How to create a marketing plan for 2025 — without social media

We’ve all been there: the overwhelming feeling of should. ‘I should be posting more on Instagram.’ ‘I should be creating more Reels.’ ‘I should have a marketing plan.’ The truth is, social media can be a time-suck and a source of constant stress.

‘I wish I could do marketing without social media.’ You CAN! 👏

Social media has become a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a powerful tool for connecting with your community and growing your business. (Honestly, it’s SO rad if you can keep it where it belongs!)

On the other, it can feel like a constant battle to stay relevant, keep up with the latest trends, and compete with an endless stream of content.

If you’re looking for effective marketing strategies that don’t rely solely on social media, let’s dig a little deeper. Is the problem really social media? Is it a lack of time? Is *that* due to the fact that every time you open the IG app, you get distracted and end up scrolling for an hour?

Orrrrr is it something more fundamental, like you don’t know what to say? Are you confident in your message and target audience?

When you know who you’re talking to and what you want to say, creating content becomes a lot easier. And you’ll find that you don’t need to rely solely on social media to grow your business.

Here’s the thing: social media doesn’t have to be the be-all and end-all of your marketing strategy. It can be — if you so choose — one piece of the puzzle. By building a strong foundation, you can effectively market your business without relying solely on social media. That’s what we’re going to do today.

Marketing Plan Part 1: Attract

A marketing to-do list isn’t a strategy unless it works to turn your community into paying clients. For people to buy from you…

They must know that you exist.

If they can’t find you, there’s no way they can become clients. How can you attract them to your brand?

Ideas:

1. Offline marketing strategies: networking events (we LOVE Rising Tide!), public speaking, partnerships, and traditional advertising like radio & print. No social media in sight!
2. Online marketing strategies: SEO, content marketing, email marketing, and Pinterest — oh, and you can hire us to do any of these things with you! And of course, you can add social media in to this part of your strategy if that’s your jam.

➡ If you want a place to jot down all of this info, make a copy of our Google Doc right here! (No opt in required.)

Marketing Plan Part 2: Nurture

Once your people have found you, they have to want what you have — and they need to believe that you have what it takes to give it to them.

Ideas:

1. Email marketing: personalized newsletters, drip campaigns, and automated sequences
2. Content marketing: podcasting, blogging (and if you’re doing it right, this is easy to repurpose on social media!)
3. Offline marketing strategies: workshops and in person events

How can you nurture the relationship so they trust you?

Marketing Plan Part 3: Invite

Once they know, like, and trust you — they need to take action. That means you need to invite them into working with you. If you don’t ask, they won’t purchase!

How and where are you inviting them in to work with you?

Ideas:

1. Strong, direct calls to action — even / especially when it’s uncomfortable
2. Compelling offers: limited time discounts, bundle deals, free trials
3. Sales funnels
4. Effective sales pages! Your website can be doing a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to making sales. Hire a copywriter / designer who knows how to create something that converts. (Ahem, it’s us. Right here.)

Creating content shouldn’t take away from your business. It should fuel its growth! To do that, you need to create content for your person, no matter where she’s at in her journey with you.

Marketing Plan Part 4: Delight

Once that’s done and dusted, you’ve knocked out the Official Customer Journey — but take it to the next level (and create a referral loop for your Attract Strategy!) with a phenomenal client experience. How are you delighting your clients right now?

Ideas:

1. Incredible customer service
2. Personalized experiences
3. Loyalty programs
4. Referral programs

By focusing on these four core elements – Attract, Nurture, Invite, and Delight – you can build a sustainable and effective marketing strategy that doesn’t rely solely on social media.

Remember, your marketing plan should be a living document. As your business grows and evolves, so should your strategy!

➡ If you want a place to jot down all of this info, make a copy of our Google Doc right here! (No opt in required.)

Need help implementing this plan? We’re here to help! Whether you need assistance with content creation, email marketing, or website design, we can help you achieve your marketing goals.

Let’s work together to build a thriving business that you love. We post more content like this on Instagram, so join us over there too! 👇