MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS CAN BE A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS THAT IS OVERWHELMING AND EXPENSIVE.
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Before you nod your head in agreement, let’s slow down and look to a spider for guidance.
A spider you say? Yes, a spider. You see, a spider is a master marketer because he has to work hard to spin a web just like you have to work hard to produce a product or hone your service skills. Hopefully Mr. Spider has chosen his location wisely. We all know that visibility and location are the keys to marketing success.
Next, let’s look at the web structure itself.
See how there are many connection points, but all lead to the center where the meal is eaten? Just like the spider, your marketing should have many entry points, but all lead to a central location where the $$$$ conversions happen.
Here are some entry points where your next customer may find you.
Article you authored in a magazine
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
Referral program for current clients
Traditional advertising
Blog
E-newsletters
Search engine optimization
Event sponsorship
Pay per click campaign
And the list goes on…..
I hate to break the bad news to you but none of these will likely work very well on their own. Just like the spider web, you need multiple touch points for the “system” to work.
So what now?
From our experience with AdvantageB2B, a firm that has helped market dozens of businesses, I will share with you a portion of the proven method about how we approach marketing a small or medium sized business.
• Define the audience really well. Know their behaviors and demographics. Don’t just say “I know.” prove it to yourself with data.
• Do your homework. Make sure you have good answers to the questions “why do my customers buy from me” and “what is my competitive advantage?”
• Develop the message. What knowledge to you possess that others can find useful?
• Develop a time and money budget. Yes, marketing takes a lot of effort, time and expense. Get comfortable with a figure somewhere between 2% and 20% of your overall sales revenue.
• Implement smartly and stay the course. Remember, this is a long term strategy.
Don’t expect immediate results.
Brian Barquilla is founder of ADVANTAGE B2B (a consulting/marketing firm), publisher of Advantage Business Magazine and is an expert in privately owned small businesses.
He has been awarded the prestigious, Palmer Business Person of the Year award and was named the “SBA media advocate of the year in 2013
Brian taps into his expertise to speak at many events and has been featured in a number of business publications. An entrepreneur with a drive for success, he is skilled with starting companies from scratch, refining business models, recruiting top talent, and ultimately executing his exit plan. To date, all of the businesses Brian has created are still thriving.