Small business Marketing requires a strategy that not only simplifies your effort but saves time and limited resources.
There are so many ways you can go about promoting your business online and offline: guest blogging, social media, networking, speaking, introduction letters, seminars and workshops and the list goes on; but the one thing you need to remember is that each of these activities are just a means to an end, and not a end in itself.
You need to understand why you're using a particular channel. It's not okay to hop on to Twitter or LinkedIn because everybody else is doing it, and it's just the thing to do; you'll need to set goals which will then determine which marketing channels / activities will get the best results.
Here are 4 steps to help you create a marketing strategy that produces great results.
Step 1: Identify your low hanging fruit
You need to know who your warm prospects are. Be clear on who is ready for your services NOW. There's no point pitching to people who aren't ready to be plucked. The result of not getting a clear idea of your ideal prospect is a marketing and social network that is big, messy and does not CONVERT well into sales and profits.
There are so many ways you can go about promoting your business online and offline: guest blogging, social media, networking, speaking, introduction letters, seminars and workshops and the list goes on; but the one thing you need to remember is that each of these activities are just a means to an end, and not a end in itself.
You need to understand why you're using a particular channel. It's not okay to hop on to Twitter or LinkedIn because everybody else is doing it, and it's just the thing to do; you'll need to set goals which will then determine which marketing channels / activities will get the best results.
Here are 4 steps to help you create a marketing strategy that produces great results.
Step 1: Identify your low hanging fruit
You need to know who your warm prospects are. Be clear on who is ready for your services NOW. There's no point pitching to people who aren't ready to be plucked. The result of not getting a clear idea of your ideal prospect is a marketing and social network that is big, messy and does not CONVERT well into sales and profits.
It is always better to have a smaller list and network that converts than a large list and network that is irrelevant.
To identify your ideal prospects:
a. Be clear on who exactly it is, that needs you or your service. Is it a business owner or VP of marketing? Do you work with only women? Exactly what sort of problems and issues should they have, to be considered ideal clients
b. Next you need to know where they hang out. What events and seminars do they attend? What publications do they read? Are they social media savvy or not? If they are, which channel do they use?
Step 2: Start with what you already know
Once you're clear on who you ideal prospect is, what their issues are, and where they hangout, you're ready to start establishing conversations that matter. Before you start selecting any new marketing activity to add to your plan, you may need to look at what you've been doing in past that worked.
It's easier to ramp up what's already working than trying to start something totally new. Have a look at your previous marketing activities, what has been working, and what hasn't? Ditch what hasn't and start your marketing campaign by ramping up what has been working.
Once you've done that, you can start adding new marketing activities that are centered around where your ideal prospects hang out. If Facebook is where it's at, then that's where you need to be. Forget LinkedIn and Twitter for now.
If they read certain blogs and publications, try to get your articles in those publications. If they attend certain events, then you or your representative will want to be there as well.
Step 3: Establish conversations with value and build relationships that matter
You need to know what sort of conversations will build relationships that convert to sales. People do not buy the first time they see a service, and just because you're talking to them, does not mean that you have a relationship.
You will need to gain rapport and build a relationship. You'll have to be consistent in turning up at the different marketing channels you've selected. These varied interactions between you and your ideal prospect are what builds trust and credibility.
Imagine the path your prospect could take on the journey to converting to a client. They visit their favourite blogs and read the articles you've written, you also take time to comment and answer questions in that channel.
They go to an event and you're there having conversations. You're also speaking at their local business event, and you have free seminars on a topic that solves one of the major problems you know they have.
Each of these activities is what builds trust and moves that prospect from just a prospect, to someone who visits you in your own space, to someone who subscribes to your list, to someone who goes to your free webinar, who then bites when you make the offer.
Step 4: Track everything
If you don't know what works and how well it's working, how can you improve your decision making and profitability? It doesn't have to be anything over the top, but just as you need to know what the life time value of your customers are (total amount of money you expect to make from one customer during the lifetime of your relationship), you'll also need to know how effective your activities are over a certain period.
Conclusion:
Marketing is what gets the clients through the door. Remember that you are a marketer that just happens to be a specialist at what ever activity it is you do.
If you're not targeted about your marketing strategy, then you will struggle. It's as simple as that. Keep everything as simple as you can and change your mindset on what marketing really is. You're not an interior designer, you're a marketer that specialises in making spaces look beautiful....
YOUR TO-DO TASK:
1. be clear on who exactly you want to work with
2. pick 8 -10 marketing activities that will give you exposure to a large crowd of your ideal prospects at lower cost
3. be consistent in establishing relationships and having conversations that matter.
4. Track everything.
What if you just can't get those clients through the door? It can be trying to get clients consistently into your small business if you do not know what you really need to get the job done.
