeted and effective your marketing campaigns will be. 

To get started, ask yourself these questions about your perfect customer:

• What are their goals? Desires?

• What do they want in life?

• Where do they hang out and spend their time and money?

• What do they value?

• What are their problems, fears, pains, and frustrations?

  
  

In the business context, this allows you to get clear who you are marketing to and create marketing campaigns and offers that attract your perfect customer.

Similarly, in dating, knowing what qualities you value in a partner can direct your attention towards potential matches who meet your criteria. 

Knowing who your perfect customer is, saves you from wasting time & money trying to attract unqualified prospects. In dating, it saves time & money from aimless dates with individuals that don't align with your preferences.

Bonus Tip: You become the person your person is looking for. This applies to both business and dating. 

Your Website And Digital Real Estate: Make a Striking First Impression

The significance of first impressions isn't limited to a date. 

With marketing, your website, messaging, and digital real estate (social profiles) represents your business's face and personality - aka BRAND, just as your physical appearance, personality, and even social profiles does in a dating scenario. 

In marketing, your website is your personality, your outfit, and needs to clearly communicate and captivate your perfect customers. Your website does not have to be complex, it just needs to communicate clearly what you sell and who you are. It also directs interest prospects to a clear call to action for them to work with you.

In dating, your attire, energy, demeanor, and conversation skills are crucial in the first interaction. Dressing well, being articulate, and expressing genuine interest in your date set you above the rest.

Create a memorable first impression.

Your Offer and Your USPs: What Are You Selling?

Now, picture this - you're standing in a bustling marketplace, but your hands are empty. You've got nothing to sell. 

If you don't have an offer, you're not selling anything! Imagine trying to woo a date with nothing to talk about, no charm, no sense of humor, no anecdotes. You’d be like a book with no story. So, what's the solution?

First, let's chat about your offer. Its crucial that you bring to the market an irresistible offer that makes you stand out from the crowd. You probably wont nail this perfect offer right off the bat, but over time you will get feed back and hone it down to make it irresistible. 

This is absolutely critical. You must come up with an offer that you sell. I don’t care if you are an ecommerce store or a in person service based business. You have to have an offer with a goal of brining new customers in the door!

And just like you and your stand out qualities in the dating scene, what we call in the online marketing world are your offer and Your Unique Selling Points, or USPs.

Your offer, adorned with your USPs, is like your superpower in the competitive online business universe, luring in your perfect customers like a beacon. It's the embodiment of your brand's identity. And honing this within your offer is like sharpening your secret weapon in your digital marketing arsenal.

Alright, let's flip the coin and peep into the dating scene. What's your mojo, your charm, your unique vibe? It could be your laugh that sounds like a hyena on helium (you know who you are!), your inner chef that whips up a mean lasagna, or your uncanny ability to quote Anchorman verbatim. These quirks are your USPs, making you irresistible to potential partners.

So remember, we all have our own set of unique selling points.

Flaunt them, leverage them, and soon you'll find your online business matching and making sales, and who knows, you might even score a date who digs your special vibe!

Now we move to the most important step for your online business and digital marketing.

Fill the Pipeline: The Most Important Step To Success

For the new entrepreneur, your number one priority is sales and marketing. 

If you want your business to survive and thrive, you must market, make contacts, have sales calls, and sell your products. Period.

In dating, if you not putting yourself out there and have no dates lined up, how are you going to successfully find a partner? They dont just appear out of thin air as you hide at home, you need to put yourself out there. 

You fill your pipeline of potential prospects through marketing. This applies to both business and dating. 

In business, you market your business and offer(s).

In dating, you market yourself and what you offer.

The first meeting, both in business and dating, is qualifying them to see if they are a fit for you. The only way to get to that first meeting is to market!

So, how do you begin to market and fill your pipeline with prospects? Pick a medium. 

For business, here are some options below:

• Website Blog Posts 

• YouTube Videos 

• Cold Email Outreach

• Cold Calling 

• Social Media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)

• Paid Advertising

• Referrals - ask your network who needs help or who knows someone who may need help solving the problem you solve. 

  
  

For dating, you would do the same. Pick a medium.

• Online dating (I met my WIFE on Bumble, yes my wife! Like I said, take it casual and get casual results. Take it serious!)

• Places -  Gym, Church, Coffee Shops... Etc. 

• Social Gatherings 

• Networking Events

• Community Events

• Referrals - your on the market, friends always love to help make love connections!

  
  

As you pick one, you then begin marketing yourself by putting yourself out there, making connections, adding value, and building relationships. This is how you begin to bring awareness to your business or yourself and fill your pipeline.

Lets refresh:

You know your goals.

You know who your perfect customer is.

You have picked a medium.

You touched up your website and your digital real estate. You have your offer and unique selling points.

Now what? You begin marketing!

Marketing is about feedback, feedback leads to reflection, reflection leads to iterations, iterations leads different actions, different actions leads to different results which leads to more feedback. You repeat this process until you have found a system or Optimum Selling Strategy that works.

Give, Give, Give, then Ask: The Art of Impact Marketing

Consider the strategy of giving as creating valuable touch points. 

Based on multiple sources (Google, HubSpot, SalesForce), an average customer usually interacts with a brand about 8 times before they make a purchase. Note that this is an average, and the number of interactions varies with each potential customer.

In both the realms of dating and marketing, the strategy to 'give, give, give, then ask' proves successful. Always start by giving first then asking for smaller commitments before moving on to larger ones.

When looking at the digital marketing spectrum you'll initially want to seek smaller engagements from potential customers. This could be as simple as giving something of value or a one time, incredible low cost offer in exchange for an email sign-up or earning a new follower on social media. This small give/ask commitment request is made long before you pitch your main products or service to customers.

As they give you their email or follow you on social media, you are able to continue give, add value, and make more touch points before you ask for a larger commitment like a purchase. 

Similarly, in the dating world, you wouldn't suggest marriage at the initial meeting or on the first date. 

Instead, you would commence with giving first. You give a complement, spark up a conversation, add value to their day, be interested and curious about them, give attention.

Maybe you see this person multiple times at the same place you go to on Saturdays, now you are able to have a few conversations passing by (touch points). Then you move on to a modest request, such as asking for a phone number and inviting your potential partner for a casual coffee date.

By taking a giving approach, you cultivate an environment of comfort. This environment facilitates value addition and familiarity over time, contributing to a thriving relationship with your customer or potential partner.

The Power of Follow-Up: Nurturing the Relationship

The key to thriving both in the marketing realm and dating world is effective communication. 

This communication forms the foundation of developing relationships, be it with customers or potential life partners.

In the world of marketing, nurturing this new relationship manifests through sharing relevant, high-value content that enhances the potential customer’s life and bond with your brand.

Drawing a parallel to the 'give, give, give, then ask' approach, the follow-up in digital marketing is about consistent engagement. Imagine if a site visitor downloads your complimentary PDF and they gain a ton of value from it. You don't stop there. Follow up over time with related content they can gain even more value from.

Then you go for a bigger ask! This way, you're providing continuous value, building trust, and fostering the connection with your audience.

Just like in marketing, regular and respectful communication holds paramount importance in dating. It acts as an effective follow-up, aligning with the 'give, give, give, then ask' strategy. 

After a date, sending a thoughtful text or making a call to express interest in meeting again is an example of this. It not only reflects your sincerity but also helps in keeping the connection robust and alive.

There is a fine line here. Don’t follow up with high volume. What do I mean?

You know when you opt into a email or SMS list and the first thing you receive from them is great. Yet over the next 7 days you are bombarded with 20 emails and 10 texts and 3 phone calls? You immediately opt out. Same with dating. You meet someone, enjoy the conversation and exchange numbers and then they text you 20 times a day? You immediately opt-out again.

Chill. Be respectful in your follow up. I learned that the “fortune is in the follow up,” which is true if you don’t bombard your potential customer and partner.  

Sell & Serve

Let’s refresh again:

You have your goals. 

You have your ideal customer. 

You have a suitable medium for your marketing efforts. 

Your digital platform, including your website and social profiles, are polished and appealing. 

You have a unique proposition and offer with distinct selling points that help you shine amidst the competition. 

You are marketing on your chosen platform, successfully garnering attention, receiving positive responses to your initial requests, and building a pipeline filled with prospective customers or partners.

You maintain regular and respectful follow-ups, constantly making touch points by contributing and creating value.

At this stage, you feel ready to make a bolder request and go for the sale.

And then, like a burst of light - success! You've made a sale, closed a deal, or stepped into a meaningful, exclusive relationship.

You did the selling. Now it's time to serve.

Your main aim here is to continue serving and providing even more. But how exactly do you go about doing this?

Entering this next phase, whether in business or in a personal relationship, your primary focus should be on exceeding the expectations you have set. It’s called servanthood. 

Servanthood, in this context, means putting the needs of your customers or partner first and consistently striving to exceed their expectations. 

This selfless commitment forms the backbone of a successful business relationship or personal partnership, ultimately paving the way for sustainable growth and mutual satisfaction.

In a business setting, this means providing incredible results, stellar customer service, ensuring product or service quality, and continue to nurture the relationship with your customer. 

You might consider sending them personalized offers, giving them exclusive early access to new services or products, or simply taking the time to listen to their feedback and show appreciation for their loyalty.

In the context of a personal relationship, you continue to serve by consistently being there for your partner, listening and respecting their needs and boundaries, and nurturing the relationship. This could include everything from showing understanding and empathy during difficult times to celebrating successes together, or simply being a steady presence in their life.

Remember, in both contexts, the key is to ensure that the other party feels valued and appreciated. This approach helps build a strong foundation of trust and mutual respect, paving the way for long-term success and growth.

Now, having served your customer or partner well, it's time to think about the next steps. 

How can you evolve your business strategy or personal relationship to foster sustainable growth? How do you continue to add value, and how can you adapt to new challenges and opportunities that may come your way?

In essence, the path forward involves growing and evolving in tandem with your customers or partner. This entails being open to change, learning from your experiences, and continuously striving to better your service or relationship.

Grow & Evolve

Committing to continuous improvement it the most vital aspect of your entrepreneurial journey.

For your business, you repeat the process over and over. You continue to set goals that align with your dream outcome. You market your services and offers, fill your pipeline, make sales, serve your customers, and grow your business. As you grow, you will need to evolve your marketing strategies and build new systems in place.

You must grow and evolve as an individual if you want your business to grow and evolve.

Your business will not grow and evolve if you, the entrepreneur, does not grow and evolve. The business will only grow to the level of your constraints. You must get better and improve your skills in order for the business to improve and grow. 

Your relationship with your customers will continue to grow and evolve too. Each customer is different and at a different level in your business. It is critical to know where the relationship is at in order to serve them at the highest level there.

You do this by listening to both customer and market feedback. You make more offers for different products and/or add additional services to serve the customer at a higher level. You also create new offers and services to reach brand new customers.

With dating, you have now grown from dating and into an exclusive relationship. Growth and adaptability are equally critical in a relationship. As individuals evolve, their needs and desires can change, and adapting to these changes is crucial for the relationship's sustainability so you can serve your partner the best you can.

You must expect challenges ahead because growth and comfort can not co-exist. 

Both, your business and your relationship, is a reflection of you. 

When you approach a season where you feel stagnant in growth, know that it is only your ignorance that has stagnated you. With this awareness, you can seek help, wisdom, and knowledge so you, the entrepreneur, can grow and evolve in order for your business to grow and evolve. 

Your relationship will become stagnant, if you become stagnant. You keep the relationship healthy by growing and evolving as individuals as well as together. It’s a dance.

This is the point where most business and relationships fail. Because they are unable to or they refuse to change themselves. Or the shiny-object syndrome kicks in and can destroy both your business or relationship.

A quote that changed my entire perspective, “It is not about seeking new landscapes but seeing your current landscape with fresh new eyes.”

That is how you grow and evolve. That is how you win in business and relationships.

Conclusion

To wrap this Intro To Marketing Masterclass up, the analogies between dating and digital marketing are both enlightening and applicable. 

By comprehending and implementing the shared concepts, such as knowing your audience, creating strong first impressions, making irresistible offers, selling and serving, growing and evolving, you can enhance both your business growth and personal relationships. Remember, both fields require patience, persistence, and a willingness to serve. 

So, whether you're courting a prospective partner or an online customer, adopting this framework and strategies can lead you towards a more fulfilling, prosperous journey. Here's to growing your business and maybe even your relationship to new heights!

You got this! Keep Going.