The Most Important Skill I’ve Learned in the Last Three Years: Marketing

Over the past three years, one thing has become crystal clear to me: marketing is the single most valuable skill I’ve acquired.

As an IT entrepreneur and consultant, I’ve always been driven by the desire to help others work smarter, leverage digital tools, and save time.

But without effective marketing, none of that matters.

People won’t know what you offer, and they certainly won’t understand the value you can bring them.

Especially during tough economic times, marketing is what keeps businesses afloat.

It’s what creates demand, even when customers are more hesitant to spend.

Why marketing matters even more in tough times

When the economy slows down, businesses and individuals tend to tighten their belts.

Investments and spending get scrutinized, and naturally, many companies cut back on marketing, assuming it's an expendable cost.

But in my experience, that’s a big mistake.

If you know how to market yourself effectively, even in lean times, you can create opportunities where others see roadblocks.

For example, I’ve shifted my approach to productizing my services and teaching others how to do the same.

The art of creating simple, scalable offerings - whether it’s through automating workflows, leveraging tools like Microsoft Copilot, or productizing expertise into easy-to-understand formats becomes invaluable.

And guess what?

Marketing is the bridge that connects those services to the people who need them most.

This strategy isn't just about visibility; it's about communicating the why and how behind the solutions I offer.

When businesses are hesitant to invest, it’s not enough to say, “Here’s a service, and it costs X.”

You need to go deeper.

You need to show them how that service is essential for their survival and growth, no matter the economic climate.

My marketing journey: Lessons learned

Before diving deep into marketing, I struggled with visibility.

Despite posting regularly on LinkedIn for over three years, I often found that I wasn’t reaching enough people to secure the necessary meetings.

As someone who teaches entrepreneurs to use digital tools and automate their businesses, I realized I wasn’t applying the same strategies to my own outreach.

My marketing wasn’t as targeted or consistent as it could be.

I started experimenting with different platforms and automation tools, such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator, to increase efficiency in prospecting.

While this increased my costs to around 80€/month, it also taught me the importance of investing in the right tools to generate consistent leads.

Another challenge I faced was content marketing.

It’s time-consuming, and sometimes I struggled with coming up with new, engaging topics.

But one thing I’ve learned is that quality marketing isn’t just about what you say; it’s about saying it to the right people, in the right way, at the right time.

I began differentiating my approach, creating short 1-minute videos and embedding calls to action directly in email sequences, offering prospects a direct route to book 1:1 calls with me.

That’s when I saw conversion rates soar.

How marketing helped me thrive in a crowded market

As a business-to-business (B2B) consultant offering digital solutions, it can feel like you’re shouting into the void at times..

There are so many other businesses offering automation or digital transformation services, so standing out is key.

For me, marketing became a way to not only differentiate myself but also to productize my expertise into easy-to-sell offerings.

For instance, I created courses such as my “4-Hour Workweek for Knowledge Workers” and began to offer scalable packages around automation projects.

With a package priced at €2,000, I focused on helping businesses of all sizes streamline their processes using tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.

Marketing these services involved not just demonstrating the features but showing the real-world impact, time savings, cost reductions, and a tangible return on investment.

In addition to this, I’ve experimented with product launches and workshops, like the Canva Design Workshops I run on Google Classroom.

While initially these offerings required strong design and instructional skills, I found that marketing was what truly drove sales.

By communicating the unique value, whether it’s saving entrepreneurs time or improving their landing pages’ conversion rates, marketing became a force multiplier for my efforts.

Marketing is a lifeline for every entrepreneur

What I love about marketing is that it doesn't have to be complicated.

It’s about understanding your audience, communicating effectively, and showing them that what you offer is a solution to their problem.

For freelancers and entrepreneurs especially, marketing is crucial.

Even as I plan future offerings, like my course on utilizing AI tools for freelancers or selling expertise online without complicated email funnels, I know that marketing will be central to their success.

It’s not just about doing the work, whether that’s helping businesses save over €3 million in automated processes or creating courses on time management and task delegation using AI, It’s about getting that message out there, and ensuring the right people hear it.

If there’s one lesson I could share with other entrepreneurs or knowledge workers, it’s this: Never stop investing in your marketing.

It’s the engine that will drive your business forward, even in uncertain times..

Marketing is undoubtedly the most important skill I’ve learned in the past three years.

It has helped me scale my services, reach new clients, and create demand.

Even when the economic climate isn’t in my favor.

If you’re an entrepreneur, consultant, or freelancer, mastering marketing should be your number one priority.

Because at the end of the day, no matter how great your product or service is, it won’t sell itself, you need marketing to bring it to life.

BR,

Tomi