Getting results from marketing can take a long time, but here are 5 ways to speed up results

If consistency is key, how can you go faster when the answer is: consistently blog, vlog, or create content 1–3 times per week for years?

You have to be consistent and dependable with content your customers care about and rely on. It needs to be really, really great, interesting, consistent content. It likely won’t be at first. It will probably kind of suck. So get better by iterating using these levers to level up again and again.

Here’s how.

1. Think of Your Customers as Fans

I did say “fans.” Some of you are thinking — I’m not an influencer. I don’t have fans. I respectfully disagree!

When you think about your customers as fans, the dynamic of what you’re creating changes. You’re there to entertain. Yes, you need to educate too. Edutain is a real thing that real companies need to consider.

If you’re not Beyoncé and fundamentally against dancing on TikTok (I am — plus that doesn’t work anymore), fear not. Everyone can edutain. It’s about creating a brand that really speaks the way you (the founder and your team) actually speak. It’s not about being louder or controversial. It’s about serving your customer the way only you can.

2. Mine Customer Support for Gold

Speaking of serving your customer: customer support is a goldmine for marketing copy. If it’s not, it should be.

What are your customers’ pains?
What have you solved for them that they’re so happy about, they write you a review?
What makes them stay up at night worrying about?

That’s your messaging.

3. Solve Adjacent Problems

This one I can’t shout from the rooftops enough: you don’t always have to teach your customers (fans, whatever) about your product and what you offer.

What’s adjacent to you, but still really important to them? Financial planning? Vacation help? Making employees’ lives better?

Use those to dial into more content, help more, and give freely.

4. Use Low-Cost PPC to Learn Faster

Low-cost PPC. I totally get it.

Zuck is evil. Facebook Ads steal all your money. You’ve wasted millions. There has to be a better way. There is. Here me out.

Yes, PPC can work.

Low-cost ads are a way to quickly and easily test copy, audience, and creative assets. Running ongoing campaigns is THE only way to get smarter about running a one-off campaign.

LinkedIn and Google Ads can work too. But when you nail your copy, messaging, and assets on one platform, it’s easier to move to another. And 90% of the time, Meta ads are the cheapest.

You’ve got this — faster results, that is.

5. Talk to Your Customers. All the Time.

Learn about your customers in your marketing. Get information about them.

It requires creating a compelling enough message to get a response, but that’s essential to creating engagement. Say something compelling. It turns out that’s harder than it sounds.

Continually interviewing your customers (fans) live is a great way to circle back and build a broader marketing campaign.

A couple of years ago, I sent Wade Foster, founder of Zapier, a LinkedIn message on an unrelated topic, but mentioned I was a former Zapier customer. They were only worth about 1/4B back then, but Wade responded and fast.

Here’s what he said:

“Question: what made you a former customer? Pour the feedback on me!”

That’s being connected to your customer. That’s talking to them. That’s being attuned to what they really care about.

It’s everyone’s job to learn about your customers. And it’s no surprise to me to see Zapier’s success with a CEO who leads with genuine curiosity about his customers.

That’s how you learn about your customers in marketing.