Marketing is crucial for any brick-and-mortar business, including fitness studios, physical therapy practices, and other wellness companies. A good marketing strategy helps grow your brand recognition and attract new clients.

But developing a marketing plan can be challenging, especially if you're a boutique business owner. Maybe you don't have the budget or desire to work with a large marketing agency, but you feel lost at the thought of running every aspect of marketing yourself.

The first step is to learn the basics of marketing. Once you understand the different types of marketing strategies, you can decide which one is right for your business. 

Let's talk about the three main types of marketing and how to use them to promote your business to your ideal clientele.

Organic Marketing Strategies

As the name implies, organic marketing focuses on the "natural" growth of your brand. That doesn't mean it's automatic — most organic marketing strategies require dedicated effort. But they don't include financial investment — paid advertising isn't an element of organic marketing.

Online content can be an effective approach to organic marketing. For example, let's say you're a yoga instructor. One organic marketing option would be posting how-to videos for specific poses on Instagram. YouTube videos and blogs are other examples of content that could be part of an organic marketing strategy.

The idea is that as people consume your content, they become more familiar with you and your brand. You're building a reputation as a reliable source for yoga information and growing your audience. As your audience expands, you're likely to attract new clients who want to learn from you and are willing to pay for your services to do so.

Organic marketing requires consistent effort but little to no financial cost. It also requires time — it usually takes a while to start seeing regular conversions from organic marketing. However, this type of marketing helps establish you as an expert in your industry and provides your audience with valuable resources.

Paid Marketing Strategies

When most people think of marketing, they think of paid options. Online ads, printed flyers, "featured" coverage in a magazine, and billboards are all examples of paid marketing strategies.

Paid marketing strategies can be very effective if they're targeted correctly. Poorly designed paid marketing can be expensive with little to no return on investment.

For example, let's say you have a pelvic health practice. Running generic paid ads for PT services or boosting occasional blog posts probably won't get you many conversions. However, running paid Google ads that target new mothers within a 15-mile radius of your clinic could be a very effective strategy because it specifically targets your ideal clients.

Earned Marketing Strategies

The third approach is earned marketing. This refers to exposure and advertising that you earn — word-of-mouth referrals, social proof, and non-paid publicity are examples of earned marketing. 

For example, if you pay a local magazine for a cover story, that's an example of paid marketing. But if that local magazine reaches out to you to request an interview because of your unique credentials or a specific service you offer, that would be earned marketing. 

Choosing the Right Marketing Strategy

Which type of marketing is right for your business? It depends on your goals, budget, and services. 

When you're just starting out, for example, it's better to focus on organic marketing efforts instead of using a large portion of your budget to pay for ads. Consistently putting out high-quality content can help you grow your audience and build your reputation.

But let's say you've been in business for a while. Running targeted paid ads could be a good strategy, as long as you can identify your ideal client. At the same time, you could request testimonials or Google reviews from your clients as an earned marketing strategy.

For most businesses, effective marketing incorporates more than one approach. It also evolves over time. As your business grows and you solidify your offers and ideal clients, you can adapt your marketing strategy to make the most of paid ads and earned marketing.

Making the Most of Your Marketing Strategies

You've created a marketing strategy based on your goals and budget. Now what? Before you start running paid ads or uploading content to your Instagram or YouTube, optimize your website.

When people want to learn about you and your business, they'll look online. And if your website is outdated, slow, unattractive, or confusing, most people will probably end up choosing one of your competitors instead. 

Your website is your chance to make a great first impression on the people your marketing strategy attracts. So make sure it's…

• Up to date
• Mobile-friendly
• Easy to navigate
• Attractive

Your website should include all the crucial information a visitor needs — like your location, services, pricing, and operating hours — in a clear, easy-to-find location. 

The same is true for your social media profiles. For every platform you're on, make sure people can easily find your website, services, and contact information.

If possible, allow clients to book your services online — many people are more likely to make an appointment or sign up for a class if they can do so without having to make a phone call. 

There's More to Marketing Than Paid Ads

There's nothing wrong with investing in paid advertising. But that's not the only way to market your business — and it's not necessarily the best approach. 

If you're just starting out, have a tight budget, or haven't narrowed down your ideal client, it's probably better to focus on organic and earned marketing. And don't forget to build your local network and connect with other businesses in your area.

As you're developing your marketing strategy, don't forget about other aspects of your brand, like your website and social media profiles. Think about all the ways a potential client could find you online, and make sure that each of those avenues presents an accurate, attractive view of your business.

If you'd like expert resources plus coaching support to create an effective marketing strategy for your business, join Fit Biz Foundations. You'll have access to my proven business framework along with regular group coaching calls where you can ask questions and get advice specific to your business. Learn more and join the Fit Biz Fam today!