Having been in management and administration for the last 20+ years and since 2010, dedicated to online businesses for eco and wellness professionals, I have seen a lot – a lot of good ideas brought to life and a lot of good ideas –sadly– fail.

It is always discouraging when a business idea fails. Not always but often, there is a lot of time, energy and money spent in creating a new idea and sharing it with the world.

One of the main problems (and there are several but today we’re just exploring the one) is the cookie cutter approach.

Just because you’ve seen someone else do something that worked, or you buy a training that gives you a specific “formula” to implement, or you buy a “done for you in a day” website, or it’s what you did the last time (which may or may not have worked), it doesn’t mean that it’s what will work for YOUR business (or work a second time around, if you’ve already done it once).

Only YOU (and your team, if you have one), know:

•       What has worked in the past and what hasn’t
•       Who your community is made up of
•       Why they like you
•       What they like
•       What they want or need

Any sales or marketing tactic must be tweaked in order to best serve you, your business and your community. You have to be open and willing to learn – not just new concepts but also learn from the missteps taken, and be willing to make changes. Doing so will benefit your business in the long run.

As my editor also pointed out to me – you can’t just take one training or learn from one teacher. She’s right. Continuing education is so important.

When I worked in an office setting, my company often sent me to conventions and trainings. When I became a yoga teacher, I attended conferences and learned from many different teachers.

As an online business manager, strategist and marketer, I am always identifying new opportunities to develop my skills. 

I’ve built my toolbox of innovation, resources and ideas with the trainings taken during my 9-5 job, by completing numerous trainings online, and learning through hands-on experience. This continuous learning and professional development opens me up to a vast array of possibilities, which in turn, helps me better serve my clients.

Here’s the main issue to consider:

Cookie cutter approaches are black and white – whether it’s strategy or website design or social media marketing — You just fill in the blanks and it’s good to go. Seems easy and fast right?

And yet, as I’ve spent quite a bit of time working with many different types of businesses, I have learned that there really is no one formula that works for everyone.

One size most definitely does not fit all.

Please don’t use a  generic “fill in the blank” cookie cutter template to develop the strategy [or your website or marketing!] for your business.  Your business is unique, like you, and deserves a unique strategy.

Review the many options out there and then determine what works best for you, your company and your community – your clients and customers.

Need help figuring that out? I create each of my client’s marketing strategies from scratch – no cookie-cutter templates! Let’s chat about how I can best support you.