How To Fix Your Small Business Marketing To Dramatically Increase Your Sales
Most marketing activities carried out by small businesses fail. At the heart of most small business is the business owner and most got into business because they are good at doing what they do and have a passion for doing it well. But most small business owners have no training in how to market a small business. Over 95% of small business owners select one of three approaches to marketing that doom them to failure.
Most marketing activities carried out by small businesses fail. At the heart of most small business is the business owner and most got into business because they are good at doing what they do and have a passion for doing it well. But most small business owners have no training in how to market a small business. Over 95% of small business owners select one of three approaches to marketing that doom them to failure.
The "copy cat advertising" approach is a very prevalent method of advertising utilised by small businesses. It is basically where a business mimics another and "copies" their ads. This fails to bring any significant return on your marketing dollar as it carries no unique message (does not differentiate you from others) and typically there will be many messages in the marketplace saying the same thing.
The second marketing approach, involves deciding on one way to advertise and then just sticking to it year in, year out. It might be something like advertising in your local newspaper, or an ad in your regional directory (something like the Yellow Pages), but you choose this form and repeat it time, after time, after time. A common theme arising from this "forever advertising" is that the business doesn't experience any real growth over the years. By not being able to measure the success of your advertising when you use only one method, you do not have any way of understanding if you are reaching your target audience. It may be that the potential customers don't read the adverts in their local newspapers or do not utilise a printed directory to source their requirements. How can you know the best way to advertise your business to acquire new customers if you do not try alternatives and measure the outcome?
The "do nothing" approach, means as it sounds; the business owner does nothing to advertise their business. The business owner may believe that their business, products or services will just speak for themselves. This is not a realistic way to promote your business; you can not reach your potential customers if they don't know you are there, or if you are not actively communicating with them.
At the core of the small business marketing problem is that most small business owners don't clearly understand why you do marketing. In a nutshell marketing is about "the things that you do that allow people to get to know you, like you and trust you." After all if you are going to buy a product or a service from someone yourself wouldn't you rather buy it from someone you know, like and trust?
The first step to fixing your marketing in your small business is to be clear on who your ideal customer is and to be as specific as possible. If they are a business: where are there premises? how many employees do they have? what is their annual turnover? what are the key attributes of the business owner? what problems do they need help solving? what else can you say about them? If you are not sure how to identify your ideal customers then start with describing one or two of the best customers that you currently have.
The next step of identifying the "irresistible offer" for your ideal customer, is about what you can offer them that will make them want to rush out and become a customer. This "irresistible offer" can define you in the eyes of your customers above your competitors. Consider the promise that Dominoes Pizza's made in the past that blew their competition out of the water: "Pizza hot and fresh to your door in 30 minutes or less or its free." Dominoes Pizzas understood that their ideal client would find this offer irresistible, as their customers wanted hot pizza delivered right now to them guaranteed.
The last step is to find the best communication channel to provide your irresistible offer to your ideal customers so they can get to know you, like you and trust you. An effective way to communicate this to potential customers is to provide them with information from your customers that love what you do - testimonials. Combine your irresistible offer, testimonials and possibly some case studies in a pack and give them out and you will be effectively marketing to prospective customers to build awareness, likeability and trust. If you get the opportunity to follow up with your prospective customers personally then you are well on your way to having new customers. This is marketing delivering new customers, which means increasing your small business sales.
Most marketing activities carried out by small businesses fail. At the heart of most small business is the business owner and most got into business because they are good at doing what they do and have a passion for doing it well. But most small business owners have no training in how to market a small business. Over 95% of small business owners select one of three approaches to marketing that doom them to failure.
The "copy cat advertising" approach is a very prevalent method of advertising utilised by small businesses. It is basically where a business mimics another and "copies" their ads. This fails to bring any significant return on your marketing dollar as it carries no unique message (does not differentiate you from others) and typically there will be many messages in the marketplace saying the same thing.
The second marketing approach, involves deciding on one way to advertise and then just sticking to it year in, year out. It might be something like advertising in your local newspaper, or an ad in your regional directory (something like the Yellow Pages), but you choose this form and repeat it time, after time, after time. A common theme arising from this "forever advertising" is that the business doesn't experience any real growth over the years. By not being able to measure the success of your advertising when you use only one method, you do not have any way of understanding if you are reaching your target audience. It may be that the potential customers don't read the adverts in their local newspapers or do not utilise a printed directory to source their requirements. How can you know the best way to advertise your business to acquire new customers if you do not try alternatives and measure the outcome?
The "do nothing" approach, means as it sounds; the business owner does nothing to advertise their business. The business owner may believe that their business, products or services will just speak for themselves. This is not a realistic way to promote your business; you can not reach your potential customers if they don't know you are there, or if you are not actively communicating with them.
At the core of the small business marketing problem is that most small business owners don't clearly understand why you do marketing. In a nutshell marketing is about "the things that you do that allow people to get to know you, like you and trust you." After all if you are going to buy a product or a service from someone yourself wouldn't you rather buy it from someone you know, like and trust?
The first step to fixing your marketing in your small business is to be clear on who your ideal customer is and to be as specific as possible. If they are a business: where are there premises? how many employees do they have? what is their annual turnover? what are the key attributes of the business owner? what problems do they need help solving? what else can you say about them? If you are not sure how to identify your ideal customers then start with describing one or two of the best customers that you currently have.
The next step of identifying the "irresistible offer" for your ideal customer, is about what you can offer them that will make them want to rush out and become a customer. This "irresistible offer" can define you in the eyes of your customers above your competitors. Consider the promise that Dominoes Pizza's made in the past that blew their competition out of the water: "Pizza hot and fresh to your door in 30 minutes or less or its free." Dominoes Pizzas understood that their ideal client would find this offer irresistible, as their customers wanted hot pizza delivered right now to them guaranteed.
The last step is to find the best communication channel to provide your irresistible offer to your ideal customers so they can get to know you, like you and trust you. An effective way to communicate this to potential customers is to provide them with information from your customers that love what you do - testimonials. Combine your irresistible offer, testimonials and possibly some case studies in a pack and give them out and you will be effectively marketing to prospective customers to build awareness, likeability and trust. If you get the opportunity to follow up with your prospective customers personally then you are well on your way to having new customers. This is marketing delivering new customers, which means increasing your small business sales.
About the Author:
Learn more about Brisbane marketing techniques with Pyxis Business Partners. Stop by Pyxis Business Partners' site where you can find out all about Brisbane marketing and to access your obligation free consulting session with Pyxis Business Partners.