Small business marketing may be the most important part in
owning and maintaining a successful small business. A goodportion of the marketing effort is determining the needs of your
target market and then explaining that you provide solutions to
meet those needs. Contrary to popular belief, it is a lot more
than posting a sign or handing out flyers. Though many of the
philosophies and tactics may be similar, small business
marketing is an entirely different discipline than marketing of
large companies. Successful marketing is not just a tactic or
strategy; it is an entire process and you are sure to fail if
you are not enthusiastic about your small business.
Done properly, marketing can and will attract all the clients
your small business can handle. But I would suggest you get to a
place where you work only with clients who value what you have
to offer. If you commit to following simple small business
marketing systems, strategies and ideas you can significantly
increase what you charge for your services. Unfortunately
though, most small business promotions focus only on how great
their products and services are. But you need to stay focused on
what products and services your ideal clients want and need.
Here's another big no-no to avoid. Instead of marketing only
when you need money or cash flow, commit to marketing your
products and services all of the time. It is very important to
consistently market your products and services because as I have
been saying for years, success is based on persistency and
consistency, not magic.
Planning is also a key ingredient to the success of any small
business. Developing a small business marketing plan will be one
of the most crucial elements to your success. By creating your
marketing plan you will eliminate the panic and need for an
instant solution to financial problems because you can avoid
many of the ups and downs that result from the all to common
stop and start marketing. Your plan does not have to be set in
stone, it can evolve as you and your business grow. The
important thing is your dedication to consistency with your
marketing.
The lack of persistency and consistency will lead to an unused
marketing plan. This in turn will lead to spits and starts in
your cash flow. Successful entrepreneurs who have a small
business marketing plan make more money in less time. When you
start to think of who your ideal client is and what products and
services they want or need and then combine that with your
marketing tools and techniques, an effective marketing plan is
not far behind.
As you are probably starting to see small business marketing is
an entire process, a synergy of the individual tactics and
strategies. That's right, small business marketing is a system
where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Another
common misconception is that small business marketing is just
common sense. Nothing could be further from the truth. An
understanding of how small business marketing is conducted is
essential for you if success is your goal. You do want results
and success don't you?
It's all about determining the needs of your target market and
then providing solutions to meet those needs. So many people
believe that marketing their small business is all about running
advertisements, but it isn't. If you are serious about your
success in business, then make understanding marketing an
on-going priority.
The ultimate result of small business marketing is to attract
more new customers and persuade existing customers to purchase
your products or services in higher quantities and more
frequently. The successful can attribute their success to having
a strategic plan and following it consistently. When you create
a marketing plan you will be able to compete at a higher level.
Your odds of winning the game significantly improve when you
take the time to create a plan.
To your success!
David Mason: Is President of Mason Performance
Development Inc., and author of Marketing Your Small Business
for Big Profits. Visit http://www.yourbigprofits.com/ and
sign-up for The Performance Development News, a weekly ezine
with free marketing tips.
