“Earth!” the man thrusts his fist skyward.

“Fire!” yells another man, balled up fist also pointed to the heavens.

“Wind!”

“Water!”

Two girls also join in the call.

“Heart!”

A younger man follows.

Each of these people wear rings, lightning beams of colour shoot out from the gemstones. In a blinding flash, a blue man with a green mullet appears.

“With your powers combined- I am- Captain Planet!”

‘Captain Planet’ was a popular show that featured on the ABC’s afternoon kids’ line-up, back when I was in Primary school. Captain Planet was the environmentally-friendly superhero, summoned when each of the 5 ‘Planeteers’ (get it?) combined the unique powers of their rings as one force. Individually, the Planeteers had limited power, but when they each pooled their unique element?

They awakened a force who could literally move mountains and make it rain!

Now- while I can’t guarantee that these five marketing pillars will save the world (or summon a buff guy with a green mullet, for that matter) I can tell you that if you get them right, it makes a big difference to the volume of leads you attract- and the ease you can do it with.

So if that’s what you seek, then take note of these- and implement them ASAP:

#1. Website.

Think of your website like it’s your online business card. In order to get browsers to stick around, it must be:

a) Easy to navigate,

b) Contain the key info they’re looking for and,

c) Also have a clear call to action.

Do you want them to e-mail you, call you, place an order or subscribe?

You’ve got to lead them there!

A sharp, up-to-date website with SEO loving copy is a must-have for anybody that wants to achieve any degree of impact online.

Who To Call On: Web Designer, Graphic Designer, Copywriter, Corporate Photographer

#2. Social Media.

To quote copywriting coach Bernadette Schwerdt, “Social media is word of mouth on steroids”

You’d be amazed just how many businesses- including your competitors- are virtually non-existent on social media.

Google is not the only way people find you online!

Having a dedicated business presence on Facebook, LinkedIn etc. is how you start conversations with tomorrow’s top clients. Regularly posting content on your social media pages is how you get seen by your target audience- and get them interested in your product, service or area of excellence.

By doing this, you stand head and shoulders above more people that you might realise- and reap the real benefits of doing so!

Who To Call On: Social Media Marketing Experts

#3. Video.

Regardless of the demographic, people love video.

The beauty is that with everything from film cameras to iPads to smart phones- shooting and uploading video has never been easier!

Ideas for what to film and share:

• Profiles of your business and your team
• Regular updates of goings-on to keep your audience “in the loop”
• ‘How To’ clips
• Answers to FAQ’s
• Promotions
• Entertaining, fun content

There’s a wealth of ideas to run with!

Video on your website and your social media pages ads a whole new level to your online presence and how readily people engage with you.

Who To Call On: Videographers if you want the professional touch. You can, however, do it yourself and still create content that’s watchable and of great value to your audience- millions of entrepreneurs aren’t wrong!

#4. Blogging.

In short?

Blogging is the art of writing ‘Stories That Sell’

Alongside mastering social media, regular blog posting is how you lay down the foundations of solid, lasting relationships with leads AND strategic partners. You don’t just want to share useful information, but write about your business and yourself. I’ve seen it time and again with clients I’ve written for-

They start with all these great ideas for handy ‘How To’ posts they can share with their audience- but what people love are the posts where they peel back the curtain and share the story of their lives: how they got into their industry, what keeps them busy outside of work, what their passion is.

We all want connections like that. On top of sharing your expertise and promoting yourself, blogging also provides your audience one thing we’re all crying out for in this day and age:

Authenticity.

Oh- and did I mention that regular blogging is something at LEAST 80% of your competitors are NOT doing? Think about that…

Who To Call On: Copywriters

#5. Individual Selling

Cold calling

Live presentations

Hosting workshops

Networking

These are all better than just sitting in your office at your computer if you want to dig up every last diamond. Connecting with people on a face to face, individual level ads a new level of legitimacy to your brand and your marketing message.

Despite the changes in communication technology of the past century, we still have that need to make real connections with one another. We still have more trust for the people we know personally than the people we’ve only seen online.

Getting out there, talking to people and meeting people is how you become a 3 dimensional business- and become memorable.

Who To Call On: Go look in the mirror. That’s who!

Becoming a true master of marketing isn’t just about competence and consistency in the 5 areas I’ve listed, however. More than just ticking boxes and putting lines through tasks, it’s about stepping forward, giving of ourselves and thinking about ways to do that little bit extra.

Because when you do that, it’s when you get that bit extra in return.

Now, if you read through #1, #2 or #4 and you realised this is something you want to get better at- and you want to find out how to make it happen? Then it’s time to discover why putting a proven strategy in place- and getting started- is easier than you might have thought:

Let’s talk