Navigating Financial Emotions and Crafting Marketing Plans

Darryl:
I'm starting to think you're holding out on me. You're two years older than me, and I feel like you could have warned me about what's coming up. Like, you haven't even given me a heads up. Like, I mean, not even a little, hey, your back's going to go out mildly. Or, you know, some morning you're going to wake up, you're going to feel like you carried a fridge type pain overnight.

René:
The element of surprise.

Darryl:
You could warn me about all this. Like, who would have thought I'd be in my 40s? I'd be googling orthopedic mattresses.

René:
I didn't want to ruin it for you two years in advance, but you.

Darryl:
But you have to tell me about the real big stuff, like when I'm going to need boner pills, because I'd like to prepare mentally for that. This is taming the hustle...

René:
... or Something of the Sorts

Darryl:
I'm really hoping I don't have to take those types of pills, but in the event I do, I feel like a little warning. Like, if it happens to you, you gotta tell me.

René:
Yeah, I have no problem man, if it happens, it happens. It's like lube, man. That's what it's there for.

Darryl:
I feel like I would get emotional about the whole situation, but that's just me. I know that's what lube's for. That's what these pills are for. But I still feel you are on.

René:
The sensitive side, though.

Darryl:
Speaking of which, I want to talk a little sensitivity today.

René:
Yes. This is a very relevant topic.

Darryl:
That's good. It's good. I didn't bring tissues, so don't make me cry, but I'd like to talk about the emotional side of financial planning.

René:
You and I talk about this all the time and so does our team. The emotional side of having a plan of attack, Having a financial plan.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
And before this podcast, I decided to bounce this off the team and say, you know, what kind of substance could we have in this conversation to get people's attention? And we kind of summed it up to this, Darryl, is our whole lives were being told to be prepared. Right. Be prepared. Be prepared for school.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Be prepared for work.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Be prepared for whatever athletic event that you're part of, whether it's dance, whether it's baseball, basketball, you're training for a marathon, or, you know, you're a little bit on the crazy side and you want to do a full Ironman. It's all about being prepared.

Darryl:
Oh, for sure.

René:
But for some reason, I don't know if it's because such a long time and a forever ongoing goal, but people are completely okay with being unprepared with their finances. And it's kind of messed up.

Darryl:
You know what I think it is. And I'm going to go back to our parents age. And even before that, talking about money was such a faux pas that people didn't know that they needed to be prepared because they weren't told they had to prepare.

René:
Well, it's the same story as your dick pill you're worrying about early.

Darryl:
Well, this is true. This is true.

René:
It's no longer a faux pas.

Darryl:
Not at all.

René:
Right? No. But understandably it was something that you didn't discuss and it's still a little bit of a. I wouldn't say a stigma, but it's something that is usually not open conversation at the dinner table.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
You know, like your immediate consequences to not preparing for an exam in school is you fail your exam. Right. So there's a short term motivator there to say, listen, I don't want to fuck up. Like I don't want to be the loser. I don't want to be the failure in the classroom. I don't know if it's an embarrassment thing or if it's a, you know, I want to be driven and I want to succeed and it's a pride thing or whatever. Same thing with work. Like if you do not perform and prepare for work, you'll get fired.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
Don't shit the bed at work because you'll be jobless and you will not be employable. Here's another thing. Ironman is a tough event to get through. Imagine aspiring for 15 years to do an Ironman and all of a sudden you sign up for it, but you did not prepare one day in advance.

Darryl:
I had diarrhea that day. I'm just saying.

René:
You are going to fail. It's no different with your finances. Like we've had so many people show up at our doorstep at age 64 saying I'm retiring at 65. And we've talked about this. Totally, totally unprepared and a total unrealistic expectation of how things are going to go down.

Darryl:
Empty bank account, no job. And it's like, I'm ready to retire next week. What do I need to do?

René:
So being unprepared financially is a huge stressor. Like everyone has experienced that. I don't care who you are, because it's all relevant. If you're a multimillionaire, you're still dealing with some stressors you're just dealing with at a different level. But like stress affects your sleep. Everyone knows that. And everyone's experienced being up at night because of finances for one reason or another.

Darryl:
Yeah, for sure.

René:
It affects your relationship.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Or one is more willing to talk about it than the other and you have one that's a spender and one that's not. Unpreparedness is a stressor and as a whole, it affects your health. Right. Physically and mentally.

Darryl:
Yeah, for sure.

René:
But yet the average person is still very unprepared when it comes to their finances.

Darryl:
I feel like you're talking right to me.

René:
Well, that gets us to the point of the emotional effects of a financial plan.

Darryl:
Now see, I knew you were going to talk about me crying.

René:
Well, it's the reassurance of knowing that someone's got your back.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Because someone has a second set of eyes on the things that you might not be paying attention to on a regular basis.

Darryl:
And that's a good point because we preach this all the time about trusting a professional. Because you can't do everything. You're only one person.

René:
Yeah. And trusting that professional isn't necessarily your brother in law who thinks he can outsmart everybody.

Darryl:
A real certified professional.

René:
Yeah. And picked the best 5 stocks and knows everything about taxes and everyone else is an idiot.

Darryl:
Yeah. Uncle Questrade. Which is definitely another topic for another episode.

René:
So the idea, Darryl, of just saying, oh, I'm going to be fine just doesn't cut it for us. Right. That unpreparedness is not something that is going to ensure any type of success with your finances. And the wheels will fall off, I can assure you.

René:
There are some decent do it yourselfers out there that I've come across and I've met that, you know, really pay attention to their finances and have a pretty thorough understanding of investing in taxes and, you know, government programs and all of that stuff. But for the most part you need to have someone in your court that is going to have your back, that is going to help you progress with a good solid plan of attack and be prepared. You know, it's no different than having a personal trainer at the gym if you're looking at improving your physical health but not really having an idea of how to get there.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
What I mean by that is countless, countless times, Darryl, we've had people that we've, you know, we started working with. And they were a little bit late to the game. And they've mentioned to us, I wish I had started to plan sooner.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
We hear this so often. I can actually share some of the quotes that we've heard even in recent months of people that we started working with. Is, I wish I had met you guys 10, 20 years ago so that I could have this peace of mind.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Right. We had this one client, it was a husband and wife. And that room kind of went silent when we told them that they were adequately funded. In fact, they had a surplus, their business owners, and they were worried about exiting their business and having an exit strategy and some sort of retirement plan.

Darryl:
Okay.

René:
And the fear was that they were so close with their family that they didn't want to exit the family business for fear that they wouldn't have enough resources to help their kids if something happened.

René:
The fear of kids, you know, going through a divorce and needing some financial help or kids being in an accident or someone getting sick. Right. Or for some reason, you know, there was without, you know, anything that was in their control that they needed some help educating the grandchildren, for example.

Darryl:
Yeah. Or they wanted to adopt a guy named Darryl Boulley because they have abundance of wealth. Yeah.

René:
From Hepburn Productions.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
I often tell people that when we're often, you know, with the older generation that accumulated a ton of wealth and just are later in life and, you know, obviously not going to spend all of their money. I'm like, you know, I could easily call you dad.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Because I'm open to it.

Darryl:
I would like to leave my business cards just says, 'Adopt-a-Son'.

René:
Yeah. Yeah, that's right. But that's a genuine concern. Right. You have the baby boomers that have worked really hard to accumulate wealth, have made a ton of sacrifices, but a lot of it was for their family. It was to care for their family and to provide for their family. And there's this fear now that if they sell the cow, they're going to run out of milk. Right.

René:
That's pretty typical of business owners, and that is a common fear. But unpreparedness really exaggerates those fears.

René:
So in this particular meeting, the moment they realized that they were going to be okay because of the evidence that we provide to them in the plan, because numbers don't lie.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
There was a moment of silence there, and it was kind of a light tear shed. And the wife says, I could just see the weight off your shoulders. And he says, now I feel comfortable doing this, knowing I don't have to sacrifice anything.

Darryl:
Yeah. That's amazing.

René:
So another one is we had a gentleman that was single and was unsure of the stability of his income in retirement based on what he had accumulated through his life and the level of income he had been enjoying in recent years. You know, we asked the question, like, are you satisfied? Are you happy with the information that we gathered for you and what it is that we've discovered? And he said, I'm not just happy, I'm relieved.

Darryl:
Nice.

René:
Right. So for people to be able to express that.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Really deepens the impact that we have on the lives of the people that we work with and the importance of creating a plan. Because not only is it about having a financial plan so that you get your numbers in order so that you have set goals that we have different timelines for that we want to achieve together.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
But you now have the peace of mind knowing that you have a good, solid plan, knowing that that plan is actually helping you execute some of your goals and that your goals are actually going to be met. Right. That it's not just a guessing game. Like I said earlier, say, oh, you know what? I'm going to be fine. Like back in the day, that's all that you would hear when clients would come in and be like, well, I've got 1.2 million. And, you know, the girl at the bank said, oh, you've got enough money, you'll be fine. How the fuck do you know if you're going to be fine? Because it's all relative.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
We have clients that have 5 million, $6 million that are barely funded because they have an expensive lifestyle where we have clients that have 600,000 that have more than enough.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Right. If you're living off a $5,000 cash flow or a $25,000 a month cash flow, significantly different requirement.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
So it's all relative. Right. So the idea of just saying, oh, you're going to be fine. We need to have evidence that is going to demonstrate that you're going to be fine so that we can give them the peace of mind that they need to let go of that financial stress. And on the flip side, Darryl, is if you have a shortfall, it's equally emotional because often we'll see people make drastic changes to their lives to improve because they know where they stand and they are not happy with where they are.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
We still get some people, they're not ready to change. I'm not saying willing. They're just not ready. And we can't help those people. But when you come to the realization that, oh, I'm 40 and I have a huge shortfall and I'm going to be working till I'm 70 if I want to keep doing the things that I'm doing and making no changes to my life, when you come to that realization, there's an emotional attachment to that. To say, you know, I'm going to make a conscious decision to be more mindful of how I make financial decisions, to make sure that I'm not fucking euchred one day, because that's the last thing I want to do. Like we've preached a million times, dude is my philosophy is I do not worship money. I look at money as a tool that allows us to accomplish the things we want to accomplish out of life.

René:
And our goal in terms of financial freedom, it's you having control over your money instead of money having control over you. And that is the average Canadian is money controls their lives. And it's a horrible feeling.

Darryl:
Yeah. So how does someone get their ducks in a row?

René:
Well, you need to seek a professional.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
There's no two ways about it. You can try to do it yourself and you might do an okay job, but you need to find someone that you trust that you know is going to have your back and that is going to leave no stone unturned. So that when you deviate or you get distracted. Because we all get distracted. Whether you're a business owner that gets distracted with growing his business, or you're someone who is in the workforce working for the man trying to raise a family and just can't fucking juggle it all. It's impossible to keep your eye on the prize all the time, Darryl. It's just not possible. As financial planners, we help you ponder on your entire financial life.

René:
We help you develop tools to be able to get the wheels turning and identify some of your life goals. And we help guide you to help you accomplish those. Right. We help you through major life changes.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
We help you through navigating career goals. Right. When we have clients that come to see us and say, you know what? I'm looking at going out on my own, I'm kind of tired of working for someone else. I think that, you know, I could. I could do this on my own, have more control over my destiny, more control over my income, more control over my day to day and when and how I do things. We get those calls all the time. We have those meetings and we hold the client's hand through all of those changes. Nice and we're there when the going gets tough too.

Darryl:
Yeah, right.

René:
Some of the most impactful moments that we've had with clients is when they were in the trenches. You're going through a loss of job, so you come to see us, you get walked off the job with a package and now all of a sudden your entire world comes to an end because you don't know if you're coming or going. You don't know if you can make the mortgage payment. You don't know if you're employable because of the reason that you were let go. Like, how do you have an honest conversation with anyone about that shit without feeling vulnerable? Well, we're like a doctor's office, right. We don't have these conversations outside the office. So you can come into our safe space and have these conversations with us so that we can help you walk through it and think rationally and take some of the emotion out of it. So then, you know, that further emphasizes the emotional effects of a financial plan, is to have someone that you can work with that you have a clear plan of attack and have the ability to change direction when you're forced to change direction.

René:
Divorce is a huge one. We have people that we work with through divorces all the time because that shit is. It takes years off your life. It is stressful. Right. Because you're playing a mind game. You're emotional because this was a person that you loved and you shared a life with. And now you're trying to, you know, just, you're starting over and it's difficult.

René:
Like children leaving home. You wouldn't think, well, I think you're coming to terms with that, with the age that your children are at.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
And you're a really hands on father. So you're one of the characters that is really going to struggle with this, is that we have conversations with clients and the emotional effects of losing essentially your children because they're off to school, they're gaining independence, they're not in the house every day. You're worried about them because they're in another city. Particularly for us in northern communities, like our children are not going to university down the street or in a neighboring community.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
They're fucking six hours away. Like our kids are driving or some of our kids are flying away to school. Right. So that is a reality. And these are challenges, not only financially, on trying to educate and come up with the resources to fund that education. It's the emotional loss. It's almost like the grieving that you're going through. And we have these chats all the time because not everyone feels comfortable talking to every Tom, Dick and Harry about this stuff.

Darryl:
Yeah, for sure.

René:
And then death, Inevitably, there's only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes.

Darryl:
Yep.

René:
Right. So we're dealing with death of spouses, death of parents, death of children.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
So the emotional part of having a plan of attack when you're creating an estate plan, how reassuring, Darryl, is it, to have a solid estate plan so that when you pass away, it's not a financial nightmare for your beneficiaries, your estate trustee and everyone that loves you? You've taken all of the financial stress away so that your family members could just focus on grieving your loss. Right. Instead of having to juggle grieving and financial stress, that can be a matter.

Darryl:
Of life and death, to be quite honest. I'm not saying you're saving people's lives, but I am saying there are times where I've. I've seen older people that are so heartbroken and they're so much else going on that they just physically and mentally just break down until they're gone.

René:
Yeah, absolutely. So getting back to having someone that has your back and someone that is thinking logically when you're going through difficult times, to help you stay on track, to help you think rationally, and having that peace of mind, like for me, as the ultimate outcome, is someone having peace of mind when we've created a solid plan to say, okay, I'm not perfect. Yeah, I don't have a perfect plan and I haven't done perfectly in the past, but I have a solid path going forward that's going to get me back on track, that is going to allow me to retire at 58 and travel or regardless of your goals, you know, the age thing isn't such a big deal. Some people like to work later and spend more money because they like to travel while they're young and healthy.

Darryl:
Exactly. Yeah.

René:
Some people want to retire as soon as possible. Like, regardless of your goals, if you have a clear path and a good plan of attack, the emotional attachment to that, the emotional effects is that you'll be less stressed, you'll be more confident, you'll be depending more on your financial planner, knowing that that person has your back and that we're watching your finances when you cannot. So when you've taken your eye off the prize, you have that peace of mind that someone is looking after you..

Darryl:
For sure. And I feel like, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. It's never too early to start.

René:
Well, look, with your children.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
And that's just one example.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
And we highly encourage our clients that have young children to say, bring them in. Like bring them in with us and be part of the conversation, but let them take the lead on it and be more of an observer and let them engage and let them learn. Right. So that they have an understanding of the importance of a plan.

René:
You can't map out a 10 year old's financial life.

Darryl:
No.

René:
Right. But if you can start to build the tools that they require, a general understanding, they will lead a life that is a lot less stressful. Like my young clients that have an understanding of the importance of finances and having a plan are happier. They are better balanced human beings and they have a lot less stress in their lives.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
I love getting those texts from one of your kids and they'll be like, I have an extra thousand bucks in my bank account and I need to do something with it.

Darryl:
It's awesome.

René:
I'm like, okay, well, what are your goals? What are your plans with it? Do you have any immediate needs? No, no. Let's invest it in my investment portfolio. I don't need more money in my savings account either. I'm good. There's nothing I need. That's music to my ears, man. That makes me melt. Because it's, you know what, we're gonna have a lasting impression on their lives and that's very, very proud of that.

René:
Proud of them. But I'm proud of myself to be part of.

Darryl:
Yeah. The one thing I try to pride myself on, and my wife does too, is I always tell our kids, I'm not trying to make you into a mini me. I want you guys to be better than us. Like when I'm 65, 70 years old and you are way more successful, you have better investments, you're well off, and.

René:
I'm living in your granny pad. I fucking saw right through that, you bastard.

Darryl:
I just, I want them to be better than me.

René:
You selfish bastard. That's what you aspire for. Your kids.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
They excel and to reach, Reach for the skies, man.

Darryl:
Exactly. And I know you said earlier that I'm emotional. It's going to be hard when they do leave the nest. And it will be. But I was talking with Aaron just the other day actually about this. I said, when the kids leave, can we put this in writing like a contract right now? Like there are naked days, like full 24 hour days in this house. And she said yes. So as much as it does seem like it will be emotional, I can't wait for them to leave.

René:
It won't be for a while. By the sounds of it, Lucas has got all plan mapped out.

Darryl:
I know he's got big plans and they involve living in this house while he goes to school. These kids. I tell you, we'll be right back.

René:
I felt very intense about that conversation, Darryl.

Darryl:
It was a good one.

René:
That must mean. It means a lot to me.

Darryl:
It does, it does. It means a lot to everyone.

René:
I wish that I could share more stories and you know, I often tell this to my team that don't have the frontline roles where they meet with clients regularly. I wish that you could sometimes be a fly on the wall just to see how impactful the work that you guys do.

Darryl:
Exactly

René:
Because, you know, it sounds very cliche, but we change lives, man.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Like just giving people the right tools, giving them the peace of mind that they deserve, and providing that guiding light, it just, it doesn't feel like work for me, man. And I'm very, very enthusiastic about it. And I get very intense when I have these conversations.

Darryl:
I see the pride in your eyes. There's been a few times in our years where you finish work and you have like this look on your face, like just, you're just shining. And I'm like, good day. You're like, yeah. In fact, I can't tell you any part of it. And I'm like, oh, that's great. It's like you're on cloud nine. And I'm like, some shit just went down with a client.

Darryl:
That was really good.

René:
We found a solution. Those are the best days is when a client has a problem and we find a solution.

Darryl:
For sure. Well, I want to talk a little bit about solutions today and I want to talk about the least prioritized item of every business owner.

René:
What would that be?

Darryl:
Well, it's something every business, big or small, needs but doesn't always have. And it's something that builds brands confidence, it helps create an emotional impact and provides a strong marketing strategy.

René:
Nice.

Darryl:
It's your marketing plan.

René:
Yeah. I don't know, man. I could tell a million people to go work with you. And I don't know how many people will because the average Joe does not see the value. But our marketing plan has been so clear in the last decade.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
And has proven itself time after time after time. Not only the growth of our business, but how authentic we are, how genuine we are about our message. And the execution of our marketing is a reflection of who we are.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
I couldn't sell it more. I couldn't sell it more.

Darryl:
Well, and I think the downfall of the term marketing plan is it. It sounds a little dry. And I feel that when they hear the word plan, it's like, oh no, it's too big. I'm going to do it later.

René:
It's like our original topic at the start of the program. You just gotta use a little lube if it's a little dry. There's nothing wrong with a little lube. Astroglide baby.

Darryl:
Well, let's see if I can put a little lube on this topic.

René:
Please do. I'm all ears.

Darryl:
See, having a solid plan and when I say that an actually a written plan can do wonders for your business. And it's not just about throwing ideas on paper, because that's what I get a lot. It's about creating a roadmap that can actually make your life easier, reduce stress, boost your confidence in every single move you make in business.

René:
That sounds like a duplicate of the conversation we just had about a financial plan.

Darryl:
Well, you know, I do like it's a part of marketing is copying, so.

René:
Yeah, that's right. However, very relevant.

Darryl:
Exactly. So let's start with that big question. And it's one we hear most often from new business owners or those struggling in business. Why put it in writing? Can't you just have a general idea and roll with it? Well, think of it this way. A written marketing plan gives you something to refer back to when things get busy. That's the best way I can put it when you're questioning your next move. It's like having a GPS for your business goals. When things get chaotic or you hit a little slump, a written plan brings you back to center.

René:
It's like having your marketing strategy in Google Maps.

Darryl:
Exactly. So you're not just winging it every month, right?

René:
Absolutely.

Darryl:
Yeah. You can pull it up and actually do something with that shit.

René:
Hey, I just thought of a really good comparison. Do you remember being in the city with your wife pre GPS and using a paper map and trying to get somewhere?

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
So picture this.

Darryl:
I'm surprised we're still together.

René:
Picture this. Sicily, 1952. Golden Girls. Picture this. Erin's got a roadmap, the map of Ontario looking at the freeways and you're driving and you miss a fucking exit.

Darryl:
Yep.

René:
Whose fault is it?

Darryl:
It's Erins.

René:
You know what? Unpreparedness and not having the right mapping is fucking unnecessary. It is stressful. It's no different than your marketing plan.

Darryl:
Oh, exactly. So let's talk about how to put your marketing plan into writing that actually boosts your confidence. Because that's what I want to get to today of how this marketing plan as a business owner or even any part of your team will boost their confidence and love what you do not have that stress because I think it's super important and this will really show off your business. Right. When you've got a plan laid out, you're not second guessing every little decision because you already know where you're going and how you're going to get there. So let's go back to high school. It's like having a cheat sheet, for Christ's sakes. For your business.

René:
Yeah. It's open book.

Darryl:
Exactly. And this is especially helpful, like I said, for your team too. Your employees don't have to guess what the next steps are. They're all on the same page, literally.

René:
Absolutely. I'm glad you mentioned that because that is very important.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
There's no such thing as one business owner who leads the whole organization. You need a vested team to be able to accomplish the things that you want to accomplish. And sharing your goals and sharing your objectives and your values. Really, really important.

Darryl:
And that's the thing with the team. I tell business owners this all the time. You want to get to a point in your business where your team knows more than you and they're more excited about your business than you are.

René:
Yeah, I know. I'm learning that feeling and it's a great one. Yeah, I feel some days I feel a little obsolete. I'm not gonna, not gonna lie.

Darryl:
That's good. That's good.

René:
But what overpowers that feeling of being obsolete is the feeling of pride that I've accomplished. What I needed to accomplish is I've guided these people into becoming true professionals of what they do. And it's magical. It's magical to see them interact with our clients too.

Darryl:
Oh, no kidding.

René:
Like, oh, it's so awesome.

Darryl:
Well, here's another big one about the marketing plan is it reduces your stress level. Imagine not having to make last minute decisions about your next promotion or your next social media post because it's already mapped out. You've got clear direction, so there's less scrambling. That's what business owners do when they don't have a marketing plan is they are scrambling. You have better execution and that alone can save you tons of mental energy.

René:
Yeah, absolutely.

Darryl:
As business owners, mental energy, I feel at the end of the day is the only thing we have left.

René:
Yeah. It's in limited supply.

Darryl:
Yeah. And a written plan helps you connect more deeply with your audience. And this is one I can't stress enough. When you take the time to outline who your customers are, what they care about, and how you can reach them, it's easier to make those meaningful connections. You're not just guessing or hoping for the best. You're building strategies around real insights, which means your marketing is more likely to resonate and stick.

René:
Like al dente spaghetti, stick to the wall.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
Just perfect.

Darryl:
All right, so the big question, what should you actually put into this plan?

René:
Yeah.

Darryl:
So here's a quick breakdown of the essentials that I think are so important, and the first I just mentioned it. Target audience. Start with who you're trying to reach and get specific age, interests, values, buying habits. When you have a clear picture of who your audience is, it's easier to create messages that speak directly to them and not at them.

René:
And if you're someone, in my opinion, just from experience, if you're someone that works hands on with your clientele, it's not only the audience that you're catering to, but the audience that you want to have.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
It's finding the kind of people that are a good fit that make you enjoy working with these people so that it feels less and less like work. Instead of always butting heads with people that you just can't connect with or that you always disagree with.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
It's to find the right audience.

Darryl:
Yeah. And that leads me into the next section of your marketing plan is marketing goals. Define your goals. What do you actually want to achieve? Do you want more brand awareness? Do you want increased sales? Do you want customer loyalty? Writing these things down and making them measurable. This is where you set the benchmark and track your progress. You can't just pull shit out of the air and think that it's going to be great. If you have a plan and it's written down and again, measurable, make it realistic.

Darryl:
When you see the progress happen and you're like, I hit that target, that's a celebration. That's something you can get behind and that fuels you into the next level of your marketing plan, which is going to be forever changing.

René:
It's exactly like what I mentioned with having a personal trainer in the gym.

Darryl:
Yes.

René:
Right. You do not become Arnold Schwarzenegger overnight.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
You don't become an Olympian overnight.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
It's fucking perseverance. It's having the right guidance and celebrating those little wins that help you take you to the next level. 100%. Your marketing should be exactly the same.

Darryl:
Oh, exactly. Speaking of next level, I want to talk about budget, because that is the next level, and it is so crucial figuring out what you're willing to spend on your marketing efforts. Knowing your budget keeps you grounded and focused, so you're not going to go overboard with one tactic. And again, I say this all the time. You have to think outside the box. Businesses with products. Giving free products to retail outlets to test is part of your marketing budget. It's not a free product that you're losing money on.

Darryl:
You've planned for it. If you don't write this stuff down ahead of time. When you start doing stuff that costs money, like giving away free product, like putting up a billboard, like putting an ad on the subway or whatever the case may be, paying for a social media ad, it feels like you're losing money. It feels like that money is literally coming out of your pocket. But when you have it written down as part of your marketing budget, you allocated those dollars and cents for that purpose, it's now not taking money out of your pocket.

René:
Having a solid plan will help you understand the return on investment as well.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
Because you can either look at it as, oh, I've spent a dollar. Right. Or I've invested a dollar to make 100. So you're netting 99.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
So if you have a good, solid marketing plan that is actually going to increase revenue, you have to recognize that you're making an investment and you're getting a return on the investment instead of just looking at it as an expense. Right. You want to shop for vehicle insurance every year to try to keep your costs down because either way you're getting the same coverage. So you're just shopping. It's a commodity.

Darryl:
Exactly.

René:
But, you know, in my opinion, you can't look at your marketing budget as an expense. You have to look at it as an investment. And then you have to monitor it to make sure that you're executing it properly so that you're getting the right return on investment.

Darryl:
Bingo. You got it. The next is key messaging and what makes your business unique. This should be in your marketing plan. What's the one thing you want people to remember about you? And this is where you define what sets you apart and you make sure your marketing speaks to that core message. We've talked about this many times with you. Live well today while planning to live well tomorrow.

René:
Yeah.

Darryl:
You knew who you wanted to reach, you knew why you wanted to reach them, and we put that into a plan and then we came up with how we're actually going to target these people and give them that core message.

René:
I was at a cocktail party recently and I would say there was, I don't know, 60 people there. More people knew me as Callrenee than my full name or the name of our firm.

Darryl:
That's awesome.

René:
That is powerful marketing right there.

Darryl:
And that's the thing. They go on any social, Google and type in hashtag callrenee and you pop up.

René:
Magical.

Darryl:
All right, second, last one. Channels and tactics. Identify where your audience actually hangs out. Is it Facebook? Is it Instagram? Is it the local cafe? Find out what kind of content they consume. Another one. Reading blogs or maybe they respond to email marketing. List out your channels and how you'll reach that audience. Okay, last one.

Darryl:
Timeline and calendar. This one is so important, including a basic timeline to break down your marketing efforts by month or quarter or season or all of them. The marketing plans we put together, it's all of those things. What are we going to do this month? What are we going to do this quarter? What are we going to do this season? And what are we going to do this year? It doesn't have to be a minute by minute schedule, but having a rough idea of when you'll launch campaigns, push certain content really helps you organize and, and stay on track.

René:
This is where you may have to do this yourself. If you're, you know, you're getting started with your marketing budget and you don't have the resources or you have a marketing team to do it. But I will tell you, this is one thing that I did not want any part of because that's not my area of expertise. And I know, like, you bring this up to me, you've got a whole year mapped out. I'm like, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You just fucking do. You boo. But that is so important because I'll mention something about some upcoming celebration.

René:
Like, yeah, I've already got that in the calendar for next week. Just leave it with me. It's like the financial plan from earlier. I know you've got my back. So if you can afford some sort of marketing team to help steer that ship. It's so, so impactful and it takes a ton of work off of your plate.

Darryl:
Oh, no kidding.

René:
I wouldn't want to add that to my plate. It allows me to focus on my business and have you do what you're good at.

Darryl:
Well, and that's exactly it. I could get deeper into things that your marketing plan should include, but these are the most important parts. These are the bare bones of a marketing plan that at least if you're a do it yourselfer, this is going to give you that organizational exercise to get ahead. It's about giving yourself that roadmap, like I said, and to make confident decisions and reducing last minute stress. That's what I can't stress enough? I said stress too many times there.

René:
So you're stressed?

Darryl:
I guess, but it's about making sure your business connects with the right people in a meaningful way. Think of it as the foundation that keeps your marketing focused and effective no matter what comes up. Okay, that's it. I hope I've inspired somebody to sit down, map it out, take control of their marketing. And we mapped out this ad long ago, so hope you enjoy it. We'll be right back.

René:
Okay, what are we talking about, man?

Darryl:
Well, I want to jump into a topic that I think everyone can relate to.

René:
I'll be the judge of that.

Darryl:
Well, I'm going to bring up the building confidence from the inside out. We've talked about confidence today. I think we should stay on that path.

René:
My first thought on that dude is something my mother in law would always say to Meghan.

Darryl:
Yeah. Is divorce René. You'll be more confident.

René:
Look good, feel good, do good.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
So it's like an entire package, right?

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Confidence is not usually from the inside out. It's usually from the outside in, in my opinion.

Darryl:
Yeah, it can be. It depends on the situation, I think. But what I want to talk about today is the little everyday rituals or routines that help us feel stronger and more grounded and just kind of ready to tackle the day. You know the stuff that doesn't take a complete life overhaul. Just small intentional habits that can make a big difference over time. Because like, let's face it, life is fucking busy.

René:
No.

Darryl:
And self confidence, some... well I say sometimes takes a backseat. I feel it always takes a backseat. But there are simple things that we can do to boost our confidence and well being. Whether it's a morning ritual, a fitness habit, some form of self care, it's all about finding what works for you and building it into your routine. For myself, I found a few easy things that boost my confidence day to day. I'm going to share them, I'm going to give them. These are free. I'm giving you stuff for free today.

René:
Use at your own risk.

Darryl:
Exactly. Well, it's my morning routine. It's the. It's making my coffee.

René:
Oh my God. Yeah, I should have guessed that one with the pictures you send me.

Darryl:
Well, Exactly. It takes 10 minutes. 10 minutes, that's it. And it sounds so simple, but I have an espresso machine. I've learned how to dial in my beans with my grind size and such, and how to steam the milk and froth it to a perfect microfoam. And although I'm still working on perfecting my latte art.

René:
It's pretty fucking good.

Darryl:
Well, thanks. It just makes me feel like I'm on another level sometimes.

Darryl:
And like I'm not saying I'm better than anyone. I'm saying when I'm in a good mood or bad and I go to that machine and I can make myself a latte or cappuccino. And when I'm done, I'm proud of what I've done. And it's a confidence boost. It gives me that little extra step in the day.

René:
Yeah, man, because you excelled at it.

Darryl:
Thanks. Thanks. I try to be pretty with it, but it doesn't always work out.

René:
But that's a confidence booster. That's a perfect fucking example.

Darryl:
Yeah. Do you have any little routines?

René:
The first thing that I can think of for me is to get a head start ahead of everyone else.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Because it allows me to get my day organized. I get my bearings on what I need to get done for the day.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
And I'm prepared. Which is also a very good reflection of the rest of today's conversation. That when the team arrives and I start talking to clients, that I am more, way more confident because I am prepared 100%. I'm not disorganized, disheveled, or feeling cornered.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
I'm rested, I'm well prepared and I'm organized for my day. And that gives me all of the confidence that I need to get through my day.

Darryl:
There is no worse confidence breaker than being late for something, huffing and puffing all disheveled, walking into a room and being like, I'm the expert, I need you to listen to me because right away, you know, they already don't.

René:
Yeah, a hundred percent. I mean, there's only so much you can wing it.

Darryl:
Exactly. There's other things you can do, like moving your body. You've taught me this over time. And I know it sounds so simple and so stupid for doing a workout, but even a quick walk or some stretching.

René:
Yeah, absolutely.

Darryl:
That can be a confidence booster. Just a quick little five minute thing can really just change your day.

René:
Yeah. Some oxygen to the brain.

Darryl:
Yeah. A little mini dance session to your favourite song. That shit's huge.

René:
I'm not going to say where I heard it, but I know there was a couple of celebrities that gave us some advice on, I don't know, different podcasts or whatever, but one of them was he religiously washed his face. I think he was an actor. And every once in a while he just, he needed to freshen up. So he would wash his face with cold, cold water.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Another one is like brushing your teeth just to feel like fresh.

Darryl:
Yep.

René:
Right. So even if you have like a mid morning snack of nuts or whatever and all of a sudden you feel like you got shit in your teeth is just you brush your teeth, you don't have to worry about someone looking at a piece of coarse pepper in your tooth or something and you have fresh breath, so you're not worrying about having freaking coffee breath or whatever. Like all of those little, little things could make a huge difference in your day. Like.

Darryl:
Yeah, it just, just I. The brushing the teeth one, running your tongue along your teeth when it's freshly clean.

René:
Yeah, absolutely.

Darryl:
Well, I do one that I learned recently. Well, actually a little while ago that I think is so great. I actually learned it from Zach Braff, who I think learned it from Sidney Lemay. And that's changing your socks at lunch.

René:
Yeah, yeah, you told me about that. That's genius. It's so simple.

Darryl:
Yeah, it's like there's something about changing into fresh socks that kind of gives you a reset and you just feel better and refreshed and it's completely weird. And when I heard it, I was like, what the hell's he talking about? But I've been doing it and I will say that little boost of energy that I used to rely on from a cup of coffee or a green tea I now get from simply changing my socks and it's something people can't even see.

René:
Yeah. Crazy, eh? Just feel refreshed. I get it.

Darryl:
Yeah. Is it just refreshed? New kick in my step.

René:
There's been many times where I know I have a really loaded afternoon.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
And I'm feeling a little bit drained. I'll have a shower and just sit in the shower at lunchtime.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
And some, you know, I try to get back into the same clothes so it doesn't look obvious that I've changed my appearance for the second part of the day. But there's actually been a few instances where I'm like, you know, you get up in the morning, it's kind of a cool day and maybe you overdress and in the afternoon it's friggin 30 degrees. So there's been times where I'm like, screw it, I'm just going to have a nice long shower and I'm going to put some fresh clothes on and I'm going to be ready to take on this super loaded afternoon. And it just allows you to have that confidence and refreshed feeling to just fucking get it done.

Darryl:
Well, and that's the thing. Like I've been doing a lot of. Speaking of working out, I've been doing a lot of yoga and meditation and stuff like that.

René:
Yeah, I knew you kind of look chilled.

Darryl:
I know, I know. And I've been doing yoga with Adrienne online. She's absolutely amazing. If you have not heard of her, she is the best.

René:
If there's one motivation that Darryl has is good looking women. So she must be pretty hot because I don't know why else you'd be doing fucking yoga.

Darryl:
Well, it's, it's, it's taught me a lot to be honest and, and about your feet and grounding yourself to the earth to me used to always sound so idiotic. I'm like, okay, why is my feet any different than any other part of my body? But man, it is so true. That's why I think this changing your socks thing really works because it's like you're just re energizing your whole body from the ground up.

René:
Yeah. You're onto something.

Darryl:
Yeah, I think so.

René:
That's why I love being barefoot so much is I just love connecting with it.

Darryl:
Yeah.

René:
Whether I'm at camp on actual soil or like I love to work barefoot even. It's weird. People walk me like, you're not wearing any shoes. I'm like, yeah, I know. But I feel grounded. It's, it's weird.

Darryl:
It's so true though.

René:
But I just feel that way.

Darryl:
Yeah. And for anyone who's new to this. Think of these tips as small steps. You don't have to overhaul your life. Just try to add one new thing and see how it makes you feel. Because confidence doesn't come from these grand gestures. It's in the small, everyday rituals that make us feel like we've kind of got it together, even if we're faking it.

René:
And you know what? Small rituals, like just a regular daily 40 minute workout turns into a big gesture where you've lost weight, you feel more confident about yourself. But it is really important to have a healthy lifestyle because that is a huge part of your confidence and your mood booster too, right?

Darryl:
Oh, yeah.

René:
Like you know it yourself. You stop exercising, you feel shitty about yourself. And the more you exercise, the more you decide to eat healthy. And the healthier you eat, the better you sleep, the more productive you are at work. You make more money, you're less stressed about finances. You.

Darryl:
You don't need boner pills.

René:
You don't need boner pills. So all these little daily exercises that you're saying are little gestures, it turns into something powerful, you know, and there's days where I feel like I can move mountains.

Darryl:
Yeah. Well, listen, go take on the day.

René:
Barefoot.

Darryl:
Yeah, barefoot. What? Change your socks at lunch, do some exercise.

René:
Wear deodorant.

Darryl:
Wear deodorant. Yes.

Darryl:
Lots of it, to be honest. If all else fails, fake it till you make it.

René:
Oh, there you go.

Darryl:
Listen, thanks for joining us. Follow us wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. Share us with your friends. Don't let us be a secret. Follow us on Instagram and we'll see you guys next time.

René:
We're everywhere.

Darryl:
Bye.