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How do I know who my target market is?
Who is my target market? How do I know who my target market is? This is probably the question I get asked the most by business owners. And it’s not a simple answer. Let’s start by saying I have to admit that I don’t necessarily like the terminology “target market”. I use it […]
Top 3 Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Top 3 Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Marketing can be a tricky business. You want to make sure you’re reaching the right people without having to spend a bucket of time or money in the process. To help you avoid common marketing pitfalls, here are my top 3 marketing mistakes and […]
My favourite “free” social media tools
I love social media and all the opportunities (and fun) it brings. And because I love to share the love, and my mission is to make a difference (one starfish at a time), here are my favourite social media tools. Freebie Alert! Most of these tools have both free and paid versions, so you […]
Ten terrific blog topics
Blog topics! Do you struggle with them? Are you one of those awesome people who want to blog? You know the advantages of doing it and it will fit into your marketing strategy, but you don’t know what to blog about. Well, here are ten terrific blog topics you can use! […]
How having a blog helps your website SEO
While there are actually many reasons to have a blog, today we’re focusing on how having a blog on your website helps your SEO. Before we get into that though, did you know that having a blog can help you: Establish your business as experts in your field Drive targeted traffic to your website […]
Naming your business
Six steps to naming your business Whether you’re starting a new business or rebranding your business, having the right name is essential. The right name can help get your business known quickly and in a positive light – it can even attract customers. The wrong name can doom your business, creating the wrong impression and […]
What does your brand say?
What does your brand say about you? Who are you? Did you hear that song when you read the title of this article? “Whooooooo are you? de do de do… No, just me? Oh well – I must have watched too many episodes of CSI in my past. Anyway, onto “Who are you?”. Today, I’m […]
6 questions to ask before rebranding
6 questions to ask before rebranding To rebrand or not – that is the question! And why address this question? Well… I had a conversation with a friend who is also a business owner. A friend who is thinking about re-branding her business. She wanted to know what I thought. My first question was […]
Eight steps to build a marketing campaign
Eight steps to build a marketing campaign If the thought of developing a marketing campaign yourself gives you the heebie-jeebies, don’t worry; here are eight steps to build a marketing campaign. Marketing campaigns can be fabulous things if done right – and you can know if it is successful (or not). Done well, a great […]
Your brand is more than your logo
Your brand is more than your logo Many people, when they think about brand, go straight to their logo. However, your brand is more than a logo. A logo is simply a visual representation of your brand – one aspect of it. Your brand infiltrates every aspect of your business, so it’s important to get […]
YouTube Marketing
Do you have a YouTube channel for your business? Have you even thought about being on YouTube as one of your marketing strategies? Or do you think it’s just for cat videos or silly stuff. You may be surprised to find out it is so much more than that! We know that video is […]
The difference between inbound and outbound marketing
What’s the difference between inbound and outbound marketing? So you’ve heard of inbound marketing and outbound marketing. But you’re wondering what the hell they are. Well, I’m here to explain it to you. Inbound and outbound marketing are two different strategies that businesses can use to generate leads and sales. But what is the difference […]
The Know, Like, and Trust Factor in Marketing
Why It Matters and How to Build It When it comes to marketing, there’s one thing that’s more important than anything else… What is it? Well, it’s called the know, like, and trust factor. If you read my blogs or hear me talk, you’ll know that I mention this all the time. […]
Measuring Your Marketing
Measuring Marketing Success Do you know how to measure marketing success? If not, you’re not alone. A lot of business owners struggle with measuring your marketing. Marketing is a complex beast, and it can be tough to know what to focus on when measuring your marketing. And… there are a lot of marketing KPIs (Key […]
5 creative marketing ideas for small businesses
Marketing on a budget Don’t have a large marketing budget? No problem! There are plenty of creative marketing ideas that can get your business noticed on a shoestring budget. Here 5 creative marketing ideas for small businesses: 1. Get involved in your community One great way to market your small business is to get […]
5 Tips for Making Your Marketing Happen
Do you struggle with making your marketing happen? If you’re like most business owners, you know that marketing is important. But maybe what you don’t know is how to make your marketing happen. I hear it all the time. “I just don’t know where to start, what to do, or how to make my marketing […]
The process to follow to develop your marketing strategy
Why have a marketing strategy? You probably hear all the time that it’s vital for your business success to make sure you develop your marketing strategy. But why? Why should you have a marketing strategy? Well – if for no other reason you’re 313% more likely to report success if you do. (Coschedule). Now I […]
Marketing should be
One day, before I started paying to use professional images for Starfish Marketing, I was searching for an image to use for a ‘marketing concept’. Can you guess what came up? It was something like this. and this and this Megaphones!!! Megaphones being used to shout at people – because obviously louder is better, right???? […]
Santa Season Strategy Time
Santa Season Strategy Time Santa season is almost upon us. Have you got your Santa season marketing strategy ready? I hope so! But if you haven’t, here are some quick tips on building a successful marketing strategy this Santa season. What are you doing this Santa season? First – start with figuring out what […]
Building your marketing plan
This week I’m talking about building your marketing plan. This is the step you take after you’ve worked out your marketing budget and have a marketing wish list. Chances are your marketing wish list will end up as a pretty scary investment required to do everything on your list. That’s okay. Building your marketing plan […]
Marketing activities you can do on a budget
Marketing activities you can do on a budget When it comes to marketing many people think that you need to spend ENORMOUS amounts of money. And let’s face it – not all of us (especially smaller businesses) have enormous amounts of money to spend. However, there are plenty of marketing activities you can do on […]
Marketing Goals
Marketing goals – where to start when talking about marketing goals? Well, we all know that having a marketing strategy is vital to the success of your marketing. And if you didn’t know that, well… you do now 😊 I know I quote this stat aaaaallll the time, but it’s a really good one. And […]
Identify your ideal target market – 5 questions to ask
Identify your target market Let’s talk about fish! When it comes to marketing it’s very tempting to promote your business everywhere and market to everyone. I mean who doesn’t want all the business you can get? Right. However, when you think about it, do you really want to compete with all the other businesses out […]
Awards and Marketing and choosing ice cream
Awards and Marketing Awards and Marketing – choosing ice cream Have you ever bought a specific ice cream because it had lots of medals on the packaging? Or any other product displaying medals, trophy, or award stickers (like wine perhaps)? I’m guessing those medal’s gave you a stronger sense of confidence in the ice cream. […]
Here’s why creating content is hard
Here’s why creating content is hard Do you struggle with creating content for your business? A lot of the time I see business owners really struggle with writing copy and creating content for their own business and it ends up in the too hard basket. Why? Because creating content can be overwhelming and frustrating. It’s […]
Maximising your sponsorships
Have you ever consider sponsorships as part of your marketing strategy? Sponsorships are more than handing over money to an organisation and expecting the leads and sales to roll on in! So where do you start? Like any marketing activity sponsorship should have a strategy and budget behind it. In other words: What do you […]
3 ways to market your business
3 ways to market your business What to focus on With so many options and ways to market your small business, it can be hard to know what to focus on. If you’re not sure how to market your business, here are three ways. Make sure you have a website Make the most of social […]
Finding time to do marketing
Finding time to do marketing Are you doing everything but your marketing? Small business owners tell me all the time that they really struggle with “finding time to do marketing”. So, here’s the process that I follow to make sure my marketing gets done! Step 1: start with a plan Start with having a marketing […]
Silly Season Marketing
Silly Season Marketing Five+ tips to help you with silly season marketing Silly Season is only seven weeks away which means the big fella is on his way and you need to start your silly season marketing NOW!!! Whether you call it Silly Season, Festive Season, Christmas or Yule this time of year is a […]
Fabulous five types of social media posts
Have you seen those social media calendars that show the different types of posts you can do? Have you wondered what makes the posts different? Well today’s your lucky day – we’re going to explain the different types of social media posts you can do. The fabulous five 1. Engagement 2. Behind […]
Setting Social Media Goals
Social media goals – Start with the end in mind When it comes to setting social media goals, you may have heard lots of marketers say start with the end in mind. There’s a reason we do this. We need to know what you want to achieve with your social media, because that will influence the: […]
How to be awesome on Instagram
Instagram is awesome. Instagram is cool when you’re part of a team. Instagram is awesome, when you’re living the dream! Apologies in advance for the earworm that now occupies your head! But Instagram is awesome. Let’s get serious though. Are you making the most out of your awesomeness on your Instagram page? To make you […]
Using Instagram story polls
We all love Instagram right! It’s easy to use, it lets you customise your feed so it reflects your brand, and there are 1 billion people using it every month. One of our favourite things about Instagram is how easy it is to use story polls. Let’s start with why you should use story […]
The difference between your Instagram Feed and Instagram Stories
The difference between your Instagram Feed and Instagram Stories Last week we talked about why you should be on Instagram. And, we’re guessing, if you weren’t already on Insta (as it’s affectionately called) you’ve jumped on and joined in the Instagram party to see what all the hype is about. If you’re right at the […]
23 marketing freebies
23 marketing freebies! Over the last year we have shared a number of marketing freebies that we use. As it’s the festive season and a time of giving, we thought we’d end the year with a bang and revisit them all of them. We’ve also included a few freebies we haven’t previously mentioned. Most of […]
Five more awesome Facebook posts you can do
We all know that you need to be active on Facebook to build a following and connect with your audience (your customers target market). After all, it’s not the number 1 social media platform for nothing. And Facebook considers engagement as really, really important. So, what is engagement? Well, it’s more than just likes. It’s […]
Five awesome Facebook posts to help create engagement
Five awesome Facebook posts to help you create engagement. We all know that you need to be active on Facebook to build a following and connect with your audience (your customers target market). After all, it’s not the number 1 social media platform for nothing. And Facebook considers engagement as really, really important. So, what […]
What is meme marketing?
Did you know that meme marketing is a thing? Yep. Businesses are using memes strategically in their marketing. So, what makes memes special? When we’re told that the average person spends nearly 2 hours on social media EVERY DAY, you can see why creating content that cuts through the scroll is important. […]
Five tips to help you get ready for the silly season
Are you ready for the silly season? Yep, it’s that time of year again. The shops have pulled out the Christmas decorations, there’s Christmas countdown messages hitting your inbox every day and you’ve already received several party invites. The silly season has officially begun. Are you ready for it? To make the most of your […]
How do you do a brand audit?
Yes, we know, the word “audit” can be scary. But doing a brand audit is an important part of creating consistency all through your business. And really, it’s not that hard. There are six steps involved: Identify gaps Develop an action plan Budget Prioritise Implement Annual review The first step in creating brand consistency is […]
Four reasons brand is important
Your brand is more than a logo. There are a number of reasons your brand is important. And having brand consistency throughout every aspect of your business is vital. Over the next few weeks we are going to take you through the steps to create brand consistency throughout your business. Starting with four reasons your […]
The difference between Facebook advertising and boosting posts
What’s the difference between Facebook advertising and boosting posts? Warning – this blog comes with a rant! Do you boost your Facebook posts? If so, please, please, please stop it. And stop it now. If you’re going to spend money on Facebook, spend it on proper ad campaigns that will actually deliver you some […]
The basics of setting up a Facebook Ad
The basics of setting up a Facebook ad The most important thing in setting up a Facebook ad is to identify the goal. What do you want to achieve? If you don’t know what you want to achieve, then how will you know if your ad is successful or not. You should also know your […]
How to create your content
How to create your content If you love creating stuff, this is probably the funnest part of content marketing (yes, funnest isn’t technically a word but sometimes you just have to break the rules). Before you get to the fun though, make sure you’ve got your content strategy and content plan in place. If you […]
Building your content plan
Building your content plan Building your content plan might seem overwhelming, but it can actually be pretty easy. First, make sure you’ve got your content strategy in place. If you haven’t done that yet, check out our previous articles on Great Content Can Help Grow Your Business and Creating Your Content Strategically. If you’ve already […]
Creating content strategically
Creating your content strategically Are you creating your content strategically? Last week we talked about three ways great content can help you grow your business. However, the trick is you need to have a strategy behind creating that great content! Your content strategy is different to your content plan. Your content plan is more along […]
Content is King
Top two tips to stay competitive
Three reasons to use email marketing
Three reasons to use email marketing Email marketing is dead! You hear it all the time, but in reality, it’s not the case. When done right, email is one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with your existing and potential clients and customers. According to Campaign Monitor, “Email marketing is the king of the […]
Nine free things to help you with your marketing
A while back (2019) I met with Jade, a local business owner, comedian, student (then studying her MBA) and wearer of many hats. Like a lot of us, Jade likes to do things herself. However she was feeling frustrated with her marketing. We had a catch up to see how starfish marketing might help, […]
Finding your right marketing platforms
Finding your right marketing platforms If you’re hearing that you must be doing all the socials, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, etc and you’re feeling overwhelmed, give yourself a break. Why? Because you really only need to focus on where your market is. And your market (your ideal customer) isn’t going to everywhere. Most likely they’re […]
How to schedule Facebook posts
How to schedule Facebook posts Are you spending too much time manually posting on Facebook? Scheduling your Facebook posts can save you a stack of time. And time is money. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to schedule your Facebook posts. Step 1 – Create your posts Go to your business page Click on the […]
Touchpoints
I was recently asked to present to a group of business leaders about marketing and the importance of touchpoints. The combined knowledge in the room, from a leadership and business perspective, was pretty impressive. However, they were facing a common challenge with their marketing. And that was that their marketing wasn’t really focused on supporting […]
Magical Marketing Fairies
Magical Marketing Fairies What a year it has been. There were some big changes with starfish marketing as we grew; set up an office in Dean St, Albury; and welcomed Kaitlyn to the team. And we updated our branding! To our fabulous fabulous clients thank you for having us as your Marketing and Social Fairies […]
Friday 13th and Marketing
Friday 13th and Marketing From a marketing perspective, Friday 13th being unlucky is quite interesting as it’s a fairly global phenomenon. So how did it start? Well, apparently no-one really knows where the superstition all started. But, one of the most popular stories stems from Friday 13 October 1307, when hundreds of Knights Templar […]
Promotion – Your number three P
Promotion – Your number three P Promotion is your number three in the seven P’s of marketing and is most commonly, what people think of when they think of marketing. And they usually equate Promotion with Advertising, but it is so much more than that. Disclaimer: I have no research or facts to back this […]
Price Number Two P
Price – Your number two P While price, is your number two P in your marketing mix (Product being #1), it could conceivably be the most important factor of your marketing mix. Why? Basically because it’s the element of the marketing mix that generates revenue and without revenue, we don’t really have a business. Pricing […]
Product – Your number one P
Product – Your number one P For your product – your number one P in your marketing mix, to be successful there are two key things it needs to deliver: Satisfy a specific need of your customer, and It has to deliver on it’s (your) promise I have discussed this many times – to meet […]
Do you understand your marketing mix?
Do you understand your marketing mix? I’ve talked about the importance of having a marketing strategy. And I touched on the marketing mix, otherwise known as the 7 Ps of marketing. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at each of those Ps in a bit more depth. But first a simple explanation of what […]
Five reasons to use video in your marketing
If you google “reasons to use video marketing” a plethora of articles come up, ranging from five to 25 reasons you should use video in your marketing. And, you may have noticed that at starfish marketing, we are now including video’s in our blog and social media. Perhaps you’re wondering why – if […]