About a year ago, I was asked if I’d be interested in moving from ThreeWill’s delivery organization over to the Sales & Marketing team. I said yes immediately. I love new challenges, I love language, and—as anyone here can attest—I like to talk.
A lot.
And—as Tim Coalson would agree—I also like to mix in some sophisticated (i.e., “fancy”) terms betwixt my use of “ain’t” and “y’all.”
(Why say “between” when you’ve got something like “betwixt” just lying around!?)
But here’s the thing: all that love for words didn’t mean I knew a thing about marketing. What I did know was that the fastest way to find my footing in something was to define my marketing core process.
What’s a Core Process?
In case you didn’t know, ThreeWill proudly Runs on EOS™ (the Entrepreneurial Operating System), and we’ve worked very hard to define our core processes—the business processes that absolutely must happen to keep the business running.
Marketing is one of them. You can’t have customers if no one knows you exist. HR, Finance, Operations… every department has duties that, if neglected, can seriously disrupt business outcomes.
Here’s how our Marketing Core Process is currently defined:
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1: Clarify Audiences & Define Journeys (DM) |
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Identify and prioritize Avatars for the current cycle |
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Map the intended journey from first touch to conversion |
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Align messaging, offers, and channels to that journey |
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2: Attract & Engage (MM) |
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Share valuable, relevant content consistently in the right channels |
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Promote offers and opportunities that spark interest |
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Maintain a visible, trustworthy brand presence |
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3: Nurture & Convert (MM) |
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Follow a consistent framework (like our 7 Touches) for active leads |
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Deliver targeted value to build trust and address objections |
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Guide prospects toward the next committed step |
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4: Measure & Improve (MM) |
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Monitor performance against defined KPIs |
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Review the effectiveness of audience journeys |
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Adjust messaging, offers, and channels based on results |
It’s not everything I do. But it’s the most important work I do to help ThreeWill achieve its mission.
How This Changed My Work
When I stepped into Sales & Marketing, I knew a core process would be my North Star. Because we Run on EOS™, I also knew that once the process was clear, everything else would snap into place—who we’re speaking to, what we publish, how we measure, and what we stop doing. So job one wasn’t to crank out content; it was to figure out what our marketing core process actually was.
That meant asking better questions. What’s our biggest constraint? (Spoiler: it’s usually “we need more leads.”) What’s getting in the way? How do we remove that friction? I sketched versions of the process, tested them, and iterated. Even the early, imperfect drafts beat ambiguity—momentum has a way of revealing the right edges.
Once the process was defined, decisions got easier and faster. We prioritized the right Avatars, focused our channels, and aligned content to a journey instead of just talking, writing, and hoping. The work didn’t get lighter, but it finally started pulling in one direction.
Why This Matters to You
Regardless of your small business challenges—whether it’s marketing, operations, or something else entirely—clarity on your core processes will always be the key to getting the right work done in the right way. Without them, even the most passionate effort can go in the wrong direction.
Understanding your marketing core process doesn’t just give you a plan—it gives you clarity. Whether you’re trying to grow your marketing funnel, improve operations, or get your team rowing in the same direction, having that “North Star” makes all the difference.
If you want to talk more about Core Processes or EOS, I’d love to connect. You can reach out to me on LinkedIn, connect with ThreeWill, or send us a note. We’re always happy to share what’s worked for us and, if you’re interested, connect you with a trusted EOS Implementor who can help you go even deeper.
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