How to Create a Marketing Strategy for Your New Online Business
- Jun 29, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 16
In June, Jess DeFeo, my marketing go-to, joined us inside the Start Your Thing group coaching call. Every month, an expert speaks, or I teach a business-building topic to my community of up-and-coming business owners.
Jess is a Small Business Marketing Director and the Founder of JMD Creative Consulting. She came to the group to share her marketing approach. Jess provided valuable advice on how to market like a seasoned business owner, not a beginner.
Dive in to apply some of her advice to create a marketing strategy for your new online business.
Your Marketing Mindset
Everything begins and ends with your mindset. Marketing yourself and your business is no different. Jess stressed the importance of focusing on your marketing mindset. Her message was both inspiring and straightforward. It encouraged many of us to take action that day!
Marketing Must Be Non-Negotiable
Marketing cannot be a “get to eventually” task. It has to be consistent. This is a long game that needs to start TODAY! Jess highlighted that your marketing mindset should align with your business mindset. Think about it: the way you deliver client work and manage your finances are essential aspects of your business. If those elements are non-negotiable, so should your marketing be.
An “aha moment” during Jess's talk was the realization of the need to show up repeatedly. You may have heard this before, but Jess framed it positively. Each appearance you make is social proof of YOU. It's your messaging, building expertise, leadership, and trust.
Whether you realize it or not, you are sending a message to your followers. The number of followers you have doesn’t matter. You are a leader to those following you. Your actions communicate how you will show up when someone works with you. If you aren’t consistent, a potential client may wonder: If you can’t maintain consistency in social media or email, how will you show up for me? This is something crucial to reflect on!
“You can’t treat your marketing like a part-time job and expect full-time results.” -Jess DeFeo
Starting today, it's essential to stop treating marketing like a side hustle. Change your mindset now.
Why Is Marketing So Hard?
Marketing is vulnerable. You put yourself out into the world. This can be especially challenging at the beginning of your business journey. Offering something new or pivoting can lead to analysis paralysis.
Navigating the Early Stages
At this stage, everything feels important and non-negotiable. It can be hard to see where to spend your time and energy. Jess encouraged us to dodge the habit of "winging it." This habit can be exhausting and promote feelings of impostor syndrome. Feeling uncertain early in your entrepreneurship journey is common. Remember, you aren't alone, and you can still attract clients without needing to perfect everything.
Many new business owners lack formal marketing training. Jess recommends not handling your marketing strategy alone unless it is a core part of your business. It's best to enlist a business friend or mentor. Alternatively, find a community of business builders for support during the early stages.
Steps to Clarify Your Marketing Strategy
Before seeking help with marketing, clarify these steps:
Step One: Define Your Core Marketing Message
What is your offer? Who are you serving? Why does it matter? Identify what makes your service different.
Step Two: Define Your Lead Generation Process
You must nurture potential clients before they become clients. Define these key topics:
What is the experience someone goes through when they first find you?
How are they nurtured and cared for?
What specific next steps do you want them to take?
Step Three: Create a Content Strategy
You need a basic framework. Know which platform to focus on and how often to show up.
Marketing Strategy
Marketing is both an art and a science. The art lies in putting things out there and gauging the response. The science comes from the data produced by your consistency.
Long-Term Vision
It's reassuring to know that marketing is not a short-term venture. You may not see immediate results. Consistency is key. Consider creating a 90-day marketing framework and analyzing your data for informed strategy adjustments.
For example, I recently sent out my bi-monthly newsletter. Analyzing the results showed that the most-clicked link led to a business tool I use regularly. I used that data to create a social media post for a wider audience, promoting the tool and generating strong engagement!
In addition, set boundaries and schedule time for marketing tasks. Focus on the top 1-3 marketing activities that will genuinely drive results over the next three months.
Understand Your Business
You don’t need a big budget or a vast social media following to create a successful marketing strategy. What you must know is what your business stands for, who you're speaking to, and what you want to achieve.
Market Easier By Answering These Questions:
What are your goals for this quarter and the upcoming years?
What do you ultimately want to do?
Who are your clients?
What are their problems, pain points, and how do you solve them?
Obsess over your clients and communicate directly with them!
Marketing Yourself & Your Business
Now, let's dive into actionable tips for marketing yourself and your business:
When to Create A Website
There are two camps regarding having a website:
Jess advocates that you're always ready for a website.
I believe in just getting started!
Jess emphasized that while a consistent social media presence is vital for social proof, it should not be your only lead generation source. Organic growth can be slow, and that’s where a website comes in handy. It helps you build SEO sooner.
We recommend starting with a simple one-page website. You can evolve it as your business grows. Ensure your website reflects your strategy by clearly communicating your services and addressing client pain points. Include clear calls to action for visitors to take the desired next steps. If you want to create an easy-to-use website, I personally use Wix.com.
“Networking is the best thing you can do for your business.” -Jess DeFeo
Networking
Jess and I emphasized the significance of building relationships through networking and referrals, which can be cost-effective for business growth.
Jess recommends attending multiple events each month. Connect meaningfully with 2-3 people at each event. Build relationships with referral partners or future clients.
You don't need to stress about business cards when starting. Consider free, digital business card apps like Hi.Hello or Blinq to link to your website and social media.
Your Elevator Pitch
When asked what you do, don’t start with your title and list tasks. Take a unique approach. It helps you stand out.
For example, instead of leading with a title, consider this approach: “You know those hectic Monday mornings when you have 90 things to do but no one to delegate to? This is where I can help!”
Social Media Tips
Social media is always changing. Jess discussed the importance of authentic marketing and moving away from overly templated content. Personal, relatable content can help build connections with your audience.
Both Jess and I stressed the importance of authenticity. Don’t worry about being perfect or following trends meticulously.
It might help to maintain separate personal and business-focused social media accounts. Your potential clients appreciate personal touches in occasional posts, but keep the business account primarily focused on your services.
Initially, you may attract friends and family, but some of them will often become your most significant cheerleaders. Always remember, your marketing strategy is part of a long game.
In Summary
Ready to create a Marketing Strategy for Your New Business with support? Consider joining a community of pivoters and builders inside Start Your Thing. This mentorship experience helps women step into starting a business with a solid framework. You'll start strong and land your first client.
When you join, you'll gain access to future guest experts, past classes, and receive my dedicated attention to help you grow your freelance and online business. Book a free discovery call here, or DM me on Instagram.
Hello! If we haven't met yet, I'm Kirstin, a former corporate professional who has successfully transitioned into a small business owner. I teach women how to launch a business. Are you overwhelmed with how to get started? Don’t do it alone! Learn how to kickstart your business with the right support.
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