She's going to blog weekly, post on social media daily, send monthly newsletters, and network consistently.
By March, she's behind on everything. By June, she's given up entirely.
"I know I should be doing more marketing," she says, "but I get busy with client work and marketing is the first thing to get dropped."
Sound familiar? The problem isn't that Lisa doesn't know what to do. The problem is that she's trying to do too much at once, without building sustainable systems.
Why Consistency Beats Intensity
Most business owners approach marketing like a crash diet. They do a lot of activity for a short period, get overwhelmed, and quit.
But marketing works like exercise - consistent effort over time beats intense bursts followed by long breaks.
One blog post every month for a year is better than 12 blog posts in January and nothing else all year.
The All-or-Nothing Trap
The biggest obstacle to consistent marketing is perfectionism. We think if we can't do it perfectly, we shouldn't do it at all.
"I don't have time to write a really good blog post this week, so I'll skip it." "I can't create professional-quality social media content, so I won't post anything." "I don't have a comprehensive email campaign planned, so I won't send anything."
This thinking kills consistency. Done is better than perfect. Consistent is better than perfect.
The Minimum Viable Marketing Habit
Instead of trying to do everything, pick one marketing activity and commit to doing it consistently for 90 days.
Examples of minimum viable marketing habits:
- Send one email per month to your customer list
- Post one helpful tip on social media each week
- Make three follow-up calls every Friday
- Write one blog post per month
- Attend one networking event per quarter
The key is choosing something small enough that you can do it even during busy weeks.
Making It Automatic
The best marketing habits are the ones that require the least willpower. Build systems that make consistency easier:
Schedule it: Block time on your calendar for marketing activities
Batch it: Do similar tasks together (write four blog posts in one session)
Template it: Create templates for common marketing tasks
Delegate it: Hire help for parts of the process you don't need to do personally
The Compound Effect of Small Actions
Small, consistent actions compound over time:
- One blog post per month = 12 pieces of content per year
- One social media post per week = 52 touchpoints with your audience
- One follow-up call per day = 250+ conversations with prospects annually
These numbers add up to significant marketing presence without overwhelming your schedule.
Building Your Marketing Stack
Start with one habit. Once it's automatic (usually takes 4-8 weeks), add another. Build your marketing activities like a stack:
Month 1-3: One social media post per week
Month 4-6: Add one email per month to existing customers
Month 7-9: Add one blog post per month
Month 10-12: Add one networking event per quarter
By the end of the year, you're doing four marketing activities consistently instead of trying to do everything at once and failing.
The Monday Marketing Ritual
Many successful business owners use Monday mornings for marketing activities. When your energy is high and your calendar is still manageable, block 1-2 hours for marketing tasks.
Use this time to:
- Write social media posts for the week
- Follow up with recent leads
- Plan content for the month
- Update your website or blog
Tracking Your Consistency
Don't just track results - track consistency. Keep a simple log of your marketing activities:
- Did I post on social media this week? ✓
- Did I send my monthly email? ✓
- Did I follow up with last week's leads? ✓
Tracking consistency helps you see patterns and stay accountable.
When You Miss a Day
You will miss days. Everyone does. The key is getting back on track quickly instead of giving up entirely.
If you miss a week of social media posts, don't try to catch up by posting seven times the next day. Just resume your normal schedule.
Consistency isn't about perfection. It's about getting back on track quickly when you get off track.
The 80/20 of Marketing Activities
Not all marketing activities are equally valuable. Focus your consistent effort on the activities that generate the best results for your business:
High-impact activities: Direct outreach, referral follow-up, speaking at events
Medium-impact activities: Content creation, social media, networking
Low-impact activities: General advertising, mass email campaigns
Do the high-impact activities consistently first, then add medium-impact activities as you build capacity.
Action Steps You Can Take This Week
1. Choose one marketing activity to do daily. Pick something small and valuable. Make three follow-up calls, write one social media post, send one personal email to a past customer.
2. Block marketing time on your calendar weekly. Choose the same day and time each week. Treat it like any other important appointment.
3. Create a simple accountability system. Use a checklist, partner with another business owner, or hire someone to check in on your progress monthly.
The Bottom Line
The businesses with the strongest marketing presence aren't the ones that do the most activities. They're the ones that do a few activities consistently over time. Your marketing doesn't need to be impressive. It needs to be consistent. Pick one thing, do it regularly, and build from there.
Small actions, done consistently, create big results over time.
