Are you tired of spending your wills trying to grow your business without seeing results? Well, today we're revisiting one of the six core systems every business needs to thrive it's your sales and marketing system. This system is what takes you from being busy and broke to being intentional and paid, because it connects your efforts to the results that you deserve. If follow-ups feel like a struggle or you're not sure what to sell or how to sell it, then this episode is just for you. If follow-ups feel like a struggle or you're not sure what to sell or how to sell it, then this episode is just for you. Welcome to the Mind your Time podcast.

I'm Shannon Baker, your coffee-loving host and business strategist. Each week, I will share practical insights and bold strategies for six-figure entrepreneurs looking to clean up their back office and create streamlined systems. The weekly episodes will help you take control of your time, scale your business and create success on your own terms. So grab your cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and let's dive into today's topic. Does running your business ever make you feel like you're just spinning plates? You've got marketing tasks, client work, administrative responsibilities and much more, and all of them demand your attention. And just when you think you've got it under control, a plate or two comes crashing down. Does this sound familiar? Well, if you're nodding your head yes, then you're not alone, because I've been there too.

As a matter of fact, a few years ago, I hit a wall. My business wasn't growing, I was burnt out and my income had plateaued. The worst part I felt stuck in chaos. I was scrambling to keep up and I wasn't seeing the results I wanted in my business, and no matter what I tried or how hard I worked, nothing seemed to stick. That's when I had to face the hard truth I didn't have the systems in place that I needed so that they would support the business I was trying to build, and without the right systems, I was basically working hard and not smart. So I made a decision that felt like I was admitting defeat at the time. I went back to work part-time and while looking back on it now, I see that it was the best decision that I could have ever made. It was a hard decision, but that decision gave me the breathing room that I needed to step back from my business, evaluate it honestly and reimagine what I wanted my business to look and feel like if I was going to give it another try.

This process also gave me clarity on something that's very important I needed to stop leaving things to chance and start building systems that worked for me not the other way around and One of the biggest gaps that I identified was in my sales and marketing efforts. I practiced what we all know to be called spaghetti marketing. I would create a social media plan, I would stick to it for a month or two and then, with all the things I had to do, I would get overwhelmed and I would stop. With all the things I had to do, I would get overwhelmed and I would stop. I would sporadically send emails and would just hope that something would come from that. Really, it was chaotic, it was unsustainable and, let's be honest, it was ineffective. So that's when I sat down, I looked at what I had tried and I asked myself some really tough questions. I looked at what was working, I looked at what wasn't working and I identified what was missing. So here's what I learned from this whole process Hope is not a strategy.

Without a clear system to guide your efforts, you're going to always feel like you're scrambling to keep up. That's why having a sales and marketing system is so critical to the success of your business, and it's not just about checking off tasks on a list. It's about aligning your efforts to produce the results that you want so that you get paid. So now let's break this down, because this is a key to running a successful business that achieves sustainable growth. Years ago, I heard a marketing expert say something that I never forgot. She said marketing gets you seen and sales gets you paid. So I want you to think of marketing like it's a spotlight. It shines a light on your business so people can see what you do and what you offer. But, on the other hand, sales, that's applause from your audience. You get that the moment that someone decides to work with you or buy something from you. But you need both in order for your business to thrive. But here's the kicker they have to work together seamlessly if you're going to benefit from the work that you're putting in. Marketing without sales is like putting on a show and not selling any tickets. So people might know that it's happening, but they're not taking action. And sales without marketing, well, that's like shouting into a void no one even knows you're there and you're not getting paid. So your sales and marketing system ties these two elements together.

Now take a moment and think about how sales and marketing is or is not working in your business right now. Maybe you're posting consistently on social media, like I was, and you're not getting any leads. Or maybe you're getting leads, but you're not tracking them or following up. Remember, the fortune is in the follow-up. So if you're not following up, you're leaving money on the table. This is why tools like Kit, formerly known as ConvertKit, are game changers. I use Kit to create email workflows that automatically nurture my leads after they grab one of my lead magnets or after they join the Mighty Society membership. The automated sequences keep my audience engaged, and this saves me hours of manual work, not to mention having to remember to send multiple emails, because nine times out of ten, that will not happen. Most importantly, it helps me ensure that no lead falls through the cracks, especially on busy days.

But maybe you're different. Maybe you're sending emails, but you're not clear on what you're selling or who you're selling to. So you may get some engagement, but you're still not getting results. Well, if that's the case, then there's a gap in your sales and marketing system, but it can be filled because this system ensures that your efforts are intentionally aligned with your goals. So let me give you an example. Let's say you meet someone at a networking event, you exchange contact information and they seem interested in what you do. They know someone that may be interested in your services or you may serve the same audience or target audience.

But what happens next when you don't have a system in place? Well, more than likely you forget to follow up, or you send a quick email but you never hear back from them. Or you connect with them on LinkedIn and you never have another conversation. So you never hear from them and they never hear from you either. So that lead falls through the cracks and you lose an opportunity to build a relationship that could lead to a collaboration or even a new client. On the other hand, with a sales and marketing system, you would have a process in place to track their information, know where you met them, know what you talked about and follow up with a personalized email or a personalized message on LinkedIn. But this is also where having a tool like mondaycom comes in handy. I use mondaycom to keep track of leads, to manage tasks and even automate parts of my follow-up process. So it's like having a second brain to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.

Small steps like these lead to big results, but I'm going to take it a step further, because a sales and marketing system is not just about getting leads and making sales. It's really about creating a sustainable business that works for you and not the other way around. It helps you focus your mind on what's working, mind your time more efficiently and, most importantly, helps you avoid burning out. But it's also connected to the other five core systems in your business, like your customer care process, to make sure that you provide the best customer experience inside and outside of your business. Now let's talk about the steps you need to take to build this system.
There are three key questions that you absolutely have to answer. I learned these from Stacey Harris of the More Profitable Podcast, and they've been a game changer for me. So those questions are what are you selling, who are you selling it to and how are you selling it? Now, these questions might seem real simple, but they are very powerful because they force you to get clear on your goals so you can create a strategy. Without clear answers, it's impossible for you to create a system that works, so you need to make time to answer these questions, write them down, reflect on them and then use them as the foundation for your marketing strategy.

And once you have your strategy, you need to create a plan and then execute it. This is where your customer care process comes in. This process should include three things A way for you to track your leads or those new contacts. Response templates that you can use to respond quickly and consistently in a clear process for tracking where people are in your customer journey so that you can follow up at the right time. Without all these pieces, leads are going to continue to fall through the cracks and you're going to miss out on opportunities. So if you want to hear more about creating an effective customer care process, then check out the previous episode I did on that. It's how to build an effective communication system to unlock sustainable growth. I'll put a link to that in the show notes.

Now, once your customer care process in place, you can focus on generating new leads and nurturing those relationships, and a great way to do this is by offering a free lead magnet. This is a resource that will provide value to them and you can use it to attract potential clients. But choosing the right lead magnet, it can be a bit tricky, and I'm not a marketing expert, but I have to tell you I've worked with some of the best, and what I learned from them inspired me to create a handy tool that's inside of the Mighty Society membership. I call it the Marketing Matrix Analyzer. This spreadsheet is designed to help you evaluate your current offers and identify which ones will have the biggest financial impact with the least amount of effort. It essentially takes the guesswork out of prioritizing your marketing efforts. It essentially takes the guesswork out of prioritizing your marketing efforts. So if you're tired of wasting time on marketing that doesn't get you results, then this tool will be a game changer for you. But now let's talk about how the system connects to your bigger business goals.

A sales and marketing system isn't just about making more money. It's about creating more freedom. When you're not scrambling to figure out what to post or how to follow up, you can focus on what really matters. Now for me, my top goal is always to spend more time with my family and be fully present, but sometimes it's also to build up our vacation fund or even to save for a special occasion. Now, your goals may be similar or they might be different. Either way, your system should support what's most important to you.

So here's how you can get started. The first thing you need to do is pick one hour this week that you're going to answer the three questions what are you selling, who are you selling it to and how are you selling it? And then you use your answers to outline your next steps. Next, you need to identify one repetitive task in your sales or marketing process and automate it. Maybe it's creating canned email responses that you can use when someone inquires about your services, or you can set up a workflow to track your leads and follow up with them. That also requires message templates. These small steps lead to big progress. Finally, remember this your sales and marketing system is not just something that's nice to have. It's the engine of your business. It's the system that drives everything forward. And inside of the Mighty Society membership, you're going to find tools, templates and resources that you can use to build a system that works for you and that includes that marketing matrix analyzer and customizable workflows. So if you want to learn more about the membership, head over to theshannonbakercom forward slash membership to learn more. Let's build your business with clarity, consistency and confidence so that you can thrive on your own terms.

Now, before we wrap things up, let me recap what we covered today. First, we talked about the importance of having a sales and marketing system that aligns your efforts to produce real results, and this system connects your marketing, that spotlight that gets you seen to your sales, the applause that drives revenue. Without both working together, you're either missing out on leads or letting them fall through the cracks. Without both working together, you're either missing out on leads or letting them fall through the cracks. Then we broke down the three important questions that form the foundation of any successful marketing strategy. It's what are you selling, who are you selling it to and how are you selling it? These questions are very simple, but the answers they give you clarity so you can create a roadmap to focus your time and energy where it matters most. We also talked about the essentials of having a strong customer care process. You need to track your leads, you need to respond quickly and consistently and you need to follow up and nurture those relationships, and I introduced you to some tools that I personally use in my process, which makes this seamless, like Kit for automated email workflows and Mondaycom for tracking tasks and managing leads.

From there we talked about how these systems aren't just about making more money, but it's about creating more freedom. So, whether your goal is more family time, financial stability, to reduce your credit or simply just to have a sense of peace, these systems are designed to support the life that you want, not just the business that you're building. And finally, I'm going to encourage you to take action this week. So where should you start? Well, start by answering those three foundational questions. Look for one repetitive task in your sales or marketing process that you can automate, because, remember, small, intentional steps add up to big results over time.
Now, I know this could be a lot, so if this feels overwhelming or you're not sure where to start, I want to remind you that you don't have to figure this out on your own. Join us inside of the Mighty Society membership. You'll find tools like that marketing matrix analyzer, some customizable workflows that you can use to simplify these steps for you, or even message templates that you can customize and start using in your business right now. It's your shortcut to a streamlined, sustainable business that supports your goals. So what's your next step? Will you keep spinning plates or will you choose clarity and consistency along with freedom? Let's build your business together, one system at a time. I know you've got this and I'm here to support you every step of the way.

Thank you for tuning in this week. Remember, just listening to this episode will not get you better results. So I challenge you to break the mold and take action today. If you're unsure where to start, book a call with me to get your questions answered about the Mighty Society membership or anything else that I mentioned. A link to my calendar is in the show notes. Not ready to take that step yet? No problem. Be sure to connect with me on Instagram, at the underscore Shannon Baker. You can ask me your questions there or let me know that you enjoyed the episode by taking a screenshot, sharing it and tagging me.

Now. If you haven't already grabbed my free audio masterclass, why don't you just start there? It's a great first step to assess your back office on your own, and this masterclass provides valuable insights and practical steps to help you organize your processes, reduce chaos and improve efficiency. Go to theshannonbakercom forward slash audio masterclass Now. If you haven't left a review for the podcast yet, please do so. I would love to hear from you, and it's an easy way to show some love to the podcast and help me reach more small business owners who are ready to defy the status quo. I can't wait to hear from you, so until next time, keep calm and streamline.