Every new business faces a chicken and the egg scenario regarding marketing and how to invest time and money. On one side is the argument for Ads. Ads work instantaneously. They can drive traffic to your offers and, if effective, bring in new clients. However, there are some significant issues with starting with Ads.

First, all the traffic you buy is cold, which is much harder to convert than other types of content and is more expensive. Since you have yet to build a brand, providing proof is hard, if not impossible, further decreasing your ability to convert traffic. Another significant issue is you still need to learn your client's lifetime value (LTV). You won't know for sure how much you can spend on Ads until you understand the LTV. Running Ads is also a specialty skill. You can certainly learn how to create and run an effective Ad, but it is a steep learning curve, and mistakes can be very expensive. Another big drawback of Ads is that once you turn off the dollars, they stop performing.

That's why I recommend you start with content. Content will help warm up prospects, and as your content compounds over time, it will help provide proof of your expertise. Content is slower than Ads, but it is evergreen. It becomes a compounding asset of the business. A well written article can help drive traffic and warm up prospects for years after it is created. Social media content has a similar effect and has the added benefit of amplifying your reach over time.

For the first 3-6 months, I advise focusing two-thirds of your content on social media and one-third on your website, creating blogs, articles, lead magnets, etc. This focus will force you to learn about your target audience and to think deeply about them. As you build your audience, they will help you understand the problems they want and need to solve, which will help you establish your product to market fit.

I am not arguing against the use of Ads, only that they are a tool that must be used in sequence as part of an overall business strategy. How much you have to invest in a startup will largely determine your strategy. If you are low on funds, content is going to be your total focus.

If this is your first time creating a content marketing strategy, start with my book, Primal Storytelling, Marketing for Humans. It is a step-by-step system that will help you create content that connects with your audience in an authentic and powerful way.

Until Next Week!