Small Business Marketing Tips and Ideas

Here's a common small business marketing scenario. See if this sounds like your business.

You have a new marketing idea that you're sure is going to produce big results. So you spend some time putting your idea together to get ready to roll it out. Wait just a minute! Have you thought this all the way through?

First just let me say that I don't recommend the "next big idea" (or flavor of the month, or marketing idea of the week) approach. But, let's say that this idea is actually part of your overall marketing strategy and included in your marketing plan for the year. You do have you marketing strategy and plan outlined for the year don't you?

OK, I'm still going to say WAIT! Have you really thought this all the way through?

What I've found in working with many small business owners is that they usually don't think all the way through their marketing follow-up process. Follow-up is not only putting a tickler in your calendar to call or send an email every four to six weeks to see if your prospect has made a decision.

Follow-up is about communicating with your prospects and clients in a very planned and strategic way. And, here is a secret most small businesses totally ignore. The most important thing to remember in following up is to always provide your clients and prospects with something of value. Do that and blow your competitors away!

The concept of follow-up is so simple. But, most small business owners launch into each new marketing idea without so much as a thought as to the follow-up process.

Here are Five Keys to keep in mind as you design an effective follow-up strategy:

• Plan your follow-up with clients and prospects over the life of your marketing and sales flow. Read my post from last September called Understand Your Marketing and Sales Flow.
• Use a good balance and combination of letters, telephone calls, personal notes, as well as written articles and information of interest to your clients and prospects.
• Be sure that each communication offers your client or prospect something of value. That might include information they can use, and incentive to act, a guarantee of results, etc.
• Send tip sheets and free reports of interest that continue to inform and educate to build your credibility and trust.
• Set a schedule to contact your prospects or clients every four to eight weeks.

So before you implement that next big marketing idea, wait. Take some time to think through and map out your follow-up strategy. Do this and I predict you'll see measurable results in just a few short months.

March 10, 2006 15:05 - What's The Next Big Marketing Thing?

Do you know what the next big small business marketing ideas is? Is it blogging? Is it podcasting? Is it vlogging (video blogging)? Is it RSSing your web site updates? Is it affiliate marketing?

What exactly is the next big small business marketing idea?

Here's my advice - Stop looking. There is no one big marketing idea that is going to replace everything before it and be the one thing to hang your hat on.

As each of these marketing tools comes on the scene, you should simply evaluate them for what they are. They're simply tools for you to consider to see if and how they fit into your overall marketing strategy.

None of these tools by themselves is going to magically relieve all of your marketing woes. It's still going to take regular and consistent effort on your part to get results from your marketing strategies and tactics.

What you should be focusing on is creating a systematic approach to marketing Your systematic approach should utilize a good balance of online, offline, in-person, and remote tools and tactics.

Listen, vlogging is not going to replace podcasting, which is not going to replace blogging, which is not going to replace ezines, etc., etc., etc.

The question needs to be...

• How can you leverage these tools and tactics to build relationships and trust with your target market?
• How can you use them to effectively follow-up and gently lead your prospects through your marketing and sales cycle?
• How can you put these tools to use in creating and nurturing your referral marketing system(s)?

So stop looking for the next big idea in marketing and start building your marketing and sales system.

With a marketing and sales system in place a couple of things will happen...

• First, you won't be desperately searching for that next big idea because you'll be generating a consistent supply of high-quality leads and converting them into clients.
• Second, you'll be much better positioned to evaluate these new tools and tactics to see how to best implement them into your system.

March 13, 2006 11:45 - Marketing Power of the Press Release

Using press releases is a very powerful and low cost way to grow your service business. It is a proven technique should be part of any small businesses public relations strategy.

As a small business owner you're searching for ways to generate publicity for your company and your services. If you were a large corporation, you'd likely just hire a public relations agency or consultant.

But, small business owners don't typically have that luxury. Generating your own public relations system that doesn't require a lot of cash is your answer. Public relations is about creating the means to form relationships with the public.

Sending press releases is a proven and powerful way to accomplish this, although not the only means to do so. They are free to send, except your time to create them, and typically carry more credibility and impact than most forms of advertising.

The goal of sending press releases is primarily to gain positive mentions in media that is consumed in some manner by your target audience. It may result in a feature story, a news brief, an announcement, or even a quote regarding your or your business.

When you appear in a newspaper, magazine, news show, trade journal, web site, or newsletter that is viewed or listened to by some portion of your target market, that has huge advantages over advertising. Not only is the positive mention free, it is often viewed as more believable and credible. Your target market consumes those resources when they are looking for information to address their issues.

So where are all the opportunities to submit press releases about your business? Believe me; the press needs your newsworthy content to satisfy the public's insatiable appetite for information.

Do you have...

• A Grand opening?


• A new product or service?


• A major expansion planned?


• A community service project you're passionate about?


• Any special events coming up such as a presentation or workshop?


• Any major awards you've received?


• A contest or a special give-away planned?

Write a press release and tell the public (especially your target market) about it.

If you're not sure where to start, contact the media outlet you believe make the most sense. Tell them you have news you'd like to share, but are looking for some help to make sure you do it correctly. Ask them to send you a media kit and some sample press releases so you can get the format correct.

Yes, there is certainly more to this marketing approach than what I've provided here today. But, this is a good place to start. Create a plan to get started on sending regular press releases today and watch the positive impact on your business.

March 17, 2006 08:58 - The Bottom Line on Blogging

There was a story in the Kansas City Star (my local newspaper) Business section earlier this week (Tuesday, March 14, 2006) called "The Bottom Line on Blogging." This link should take you to the online version of the article:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/business/14091134.htm

I think you'll find it to be a good story that talks about how corporate America is beginning to see the benefits of how blogging can drive business.

John Jantsch, America's premier small business marketing blogger is quoted and referenced several times in the story along with several of his clients. Jantsch has been blogging for several years and believes that anyone that is serious about growing their business and driving traffic online should get blogging. Jantsch doesn't say this because it's trendy or the next big idea in marketing. He's pretty clear that it is just another tool. But, he is also clear that it is one of many important marketing tools that small businesses should add to their arsenal.

Here's a quote from Jantsch in the article that I believe sums up why every small business should consider a blog. "Consumers are looking to find a community around your service. They're looking to have conversations with companies about the products they're using."

Jantsch is somebody who knows what he's talking about when it comes to blogs. Marketing Sherpa has twice voted his Duct Tape Marketing Blog the Best Small Business Marketing Blog. And last year it was also voted a Forbes Favorite.

Go check out this story and then see if you can still come up with a reason to not start blogging.

Please let me know your thoughts and experiences (both positive and negative) in regards to blogging as a business and marketing tool.

By the way, here's a link to go check out Jantsch's Duct Tape Marketing Blog: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/weblog.php

Happy blogging small businesses everywhere!

Need some help in getting started with your own small business marketing blog? Go check out Jantsch's Blog Lightning which will guide you step-by-step through getting your blog set up and promoted in a flash!

March 20, 2006 11:06 - Biggest Business Networking Mistakes

Here's a little excerpt from my recent Contacts Count Newsletter - http://www.ContactsCount.com:

A sample of 613 workers was asked the following question: "In your opinion, which one of the following is the biggest mistake people make when networking with professional colleagues?" The top 4 responses given in Government Training News were

1. Not asking for help when they need it (37% of respondents)


2. Not keeping in touch with contacts (25%)


3. Not thanking people for their help (22%)


4. Burning bridges with past employers (13%).

So what do you think? What are the biggest business networking mistakes you've seen or experienced?

Believe me; I think there are a ton of them. Networking is probably the number one small business marketing tactic most folks use. But I would have to say that for most, their networking effectiveness is far from what it could be.

Here are a few of the big business networking mistakes and no-no's I would add to the list:

• Thinking of networking as a short-term versus long-term marketing strategy. Have you ever heard someone say something like, "I went to a couple of their meetings and nothing ever happened, so I stopped going."
• Thinking of networking as being pretty superficial or very transaction oriented. This ties closely to the first mistake. It's about focusing on getting an appointment or sale from every networking event versus investing in building relationships.
• Being too needy or pushy. You've seen those people walking around passing out business cards like they're candy and asking everyone they meet to give them a card. People don't want to do business with others that are desperate or too pushy.

There is no doubt that business networking is one of the most powerful ways for small businesses to grow. It is a proven marketing tactic when managed correctly.

A while back I ran a teleclass on Being a Better Networker and Getting Better Results. I covered these and some other mistakes along with some how-to marketing tips and ideas. The audio recording, or the audio plus transcript, is available on my other web site. Just visit http://www.abcdgrowth.com/toolbox/marketing-audio.html.

Use the comments link to give me your thoughts about the biggest business networking mistakes.

March 24, 2006 15:39 - Packaging Your Marketing

Why does a service-based business need to know about packaging? Because it just may be what's missing from your current marketing efforts.

Packaging can help you add more perceived value, increase fees, and attract more business. It helps a small businesses like yours stand out from the crowd.

So what is packaging for a small, service-based company?

The packaging as it relates to a service business is about how you communicate through images, verbally, and in writing. Every time you speak about your business or put your materials in front of someone, you are packaging your business.

Packaging helps to make your business more tangible while it helps carves out your unique positioning in the marketplace. Most small business owners don't understand the power of this idea and end up ignoring it. And that can be detrimental to the growth of their business growth.

As a service-based business provider, you face some unique challenges. Selling services is not like selling products or retail. These challenges are what prevent many people from taking action towards becoming your clients.

Do you recognize these challenges for your business?

1. Your services are intangible. They can't be seen, heard, or felt. The benefits of your services aren't realized until after the service has been provided. That makes it more difficult to convince your prospects versus selling a hard good.

2. Because services are intangible, it's more difficult to convince prospects and clients of how you're different from everyone else who says they do what you do. Too often you're forced to compete on price.

3. Raising your fees to grow your business is not much of an option. Prospects typically find it more difficult to understand the true benefits of what your services can do for them. So paying a premium is out of the question.

The good news is that packaging can help you fairly easily overcome these obstacles. Packaging your services clarifies your marketing communications. It helps your clients understand what they will get and what your services will do for them. It will help you generate attention, interest, and a willingness to take action.

Take a good hard look at what your packaging elements such as your business identity package, your introduction, your customer service model, your service offerings and names, etc. are saying about your business.

Click here for more information.

March 30, 2006 13:55 - How Do You Budget for Marketing?

Small business owners always want to know, "How much should I budget for marketing?"

It's a logical question. There is after all some level of investment in any marketing that you do. So it's logical to try and figure out before you start marketing how much you should plan on spending to try and grow your business.

My answer to that question may surprise or shock you. It's not really my answer, but the answer I came upon when I started my own business. But, I have found it really is the best way for a small business to approach the whole subject of how much to budget for marketing.

Are you ready? Here it is...

The smartest way to look at your marketing budget is to check out your own financial situation and then set an amount you can comfortably afford.

That's all there is to it.

When you set a budget, don't over commit yourself. Really you don't have to because there are so many powerful low-costs (and in some cases no-costs) tools you can implement.

Don't be fooled by what I'm advising here. You will have to invest something in your marketing if you want to grow your business. Just don't fall into the trap of randomly setting an amount like $900 for the year.

To get started, you only need to set a budget you can comfortably afford for a few months. Forget trying to establish a budget for the whole year. Only set your budget for a few months.

So why does this approach work? Here's why...

Once you know what works and what doesn't and how much money you'll make from each marketing tool, you can simply activate those tools repeatedly. Or at least activate them until they stop making money and then just deactivate the tools that don't work. It is as simple as that.

Measuring the results of all your efforts is the key.

The reason that most marketing efforts fail has nothing to do with how much money you invest in your marketing. Most small businesses just never even bother to track their marketing. They really don't have any idea what's working and what's not working.

And, they usually end up spending more in the end. Hopping around from one marketing idea to the next causes that. And then the artificial budget of $900 for the year gets blown out of the water.