What I Learned From Leading My First In-Person Marketing Workshop
At the end of May, I had the opportunity to lead my first ever in-person marketing workshop for a local chamber of commerce. For 90 minutes, I presented, brainstormed, and problem-solved in real time with a room full of small business owners, organization representatives, and DIY marketers.
It was energizing, collaborative, and a reminder of why I believe so strongly in what I call life-first marketing.
A Quick Look at My Workshop Structure
My presentation followed the three main pillars of building a life-first marketing system:
Your Digital Home Base – Your website and email list
Your Content Ecosystem – Long-form and short-form content working together, saving you time
Your Connections – Community, collaborations, client experience, and referrals
Each pillar included sub-categories that I believe are important to tackle, even if you only focus on one area at a time. The goal is to set up marketing systems that work while you’re offline, so you can spend more time doing the work you love and living your actual life.
Key Takeaways From the Room
1. Using a Blog as a Sales supporter and Client/Customer Resource
One attendee, a wellness product maker, was struggling with how to share more detailed product information with customers when her vendor booth was unstaffed or when her packaging didn’t allow much space for copy. Together, we brainstormed a simple solution: use blog posts as product detail pages and link to them with a QR code printed on her product tags.
This allows her to:
Share usage tips, ingredient details, and related product recommendations
Provide resources to customers post-purchase
Educate potential buyers even if she isn’t physically at the booth
This is a perfect example of how your blog can double as a resource library that works 24/7, not just as a marketing tool.
2. The Email List “Generational Gap”
Another conversation was with a business that primarily serves an older demographic. The owner felt that email marketing would be pointless because “my customers don’t use email much.”
While that may be true for their immediate clients, we talked about how their clients’ children or grandchildren likely do use email, and could be strong supporters of the business. A consistent email list gives you a direct line of communication that isn’t dependent on social media algorithms. Read more on that here: Why You Need An Email List For Your Business or Brand.
Even if your current clients aren’t heavy email users, their family members or younger community members might be—and they can become loyal advocates.
3. The Website Hesitation
Only about 20% of attendees already had a website. Reasons for not having one included:
Uncertainty of the return on investment
Overwhelm at the thought of figuring it out while already busy running their business
Concern that adding products to a website would lead to pressure to offer online shipping and services
We discussed that your website doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. It’s simply your digital home base, a place for people to find accurate, up-to-date information without depending on social media. (I’ll be sharing more soon about my upcoming Squarespace website setup services to help with exactly this.)
4. Google Business Profiles Are Underused
About the same number of attendees—around 20%—had a Google Business Profile. Without one, or a website, you run the risk of potential clients missing out on your business entirely if they aren’t on the same social media platforms you use.
Your hours, location, services, and updates should be easy to find without requiring someone to scroll through your social feed or create an account just to see them.
It’s also a great way to collect reviews!
5. Time and Tech Overwhelm Are Real
One theme that kept coming up was the lack of time and the intimidation factor of learning new technology. It’s ironic because the very systems that feel overwhelming to set up—like a simple website, an email list, and an organized content plan—are the same ones that can save hours each week in the long run.
That’s the heart of life-first marketing: set up systems that work for you so you can focus on the parts of your business you love most.
6. If You’re Passionate About Your Message, You Can Power Through Your Stage Fright
As an introvert, the idea of standing in front of a room and sharing my heart in real time was intimidating. I’m much more comfortable writing behind a keyboard or connecting one-on-one than speaking to a group. But I care deeply about helping small business owners and community leaders simplify their marketing so they can spend more time doing what matters most. That passion outweighed my nerves.
The truth is, you don’t have to be the most confident public speaker to make an impact. If you know your message matters and you’ve seen the transformation it can create for others, you can push through the discomfort. And when you do, you might be surprised at how rewarding it feels to connect face-to-face with people who needed to hear exactly what you had to share.
Final Thoughts
Leading this workshop confirmed what I already knew—most small business owners and nonprofit leaders want to market their work well, but they need clear, doable steps to get there without losing more of their time. Sometimes it’s not about doing more, it’s about setting up the right pieces so they keep working even when you aren’t.
If you want to explore these concepts further and start applying them one step at a time, my blog is full of resources, and my weekly email, The Friday Mix, delivers quick wins and marketing encouragement straight to your inbox.
Because marketing should work for you, not the other way around.