Lisa Murray is a Peak Performance Strategist with Revive Business Coaching.

OWM: Describe how you entered your current position.

LM: My short attention span ensured that I developed a very diverse business background. I’ve worked as a marketing manager, business consultant, communications consultant, executive officer and research institute manager…amongst other things.

Put it all together and you get a business coach who can see many things that may not be obvious to others!

I became a business coach with the encouragement of many wonderful business owners I knew, who, when we chatted about business, would always end up saying “what we need is you!” I figured I may as well get paid for the pleasure of doing what comes naturally! Plus, the opportunity to work with heaps of diverse businesses satisfies my curiosity and short attention span… Bonus!

OWM: How did you get started marketing?

LM: I completed an undergraduate business degree with marketing and human resources specializations. I didn’t find the theory especially interesting, but once in the workforce I realized that I had a natural gift for developing strategies, creating new perspectives on old ideas and understanding my market… I still love the thrill of the chase in making a strategy really work!

OWM: How important of a role does marketing play in your day-to-day business?

LM: Marketing is essential to my business success. I continually test and measure new marketing strategies for my own business. Being a start-up microbusiness has been a very different experience than the million-dollar companies I used to work with – and a lot more interesting as a result!

My detailed knowledge of marketing is also very valuable for my coaching clients. I’m able to help them with workable marketing and promotion ideas quite easily, as well as put those strategies into the context of the whole business and the market.

OWM: What marketing methods have worked best for you?

LM: As with everything, this depends on context. Writing articles and networking (online and off) have been extremely valuable in my coaching business, but quirky, interesting promotions and a strong understanding of retail merchandising were invaluable during my shopping centre marketing days.

Whatever the business, having the marketing fundamentals in place is critical. Your tactics won’t work effectively if the basics are wrong.

The most challenging part is working out what works best when your marketing budget is limited – testing and measuring still costs money!

OWM: How has your self-image changed since you started marketing?

LM: As a relatively shy and sensitive person I have had to learn to manage situations such as networking events etc where I am exposed to lots of people. I can get quite overstimulated and excitable at times! I have gained a lot of confidence in meeting new people since making it a business habit to attend networking events regularly and follow up with interesting people.

OWM: What do you wish you knew about marketing before you started?

LM: I have found database marketing to be an underutilized strategy. Because it does not follow many common marketing principles, it is not always given the credibility it deserves, despite significant measurable results!!

OWM: What marketing advice would you give to other women in business?

LM: Know your business model (i.e., how you are going to generate revenue), know your ideal client, and look for strategic alliances, joint ventures and co-operative approaches. Most of all, deliver on your promises!

When starting up, don’t spend heaps on logos and branding if you can avoid it. You are still getting to know your market – your ideas will evolve as you get customer feedback on your offerings. Start simple, start cheap and test and measure everything. You’ll soon see where the best use of your money is!

OWM: To what do you attribute your success?

LM: Persistence, creativity, being willing to try new approaches, understanding practical strategic planning and being able to transform a plan into reality. Curiosity and observation – I discover new approaches to marketing every day, wherever I am!