The Simple Marketing Workflow Small Business Owners Need (Seriously)

Marketing can feel like a bottomless to-do list that never stops growing. You post on Instagram one day, forget about your email list for a month, and suddenly realize you haven’t touched your blog since the last season finale of your favorite show. Sound familiar? But don’t feel bad—this is very real for a lot of small business owners. 

And it (honestly?) sucks. The thing is, marketing doesn’t stress everyone out. There are small business owners who actually enjoy doing their marketing…as crazy of a leap as that sounds. Because they’ve done something you probably haven’t.

The secret to changing your relationship with marketing (and what it actually is doing for your small business) is a solid marketing workflow. Not just having a list of to dos. An actual this-is-the-order-of-things process that takes you from a place where marketing is sometimes done (but always rushed) to a place where you’re consistent and what you’re creating is intentional.

And in this post, I’m breaking down

• What a marketing workflow is
• Why it matters
• How most small business owners approach it (spoiler: It’s chaotic. Don’t do this.)
• How you can create an efficient, repeatable marketing system that actually works. 

What Do I Mean by Marketing Workflow

A marketing workflow is just a fancy term for “the order in which you do your marketing tasks”. It matters because an efficient marketing workflow streamlines your efforts, helping you get more done in less time, and with less stress. And there are marketing systems designed to make doing your own marketing easier, like Enji.

But let’s get into all the details!

What is a marketing workflow, really?  

A marketing workflow is just a fancy term for “the order in which you do your marketing tasks”. Think of it as your marketing game plan. It covers everything from brainstorming to actually getting it done: coming up with content ideas to drafting them, scheduling posts, how you repurpose content, and reviewing what worked so you can do more of that. 

Your workflow can be supported by software (like Enji, hint hint), notebooks, sticky notes, or whatever combination of things—more on that in a bit. The only thing it shouldn’t live in? Your head. Because let’s face it, your brain is already juggling enough.

Why should you bother creating a marketing workflow?  

If you’ve ever found yourself scrambling to post on social media at the last minute or staring at a blank email draft, wondering what to say, you know the pain of not having a workflow. An efficient marketing workflow streamlines your efforts, helping you get more done in less time and with less effort. Because when you have a workflow, you are batching tasks, automating what you can, and freeing up your brain for the creative work that actually moves the needle. Plus, you’ll avoid that dreaded feeling of “Wait, did I forget to post this week?” So, unless you’re trying to make things hard (or like doing things the hard way),  having a marketing workflow is important.

What your marketing workflow probably looks like right now  

Let’s call it what it is: a bit of a hot mess. You might be:

• Creating and posting social media content on the day you want it to go live (using your phone, ChatGPT, Instagram, and maybe a scheduler and/or editing app)
• Writing a blog post over the course of a week (using Google docs, your website platform, and maybe a keyword research tool)
• Going on a Pinterest spree every couple of months (using Canva and Pinterest)
• Writing an email newsletter when you realize you haven’t sent one in a long time (using your email platform and maybe ChatGPT) 

This patchwork approach might get things done, but it’s not doing you any favors in the efficiency department.

What does an efficient marketing workflow look like? 

Now, let’s imagine a better way, (cuz there actually is a better way!) An efficient marketing workflow starts with your biggest piece of content—maybe a blog post, podcast episode, or YouTube video. From there, you repurpose that content into bite-sized social media posts, batch-create Pinterest pins, and turn your long-form masterpiece into an email newsletter. Instead of spreading these tasks out haphazardly, you tackle them in two focused work sessions (about two hours each). The result? You get weeks’ worth of marketing done in just a few hours, and then you can actually step away and focus on running your business.

Which is what I know you want.

A marketing system that helps you be more efficient

You might always have a mish mash of marketing tools you’re using to get things done. And I’ve mentioned some of them already. Each of those is are great piece of software! But here’s the thing—they slow you down because of all the tab (and context) shifting that’s required. 

There is a marketing system designed to make your life easier—and designed specifically for small business owners who have to do their own marketing. Enji, for example, offers a suite of marketing tools that helps you do your marketing workflow all in one place.

Here are the marketing tools Enji has for small businesses:

• Marketing Strategy Generator
• Brand Library
• Social Media Scheduler
• AI Copywriter with a Brand Voice Generator
• Marketing Campaign Templates
• KPI Dashboard

And each of these tools has nooks and crannies, too! For example, you can use the AI copywriter to repurpose your blogs into social media content. The Social Media Scheduler has a Canva integration, and the KPI Dashboard has integrations, so most of your marketing results automatically get tracked every month!

Whether you’re a tech whiz or a total beginner, having the right marketing system can help you automate, organize, and optimize your workflow so you spend less time on busywork and more time doing what you love.

Which (again) is what I know you want.

But here’s an important piece of marketing advice for small business owners: You don’t have to work on your marketing every day

It’s the truth. You don’t have to work on your marketing every single day. In fact, trying to squeeze in a little bit here and there is what leads to overwhelm, procrastination, resenting needing to do your marketing, and eventual burnout. 

The real magic happens when you batch your marketing tasks, automate the routine stuff, and give yourself permission to step back between sessions. It’s about trusting your workflow, not your willpower. And once you make this mindset shift, you’ll find marketing feels less like a chore and more like a well-oiled machine.

So, how do you get started with a marketing workflow (without overthinking it)?  

It’s simple. Start by mapping out your main marketing channels (read: Where you do your marketing. For example, blog, social, email, etc.), then list the tasks you need to do for each. Next, group similar tasks together and block out two sessions a month to tackle them. Choose tools that play nicely together (or opt for an all-in-one solution like Enji to make it the most efficient). Then tweak as you go. 

Remember: Done is better than perfect.

Marketing doesn’t have to be a messy soup of emotions and an even messier process! With a streamlined workflow, you can take control of your marketing, get more done in less time, and finally enjoy some breathing room in your schedule—even as a small business owner who has to do their own marketing!

Whether you’re just starting out or ready to level up, building a marketing workflow that works for you is the key to consistent, stress-free growth. So go ahead—ditch the marketing mayhem and embrace your new, efficient routine. You’ve got this!