Marketing 101

The benefits of helping others reach their goals are immeasurable. As a membership representative for the National Federation for Independent Business, or NFIB, I learned quite a bit about the difficulty associated with running a small business. Sadly, our very own government is the the source of a good portion of the "pain points" small business owners face. Frivolous regulations and unnecessary mandates hinder their ability to devote the necessary time to the things that matter most.

Of all the small business owners I have spoken to, it seems the number one area they have not adequetly planned for is marketing. Oddly enough, marketing is often the deciding factor between businessman who become successful and those that fail. An area that important would be on the top of everyone's business plan, right? Wrong. It's generally the last thing added, behind inventory, menus, curtains, etc. and it's the first item cut from the budget when start up costs run higher than anticipated.

Why am I telling you this? Mostly because it seems there is a general misconception shared by a large number of the population. When planning to start a business, often people's idea of marketing for their new business is to set up a business page on Facebook, ask for "likes" and "followers" and assume that is all the promotion you need. And quite possibly 12 years ago, when social media was in its infancy and Facebook was barely a thing, this plan appeared to be effective. The difference is competition. Who doesn't love free advertising? It's the go-to for every business out there. Add in the countless different social media platforms, and your request for "likes" and "followers" is drowning in a sea of all the other business owners promoting their business in the same way.

So what's the solution? First, do your research. I'm not talking about the competition, either. Most people actually DO research that. I'm talking about marketing. Many business owners do not have a clear understanding of what marketing is, or how to create an effective marketing strategy. A marketing strategy is a combination of actions implemented by a business owner, that brings that business closer to the end result. One example could consist of branding, posting consistent, quality content on social media, an email campaign, plus a landing page that is SEO optimized. Each action should compliment the others. The example I just mentioned can be implemented with very little cost.

One thing is for certain, there is no shortage of articles and blogs on the internet that contain information on effective ways to promote your business. Many contain information on ideas that don't require a large budget. Be creative yourself! Think outside the box! I created and grew a Facebook group to nearly 6K members and since I am planning to implement an online store to sell digital downloads, I came up with the idea to implement weekly drawings in my group. How does that help me with marketing MY new business? Let me explain. To have a list of prizes to award winning members, I reached out to local small business owners and asked if they would be interested in sponsoring a weekly drawing as another opportunity to promote their business. Their business agrees to donate a product or service for the prize, and they will be featured in the announcements for that week. Members are getting excited about the addition of something new and the opportunity to win something free. These efforts on my behalf, to help other business owners reach their goals, is generating interest in me, as a person, and that's really what marketing is all about. Generating a level of interest in someone or something. That, and having an exceptional product definitely helps!

Marketing

Marketing Strategies

Social Media Marketing

Small Business Marketing

Small Business Owner