Lara O'Shea’s Post

What Sets Effective Marketing Professionals Apart 🔥 For fast-paced #startups and growing businesses, discerning the right marketing talent is crucial. Here are 5️⃣ key attributes that separate effective marketing professionals from mere speculators: 1️⃣ Data-Driven Decision Making: Trust in marketing should be built on data, not just persuasive pitches. True professionals come armed with formal reports and case studies that demonstrate their past successes. This transparency and reliance on proven results are crucial for building trust and avoiding the pitfalls of empty promises. 2️⃣ Execution with Genuine Results: Effective marketers get things done with authentic tactics that yield real results. While technology and AI play significant roles in modern marketing, it's essential to leverage these tools for genuine, organic growth rather than resorting to shortcuts like bots and fake accounts. Achieving daily goals consistently is a hallmark of true professionalism. 3️⃣ Leveraging Proven Tactics: There's no need to reinvent the wheel. Successful marketing professionals understand the value of industry benchmarks and competitor analysis. Replicating proven strategies can be more efficient and cost-effective than constantly experimenting with new approaches. Smart marketers learn from the successes of others and adapt those tactics to fit their own needs. 4️⃣ Solution-Oriented Mindset: Challenges are inevitable in any business, and the ability to find solutions is invaluable. Hiring managers and founders should look for marketers who are not just problem spotters but problem solvers. Professionals who take ownership of issues and drive toward resolutions earn respect and trust from their teams. 5️⃣ Alignment of Personal and Professional Goals: The best marketing professionals often have personal achievements and projects that reflect their dedication and trustworthiness. When evaluating potential hires, consider their broader goals and achievements. This holistic view can reveal much about their ability to contribute meaningfully to your company's success. Choosing the right marketing professional can significantly impact your company's growth trajectory. Focus on these attributes to build a team that drives genuine results and sustains long-term success. Gary Fowler Emily Landon Nim Sivakumaran Anna Manyukhina Elke Schouten Michele Handley Katsiaryna Bilukha #StartupGrowth #MarketingStrategy #DataDriven #Leadership #AIinMarketing #ProblemSolving #ProfessionalGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessSuccess #HiringTips #web3marketing

~ CEOs, Founders, Presidents, MDs ~ Crystallise your Why, inspire your audience, create a legacy that makes a difference. An executive concierge service to transform your personal brand. 5x, 10x, 20x your inflow of ✅ Clients ✅ Investors ✅ A-Player talent ✅ Strategic partners ✅ Invitations to speak "How?!" you may well ask... EXECUTIVE REPUTATION ACCELERATOR 1. 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - identify your Why, How and What 2. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 - a stratplan to ensure clarity and consistency 3. 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 - communicate your compelling vision in person 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 - optimise your social media & Google presence 5. 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 - ghost written thought leadership & personality 6. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 - digital ecosystem supporting your email list 7. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 - grow with those who share your values "STOP!" you say. "Who's got the time for all that? My days are filled by P&L, strategy, ops & team My family and my health take up all the rest." "I hear you," I say, "It's all Done For You. You agree strategy & sign off content. Everything in between is sorted." With 27 years mkting/board experience, I'm not another drain on precious bandwidth. I'll transform your brand; you focus on business. ➡ See my Featured section at Quy Langridge-Tien ☯ to discover more including free resources to do it yourself.

The Power of Connection in Digital Marketing and Your Business In today's digital landscape, where attention spans are fleeting and competition fierce, building connections is no longer a nicety, it's a necessity. Here's why connection is king in digital marketing: >> Cuts through the noise: A sea of content bombards consumers. Connection creates emotional resonance, making your brand stand out and leaving a lasting impression. Builds trust and loyalty: People connect with brands they trust. By fostering two-way communication and understanding your audience's needs, you earn their loyalty, keeping them coming back for more. >> Humanizes your brand: The digital world can feel impersonal. Building connections allows you to showcase the human side of your brand, fostering a more relatable and engaging experience. >> Boosts engagement: People are more likely to interact with content they feel connected to. Sparking emotions and conversations encourages audience participation, amplifying your marketing efforts. The impact goes beyond marketing, too! Strong connections within your business lead to: Stronger customer relationships: Trust and loyalty translate to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth marketing. Improved employee satisfaction: Connected employees are more engaged and productive. Enhanced collaboration: Strong connections between departments foster better teamwork and a more efficient workflow. A more positive company culture: A culture of connection creates a sense of belonging and improves overall morale. Connection is the bridge between brands and audiences, and the foundation for a thriving business. Let's discuss how to build meaningful connections in your digital marketing strategy! #digitalmarketing #connection #community #businessgrowth #customersuccess #employeengagement #companyculture #accord #innovations #management #startups #creativity

🌟 Diving into Strategy: It’s More Than Just Winning on Efficiency 🌟 As I start sharing more about strategy here, I want to highlight something essential: strategy isn’t just about being “better,” “faster,” or “more efficient.” It’s about making planned maneuvers that create a competitive position—one that’s tough to replicate. While operational effectiveness focuses on optimizing what we already do—streamlining processes, reducing costs, or improving quality—true strategy is about positioning. It’s about making intentional trade-offs and choosing what not to pursue, allowing a company to focus on what it uniquely excels at. A strong strategy requires alignment. When each activity reinforces the next, it creates a whole greater than the sum of its parts, leading to a sustainable advantage that operational efficiency alone can’t achieve. Think of brands that narrow their focus to serve a niche or specific audience. These choices go beyond efficiency; they’re planned maneuvers that prioritize certain markets and avoid the “straddling” that comes from trying to be everything to everyone. This is how companies build a lasting edge. 💬 What unique choices define your company’s competitive position? #Strategy #BusinessStrategy #MarketPositioning #BusinessGrowth

The Pitfall of Tactics Without Strategy Can a business succeed without a plan? It’s a question I’ve been pondering a lot lately, especially when I see companies jumping headfirst into random or “famous” tactics, thinking they’ve got a strategy. But here’s the hard truth: 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗽—𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 🚶♂️🗺️ As a former marketing agency founder and owner for over 20 years, I’ve seen this play out countless times. Companies often hand over the reins of strategy entirely to their agency, expecting them to drive the ship. But here’s the thing: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻. 𝗪𝗵𝘆? Because a strategy born from your guts, your vision, and your understanding of your business and market is the one that truly resonates. It’s authentic, it’s driven by purpose, and it’s something you can stand behind with conviction. An agency can add the creative flair, tactical execution, and expertise to polish and amplify that strategy—but they can’t be the sole architect. 🛠️✨ Without a solid strategy, trying to run tactics is like trying to assemble a puzzle with pieces from different sets—confusing and ineffective. 🧩 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁. Agencies excel at taking a well-formed strategy and turning it into something powerful and effective. But without a solid foundation, even the most creative tactics can fall flat. So, if you’re looking to drive your business forward, start by getting clear on your strategy. Define your goals, understand your market, and trust your instincts. Then, bring in your agency or team as a partner to bring that vision to life with the right tactics and creative execution. Let’s not confuse motion with progress. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲. What’s your take on this? Have you seen the impact of strategy vs. tactics in your work? I’d love to hear your experiences! 👇 #MarketingStrategy #TacticsVsStrategy #AgencyCollaboration #StrategicPlanning #BusinessGrowth #DigitalMarketing #Leadership

Spotting Gold: How to Identify and Seize Business Opportunities in PR In the world of PR, opportunities are like hidden gems, waiting to be discovered. Let me share a quick story on how I learned to spot and seize these moments. One day, while chatting with a client, I noticed a recurring issue: many businesses struggled with managing their online reputations. That’s when it hit me—there was a significant demand for proactive online reputation management. Here’s how I turned that insight into action: Listen Closely: Pay attention to your clients’ pain points. Often, they’ll hint at gaps in the market without even realizing it. Research Deeply: Validate your hunch. I delved into market research, analyzed competitors, and surveyed potential customers to confirm the demand. Act Swiftly: Once you identify an opportunity, move quickly. I assembled my team, tweaked ideas , and launched it! Iterate and Improve: Be prepared to refine your offering. We gathered feedback, tweaked our approach, and soon had a robust service that filled a critical need. Opportunities in PR are all about being observant, staying curious, and acting decisively. Keep your ears open and your strategy agile, and you’ll be ready to turn insights into impactful services. #BusinessOpportunities #PR #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

Innovation isn't just a buzzword - it's the lifeblood of any successful business. In the early days of Enthuse Marketing, we worked with a client who didn’t appreciate our team or the effort being put into their business. As you can imagine, morale was low. When we had an opportunity to work with their competitor, we knew that it was the right decision to take the job and resign from the original account. It was a classic “underdog” story in which our passion, expertise, and business acumen were shut down, only to come back bigger and better. Soon after this experience, my team donned me “Kim Possible” because I began creating spaces to turn challenges into new opportunities. Together, we began to put thinking boldly and taking risks at the forefront of our operations. It was an experience that empowered me and my team to think boldly and take risks. That lesson is still threaded into the company today, and our drive for creativity and innovation has grown exponentially, especially when faced with unique challenges. What's your team's “underdog” story? If you haven’t experienced one, what resources do you use to spark innovation and drive? #EnthuseMarketing #Marketing #Operations

Strategists are undervalued..... Yes, you read that right. Once you take a look outside the marketing bubble, you start to realize how many companies don't understand strategy or how to bring a strategist into the fold for business growth 🤔. As a result, so many dope ideas get stuck in the "what if" stage. To clear things up, here are a few reasons why your business should have a strategist on board: 1. They translate vision into action: Strategists bridge the gap between ambitious goals and practical roadmaps. They don't just dream big, they make big dreams achievable. 2. They see the unseen: They anticipate future trends and identify hidden opportunities before they become mainstream, giving your company a competitive edge. 3. They orchestrate the symphony: They collaborate across departments, ensuring everyone aligns with the overall strategy, leading to smoother execution and maximized impact. 4. They navigate uncertainty: They're equipped to tackle complex challenges, analyze data, and make sound decisions even in unforeseen circumstances. Investing in a strategist is an investment in your company's future. Don't let 🔥 ideas gather dust – unlock their potential with the power of strategic thinking. #CreativeStrategy #StrategicMarketing

Are you struggling to put together a strategy? Maybe looking at your 2025 planning and not sure how to zoom out? Before you tackle any strategy it’s worth asking yourself a few key questions; Are you looking at the right strategy level? If you’re tasked with creating product strategy, marketing strategy, technology strategy, or another function focused strategy it’s imperative that you first zoom out and double check the company strategy. And if there isn’t one - or it isn’t clear enough - you have to work with the rest of your organisation to fix that first. There is no point trying to design a marketing strategy if the company strategy isn’t clear… Who needs to be involved? Great strategy is rarely done in an ivory tower so think about who should be in the conversation from the start, who needs to be a decision maker, and who just needs to be informed. Quickly jotting down a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) matrix might help. Do we all have the same definition of strategy? It’s such a loaded term that once you gather your team you will rarely have a shared understanding of strategy. It’s worth spending some time agreeing what strategy is - and what problem you need it to solve in your organisation. While there is no one right way to do strategy, there are *a lot* of definitions and frameworks out there that can help you and your team design a strategy. And there are even more tools you can use to analyse your situation, understand the challenge in front of you, and design and test any strategic hypotheses you develop in the process. The key isn’t to use every single tool every single time - but to know you have a deep toolkit you can reach into for the appropriate option when faced with a challenge or question to resolve. Interested in learning more? Links to my most recent strategy pieces in the comments.

Using #strategy and #technology, businesses can overcome challenges in #fundraising and #socialentrepreneurship. Utilizing #strategy in #hiring processes ensures alignment with the company's long-term goals and culture. #Marketing professionals must harness the power of #socialnetworking to expand their reach and influence. #Creativity and #digitalmarketing are powerful allies in crafting compelling content that drives #sales. Strong #networking skills can lead to valuable insights and opportunities in #business and #education. Remarkable 😊 Fervor ✨ Ecstasy ❤️