Let me reintroduce myself. I’m Virginia, owner of Built To Optimize, LLC, a freelance company for digital marketing services. I also started NJspots, an Instagram account (66k+ followers strong) and website for exploring unique places in New Jersey.
But that's my side hustle. I have been a Full-Stack (hence the newsletter title) Digital Marketing Director for ten years in the scrap metal recycling business. My day-to-day is never the same.
🥞 What’s a Full-Stack Marketer?
One day I can be creating Facebook ads, the next, I can be writing email marketing campaigns; and the next, managing a new website or app project. I generally have a hand in anything that can be done digitally for a company.
Why am I writing this weekly newsletter?
There are two goals; we each benefit from one. After years of trial and error, I’ve wanted to start sharing my business experiences with others so they can learn. Also, writing has never been my strong suit, so I’m looking to improve my craft.
Now let’s dive in this week…
One Day or Day One. You Choose.
Procrastination is a killer. It can squash an excellent opportunity to achieve something. Don’t let it.
Prioritization is the Achilles Heel.
When you have goals in mind or a new idea comes up, it’s easy to say “one day.” Because the psychology behind it is you’re not saying “no,” but you’re also not saying “now.”
Lists are going to be your best friend. Keeping track of projects or goals or using the Reminders app on your phone can help.
An exercise to prioritize something new:
Can I complete this in 1 hour?
Yes: Think about finishing it this week.
No: Set a calendar reminder for two weeks from now.
Will completing this be an Instant Win, or will it be a Longterm Benefit?
Instant Win: Good, finish the task, and keep moving on with your day.
Longterm Benefit: Take time to plan it out and do it right the first time.
Has someone else done this before?
Someone may have already done this, written, or shared a video. This can help find shortcuts and save time.
Who do you need to work with on this project?
Have a short 15-minute call or meeting and share your idea. Then you can bring your ideas to the table on how to accomplish it.
Storytime…When ideas go sour. 😣
About 4 months ago, my team was aggressively pursuing to hire a project management team to build a new system. This project was going to take a large budget ($100K+) and a long time (6-8 months).
Our goal was to replace the current system we were using with a new system that can allow us to “grow” in the next 5-10 years.
After doing some research, asking questions, following up with prospects, we weren’t confident. We felt that it wasn’t right for today but maybe one day.
At the beginning of the prihect this was a MUST-HAVE but as we dove into researching we came to the conclusion it wasn’t the right project for us to prioritize.
Is it Day One or One Day?
Your priorities should be personal to you, but also allow outside factors like budget, time constraints, and resources need to be considered when planning your goals.
Keep a level head. Write down your goals and when you want to accomplish them.
👩🏻🏫 What I consumed this week…
My Tweet of the Week:
No, Instagram is still not dead. As a business, you can make a splash. As a creator, you can grow. And as a user, you can have fun.