The #1 question I'd ask before you invest in Google ads

The temptation to try to be on ALL the channels is high. But it's also an almost guaranteed way to spread yourself too thin and quickly fall out of love with social media marketing, especially if you don't have a dedicated marketing team.

I've had a couple of conversations with service businesses this week where I was asked whether Google ads were a good investment, so I wanted to share my answer to save you - my lovely readers - a load of time and energy.

Google ads can be brilliant for businesses where the customer intent is high, and by that I mean that the customer has decided exactly what they want to buy and are actively seeking out a supplier that offers the product or service they need.

For instance, this week I was looking for an estate agent in my area and I turned to Google to find a couple to get quotes from. It's not the sort of thing you would Google unless you want to sell a house, so a Google ad in this context makes sense as an investment.

Meta ads work in a completely different way. Meta takes your ad and puts it in front of people who have shown an interest in your subject matter through their activity online - not just on Facebook or Instagram, but across their search history - which is why if you engage with a post or ad you're likely to start being served ads for similar products. It's why 90% of my newsfeed right now is salmon recipes and curly hair products.

Let's say, for instance, that I'm feeling frustrated because I'm a new business owner and I want to start marketing my services but I don't have a clue about creating a brand. I might have created a Canva account and had a bit of a click around, but I found it overwhelming and ended up feeling stuck.

I probably don't know that what I really need is a branding specialist with a package designed for new businesses, so I'm most likely not going to be hitting up Google to search for one. But the types of searches I am doing will tell Meta that I'm the right fit for a branding specialist with such a package. So when I see that branding specialist's lead magnet pop up on my newsfeed calling out the exact challenges I'm experiencing, you better believe I'll be clicking on it!

If you're on the fence and wondering where to best invest your money, ask yourself this:

Does my prospective customer know that they need my exact service and are willing to spend the time searching Google for the right business to help them? > Google's a great choice

or

Is my prospective customer suffering with a problem, but doesn't know how to fix it? > reach them via Meta

or

Is my prospective customer suffering with a problem and knows about different potential solutions but hasn't decided which solution is best for them? > again Meta is the best way to show them that your solution is the best choice for them.

Phew! Just saved yourself $$$ in testing 😅

You know an article alone isn't going to be the silver bullet to grow your business. Sometimes you need to bring in the big guns, and that's where I come in.

I'd love to invite you to a free 30 minute strategy call with me where we'll deep dive into your business and what you've been doing to bring in new clients. We'll identify what to focus your energy on to bring in consistent leads and income, what to stop doing and any areas where support would help. ​Click here to book a chat with me.​

Why I quit Instagram

Instagram was a waste of time for my business so I quit it.

Why am I sharing this? Because I want to bring some sanity back into your relationship with social media for lead generation and save you a load of time and energy. Let me tell you a story...

I had a modest Instagram following built up over about 5 years. In that time I went through periods of regular posting, regular Stories, sharing my work and some home life bits, engagement with relevant accounts, DMs to new followers - the full shebang.

I found it relentless and frustrating - I knew my time and energy investment wasn't paying off, but I thought if I just kept doing all the things something would change. (If you've had that thought, you're not alone!)

Then one day I took a step back and started looking at my business like I look at my clients' businesses.

I found it relentless and frustrating - I knew my time and energy investment weren't paying off sufficiently, but I thought if I just kept doing all the things something would change. (If you've had that thought, you're not alone!)

Then one day I took a step back and started looking at my business like I look at my clients' businesses.

And I realised that my ideal customer isn't on Instagram, they're on LinkedIn. The people I was attracting on Instagram saw the value in my advice based on 5 years of social media consultancy and a decade before that in advertising agencies. But they weren't at a stage in their business journeys that meant they could invest in my services.

Although there were some lovely people engaging with my content, I don't have time to spend creating content for an audience that will never convert into clients. And, I suspect, neither do you.

So I finally took my own advice, looked at where my audience was spending time and focused my lead generation routine there. And saved myself a load of time and energy in the process. Now in my case the right platform was LinkedIn, but for you it may well be Instagram or TikTok etc - this isn't to bash Instagram, it's an excellent hunting ground for the right businesses.

The result of my change of focus?

It became easier to connect with the right decision makers.

The conversations I was having were better quality.

Which meant more opportunities.

More leads.

More time.

And much less frustration.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by trying to do all the things on all the social media platforms, this is your sign to simplify. Here's your step by step...

Think carefully about who you actually want to work with. Be very, very clear on who this 'ideal customer' is and where they spend their time.

Now look at each social media platform you create content for:

• who typically spends time on that platform - is your ideal client in that group?

• who is actually engaging with your content - again, is your ideal client in that group?

In my experience, businesses with this challenge are either on the wrong platform and need to change direction, or they are on the right platform but aren't attracting the right people with that content.

This simple exercise will give you a solid steer on where you need to focus. And if you streamline the number of platforms you're showing up on, you can free up time to really go all-in on the platforms you keep.

Are you feeling stretched too thin trying to be everywhere at once? Drop me a DM, I'd love to help.

How to spend strategically on your marketing when you don't really want to spend at all

"Business has slumped and I know I need to do something to change that.

But I can't spend any money on marketing my business because I don't have a full roster of clients right now.

Logically, bringing in support and re-building my business will ultimately lead to me making more money than I would spend on the re-building process, but no, I'm not going to invest in myself or my business, it feels too risky."

said every business owner who'll spend the next year seeing nothing change.

We know from experience that in a financial crisis, the marketing budget is always the first to be cut because it's not as tangible and measurable as other areas of the business. We can do without, the business thinks, we just need to keep afloat right now. Then everyone is surprised when no new clients come knocking 🤷‍♀️

Here's the thing - your marketing is your invitation to the outside world to get to know you. It's your only way to get your message, your expertise, your solutions in front of the right people. And no new clients are going to come knocking if no-one knows you're there.

I get it. I avoided spending any money on growing my business for LITERALLY YEARS. The result - my business stayed stagnant. When I finally realised that I couldn't do it alone and invested in some support, my business changed.

I developed better new business habits and a stronger mental outlook.

Which led to more new business conversations.

And ultimately more clients.

It didn't happen overnight and it took a lot of work. But it happened.

It comes down to spending strategically on the activities that will get you the most bang for your buck, which is smarter financially but also mentally feels better. So, how can you do that?

Review where you are. You've had clients in the past - where did they come from (organic social, online groups, your newsletter, SEO, cold outreach?). Is that avenue still available and relevant? If yes - that's where to put your focus (if no, this is the time to talk to an expert who can advise you on what's working well for similar businesses).

Amplify what's working. Think about how you can get that high-converting asset in front of as many of the right people as possible. If, for instance, you typically bring in clients by running low-cost workshops but you've exhausted your local audience and business is slowing down, could running ads to an online version of your workshop help reach new audiences further afield? Or if you typically bring in clients via cold outreach, could you add a system to your business to help increase the number of daily messages you're able to send?

Identify what you can do yourself. The benefit of a business slump is your time is freed up to focus on new business (I know, it's the only benefit). So once you know what your focus needs to be, think about what's feasible in terms of your own skillset. There are some new activities that will fit easily into your schedule (like sending more DMs) and some that won't (like learning a whole new skillset) which brings me to...

Outsource what you don't know how to do. You can learn most things if you put enough hours in. But let's be honest, you don't have the time to do that and your energy is better spent on the things only you can do, like your client work and business planning. Save your time and energy by partnering with an expert who can fill the gaps in your business - either by teaching you a new skill, mentoring you through learning a new process or by doing the work for you. Remember there are experts for everything; it could be anything from a VA to send connection requests, to a tech expert to set up back-end processes, to an ads manager to run your Meta campaigns.

Working through this process step-by-step helps you identify exactly the kind of support that will help you the most, and means that you can strategically spend your budget on the area most likely to bring you returns.

And if you're in doubt, consider this - it's so easy to blame the economy / the election / the cost of living crisis / the global climate / the competition when business is slow, but those things are all out of your control. Focusing on the things you can control, building a habit around doing those things and not expecting yourself to be able to do everything can only lead to better outcomes for your business.

So here's to showing up, strategic thinking and asking for help when we need it 🍾

How to become your audience's go-to expert

I hire the person I know 9 times out of 10. You most likely do too.

Let me give you an example.

I need to book a moving company this week, and I’m going to call the one I used back in 2020. Are they the most efficient or the cheapest? No idea, but shopping around sounds time-consuming and annoying, and I just need to get it sorted.

My son needs a haircut and I know I’ll book in with Garcia down the road. Could I find a better deal elsewhere? Maybe, but Garcia is great with my boy.

If I need a plug re-routed I’ll be on the phone to Harrison. Is he the best electrician in the area? Unlikely, since he’s actually a plumber who does electrics on the side. But he’s really nice and reliable and I already have his number.

Why am I bringing this up?

Because all of these people had to get on my radar to become my go-to. And they stayed on my radar so that when I needed the service they offered I thought of them rather than hitting Google and starting from scratch.

97% of your audience are not ready to buy at the moment they first interact with you. But one day, they will be part of the 3% who are, and the person they will buy from is the person who they already understand to be the expert.

So how can you make sure this is you?

Connecting at scale: simply put, 3% of a large audience is going to pay your bills much faster than 3% of a small audience. Think about how you can connect with that large audience regularly - is it by running ads to get your message in front of more of the right people? Being a guest on podcasts? Speaking gigs? Spending time on outreach in the DMs each day?

Consistency: showing up on social media regularly and posting content that positions you as the expert in your field helps you stay front of mind. Remember that even if the people you want to reach aren’t actively liking or commenting on your posts, it doesn’t mean they aren’t seeing them and squirrelling away the knowledge that you’re great at what you do.

Case in point, earlier this year I worked on a social media strategy project for an agency I had connected with a year before and had had zero interaction with before they messaged me to ask for a chat. They were watching, but I had no idea.

Repetition: only a tiny fraction of your audience will see your content each time you post, so don’t be afraid to talk about your offers and how you help your clients regularly. If it feels like you’re taking about yourself an uncomfortable amount, you’re probably just about doing it enough!

Omnipresence: you know how when you engage with someone’s post or ad you feel like you suddenly see them everywhere? This is deliberate (and done with some clever ads targeting)! The more your audience sees you the more front of mind you’ll be when the time comes. So don’t be afraid to email your list regularly alongside posting social content - different formats like these all help build a reassuring picture of who you are, what you do and how you can help.

How are you staying front of mind with your audience?

How to show up on video when you hate seeing your own face

I tell my clients to do this all the time, but...

I've been avoiding using video for my own lead generation for literally years. I'm not a natural extrovert and it's felt far too awkward and vulnerable to step out from my comfort zone. I'd rather be hiding away doing client work or behind the scenes in my business than front and centre on someone's LinkedIn feed.

But, here's the rub - to really connect with your audience on social media these days, they need to see more than your carefully-crafted prose. And while having some on-brand photography is a useful business asset, especially when you're the face of the brand, nothing beats video when it comes to building connection quickly.

If you're anything like me you'll have been using one or more of these excuses not to show your face in your business:

• no idea what to say / where to sit / what to wear

• too dishevelled / bad hair day / don't look like other people you see posting video to LinkedIn

• too busy / not a priority / would rather do basically anything else

Which are all nonsense, as you know.

It's all about authenticity and standing out on the socials, and if you want leads to flow into your business showing your face is important. People ultimately buy services from the people they identify with, trust and who they feel understand their challenges. Which means if you want them to connect with you, you need to show up.

In the last month I've had a word with myself (big girl pants, missed opportunities, tell my clients to do this etc) and started recording. And if I can do it, you can too.

Let's get you started with my 4 top filming tips:

1. Talk about what you know best. Start with this super-simple formula: call out your customer's challenge > give an example of your experience tackling that challenge > spell out your offer relating to that challenge-tackling > give an action for the viewer to take (book a call, click a link etc).

2. If you're nervous, script everything. When I ad-lib to camera, I quickly spiral into complete gibberish, so everything has to be scripted. If you're the same, it's far easier to learn a script than expect off-the-cuff genius. Give yourself plenty of time to record so you can do 26 takes if you need to - I promise that once you record a few videos the process will speed up considerably.

3. Bulk record your videos. Just like written content creation, when the inspiration flows, try to get as much done as possible and plan them into your posting schedule in advance. Change tops and/or locations between videos for some variety.

4. Look like yourself. This game-changing iPhone function changed my relationship with video. Once you've recorded, go into edit and click on the reverse button (two arrows above two triangles) and it will flip your video so you look like you, not a mirror image of you. Small but effective.

Here's your challenge for this week - record one video using the formula I've laid out above and tag me when you post it. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Need leads right now? Fast-track your lead gen.

We all know social media is a long game. Consistent posting, engagement, outreach and building relationships in the DMs is ultimately what will grow your pipeline. Only 3% of your audience will be ready to buy at any given moment, so keeping front of mind so that you're the one they reach out to when they're ready is absolutely key.

But here's the thing. Sometimes you don't have the time to play the long game, because your business needs leads in right now. That's where ads come in.

I know - ads are super complicated, expensive and take ages to work right? Best avoid those 😳

Let me stop you there.

When you know how to leverage them, ads can be a brilliant way to get your message in front of a much greater number of people in a much shorter amount of time than you can achieve on your organic channels. Their targeting power and reach are unmatched by organic social, and they can be used strategically to achieve your goals faster.

Be aware, though - ads are not a cure-all to fix a business. They work best when you have a service that aligns with the challenges of your audience, and you know exactly who that audience is and how to speak their language.

Let me give you an example.

I few weeks back I ran a free masterclass. I promoted it heavily on LinkedIn in the run-up, which took a big chunk of content creation time and energy. For all kinds of possible reasons, this got me just 2 sign ups.

Simultaneously I ran 3 carefully targeted ads across Facebook and Instagram for a period of 8 days. I spent a total of £95.44 and generated 25 leads, which equates to £3.82 per lead over the period. On the best performing day leads were coming in at £2.02. With more time and testing, I could most likely have got this cost down.

Here's what we can learn from my organic v paid social testing.

1. The current dip in reach on organic social can hinder your efforts to promote events or lead magnets organically. If you have a super-engaged audience, it's possible, but it will take a lot of time and energy to show up sufficiently to cut through the noise.

2. Even if your message deals with your audience's work life, disregarding Meta ads as irrelevant is a mistake. People are still open to content that will benefit their 9-5 when they're casually scrolling Instagram on the bus home. Meta ads are significantly more cost effective than LinkedIn ads, so a 'safer' place to start when budgets are tight.

3. You don't need to spend a fortune or run ads for months on end to get results. You can run them strategically with a specific goal in mind and then refine from there. Drop me a message to up-skill your team on how to set their own ads up.

If you need results yesterday and you feel like you're hitting a brick wall trying to promote your amazing event or value-packed download on the socials, this might just be the best and quickest way to get those leads through the door.

Any questions? Send me a DM, I'd love to hear from you.

5 things you can do right now to beat the LinkedIn blues

Should you focus your efforts on social media lead generation when it feels so hard to get traction?

I'm sure you've heard a lot of chat about how tough generating engagement on LinkedIn is at the moment. From my side, impressions are lower than they have ever been. I'm still seeing content creators with brilliant personal brands who are absolutely smashing it (or who appear to be if you look at the engagement they get - although let's not forget that we don't know how many leads that's translating into).

But I'm also seeing content creators with brilliant personal brands who are whispering in the corner about how little reaction they are seeing to insightful, educational content that would genuinely help their ideal customer.

It's exhausting. Add to that the state of the world, the cost of living and the impending juggle of the school holidays and it's enough to make you want to curl up under the duvet instead! Some days I'm definitely feeling that urge, so if you are too, you're not alone.

Here's what I do know, though.

When times are tough, focus on what you can control. The things that give you the best possible chance of success.

📅 Your routine. The searches you run for the most relevant people to get your business in front of. The number of connection requests you send out each day. The number of DMs you send. The number of days each week you show up on social media and share your own content. The number of days each week you run those searches, send those DMs etc. That investment will pay off if you keep at it.

📱Your scroll. Using tools like Sales Navigator helps you escape the LinkedIn scroll hole. Focus your time on building relationships, not on seeing how many more comments X got than you. Your mental health will thank you.

🏪 Your public facing assets. Think of your content and your social profile as your shop window. It needs to be there, it should be tailored to your ideal customer, it should showcase you as the expert in your field.

But you're not just relying on that shop window to get contracts signed - it's there to support the process. The magic happens in the DMs, at events, on webinars, on calls, so focus on the conversations that will make those things happen, not just on prettifying the shopfront.

🎤 Your touch-points. If your usual organic content isn't having the desired result, think broader. What would get you in front of your ideal customers? Is it showing up on video, hosting a zoom webinar, an in-person speaking engagement, a podcast, a newsletter, a collaboration?

You can't dictate your impression numbers, but you can start throwing your hat into the ring for things that will get your name into the right circles, and use your social media to support those.

⏰ Your turnaround time for reaching the right people. Social media is a long game. Consistent, strategic organic social does get results. If you need results faster, ads can do that for you. And don't limit yourself to LinkedIn, even if that's where you usually prospect. Meta ads are a great, more cost effective way to reach your people.

And if you need any help, I'm just a DM away!

Identify client pain points in minutes with this AI hack

You know that lead generation is what's going to take your business from surviving to thriving. Key to that? Understanding your ideal customer and speaking their language.

But let's be honest – the level of research needed to truly walk in someone else's shoes can be time-consuming, and sorting through the noise to find the golden nuggets of insight can feel daunting.

Say goodbye to endless research rabbit holes.

Gone are the days of trawling through Google for relevant articles, deep diving into Amazon book reviews, or scrolling through endless Reddit threads and Instagram comments. Who has the time for that? Certainly not you, with your jam-packed schedule and ever-growing to-do list.

That's where AI tools come into play, empowering savvy content creators (and let's face it, if you're responsible for your business' lead generation, you're wearing that hat too) to cut through the clutter and uncover those juicy details in record time.

Practical Example: understanding your Financial Services client

Let's say you're an agency leader working with clients in the financial services industry in the UK, and your direct contact is typically the firm's Marketing Manager. This is the person you need to truly understand – their pain points, their challenges, their language.

Open up an AI platform (I personally like Perplexity), and copy in this prompt:

"My target audience is a Marketing Manager in Financial Services living and working in London. She's aged 40-60 and juggles a busy work and home life. Can you please research what her pain points would be with regards to her working life and specifically to her team leadership."

(You don't have to say please, but I like to keep it classy.)

Feel free to update with any other details if you have them. The goal is to make the picture of your ideal customer as clear as possible.

Hit go, and watch as the AI finds you a detailed list of your ideal customer's challenges. It should also provide source articles written by real people, so you can reassure yourself that the answers are correct, find even more detail, and immerse yourself in the language of the sector.

Et voila! Amazing insights into your ideal customer's challenges, in just a few minutes.

Bonus Tip: use this prompt for speedy brief writing

This exercise isn't just useful for understanding your own ideal customers – it's also a powerful tool for gaining insights into your client's ideal prospects. Leverage AI to quickly and effortlessly uncover the pain points and challenges faced by their target audience. The result? Better briefs and inspired creative work.

Any questions? Let me know at alex@socialclimber.london.