How to pick a marketing approach
Print, social media, word of mouth all have challenges
You’ve got a killer idea for your small business. You’ve created a great new product or service, set up operations, raised sufficient money to get out of the gate. But where are the customers? It’s time to pay attention to marketing.
During Small Business Week, I’m devoted to helping you “Make This Your Year to Grow.” Whatever industry you’re in, whatever the price or quality of your offerings, you need well-conceived, and consistently executed, marketing to grow your business. THE MARKETING MESSAGE Before you begin marketing, first clarify your company’s core message. That’s what you want customers to remember about you. It might even express a bit of your company’s personality. MARKETING VEHICLES Marketing guru Peter Shankman says effective advertising is all about knowing your specific customers and tailoring your activities to their desires.
“It’s like asking which is better — an orange or an apple. It depends on what you like,” said Shankman, a globe-trotting marketing and customer service consultant. “The best way to find out about where to advertise is to know your audience — where they are online, what kind of communication they prefer.”
The challenge? There are so many marketing vehicles and only a limited amount of money.
The main marketing vehicles include:
Print media: newspapers, magazines.
Broadcast media: radio, TV.
Online: website, search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM), daily deals, mobile marketing.
Social media marketing: blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest.
Print collateral: business cards, brochures, fliers.
Face- -to-face: networking, trade shows, public relations.
Signage: vehicles, buildings, billboards.
Other: in-store marketing, advertising specialties, product placement.
Whichever vehicle you choose, remember, repetition is key. You must be seen repeatedly, with the same message, for your market-
ing to make an impact. WORD OF MOUTH Ask longtime small business owners which is their most effective marketing technique, and they’ll likely say, “Word of mouth.” Nothing beats having satisfied customers tell their friends about you. But most small business owners overestimate their word-of-mouth efforts. “Eighty percent of small business owners think they’re doing well in customer service and word-ofmouth marketing, but only 8% of their customers think the same thing,” Shankman said.
To get satisfied customers to refer customers to you and post positive comments on review sites, you need a marketing plan and a way to keep your name in front of them. Consider a loyalty program — even something as simple as a punch-card — to keep them coming back.
At the core of word-of-mouth marketing is providing a great experience for your customer. “Stop chasing the likes (on social media) and start doing things that are likable,” Shankman said.
ONLINE MARKETING
A few years ago, the hottest thing in small business marketing was SEM. The goal was to get found — either through paid ads or organic search — just when a prospect was searching for your type of product or service.
It’s still one of the most effective ways for small companies to get found when a prospect is ready to make a purchase. It’s also easy. Unlike social media marketing, which requires constant updates, you can choose a few key messages and keywords and run your ad with little day-today involvement.
PRINT COLLATERAL While social media is sexy, and advertising is easy, there’s still tremendous power in printed materials. Start with your business card. Make sure it includes all necessary contact info, including your social media handles. Add one brief line expressing your core message. Carry your business card with you at ALL times. Other key print collateral includes brochures, sales sheets, catalogs, rack cards and fliers.