Hello, Are You There? Marketing with Consistency

Putting out consistent content is one of the most important things you can do to keep growing your business and doing it in a way that’s really effective. It’s important because it’s a key to helping you build trust with your audience. They know that you’re going to be there, in their inbox or on their page or showing up on some other channel, on a consistent regular basis. 

Being There

I remember in my hometown back in Eastern Iowa there was this amazing little store. It sold repurposed garden implements, and she made her own candles, with essential  oils and natural soy wax. It had all kinds of knickknacks. I just loved shopping there. When I came back to visit my parents after moving away, one of the first things I wanted to do was visit that store.  So that weekend, we all trundled in the car, found parking, and went to visit the store. 

It was closed.

No sign on the door; no explanation. We double-checked the posted hours. It was supposed to be open. My mom said, “Well, you know the owner, she’s just always been that way. Kind of does her own thing.”

I was disappointed, but kind of forgot about it. 

And then another time we came back in town, one random week in June or something, and the same thing happened. We planned a visit downtown, all excited to see the store. The stores around this were all open, but, again, this one was closed. Like before, there was no sign on the door, no explanation. Her hours on the sign were listed, Tuesday from 9 to 4. It was Tuesday. The store was closed. I was disappointed. We all were. 

And you know, I never went back. 

The Currency of Attention

You might be wondering - what does that have to do with consistent marketing anyway? I mean I was going in to buy something at a store. But the store was closed.  

Well, it has a lot to do with it. 

Because, like me having money to spend, your audience has their attention that they’re going to spend. They’re going to spend it on their inbox reading some form of email, or on their favorite online channel, maybe on Facebook or Instagram. Some type of consumption is going to be done.

They’re going to be spending their attention, and if you’re not there, or not there on a consistent basis, they’re not able to give their attention to you. They won’t know when to expect you. 

Making a Plan

Developing a consistent plan for sharing your content is foundational. Make it doable, though. Don’t plan to share three times a week, and then you start out with excitement and enthusiasm, even posting more those first few weeks, but then sort of peter off. Doing it maybe once on some weeks, and on others not getting to it. 

It’s more important to be consistent and stick with that schedule, than ramp up a bunch and then fade away. 

That way your audience knows where and when to find you. And you’ll be there, right when they’re ready to give you their attention.   

Photo by Wesson Wang on Unsplash