“There is no need to market your business. Customers will naturally show up wanting to spend their money.” —No One Ever
“Small business failures are also establishing record numbers and one of the main reasons for the failures is a failure to understand marketing.” —Jay Conrad Levinson
Marketing is an activity that every business needs to engage in. The world is not full of people who can guess who you are or what you have to offer. As such, it is imperative that you get your message out in front of the right people. Failure to do marketing is a big factor in companies going out of business.
Spending money on marketing is just as important as spending money on inventory or any other item for your business.
I get many companies telling me they do not have time for marketing or that they cannot afford it—the two most common marketing excuses. These are excuses that can be overcome with a little bit of education on how to best market your product or service; after all, there’s no other way to grow your business unless you are able to develop an effective marketing campaign.
“To sleep.” —Ralph Nader’s response to Morgan Spurlock about if there is anywhere you can go to avoid advertising, from The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.
It was Ralph Nader who once said that the only place you can go to and not see advertising is “to sleep.” I actually disagree with him, as anyone who is an expert at branding will tell you that you can actually make people dream about your brand if your marketing campaign is good enough.
So how do you we overcome these objections?
There are plenty of cost-effective ways to market. Let’s get past conventional types such as financing, net 60, etc., and look at some cheap or inexpensive ways to get your message out there. Push aside expensive public relations companies, and introduce yourself to guerrilla marketing.
When it comes to ROI for your marketing investment, the more you spend does not translate into more customers. In actuality, you can have a higher ROI with a smaller investment if done properly.
Guerrilla marketing is loosely defined as using unconventional marketing methods that cost little or no cost. Examples include handing out pamphlets on the street or partnering with other organizations at various functions (e.g., fundraising for a nonprofit organization). There are great websites available that can assist you with understanding guerrilla marketing. Simply use Google and search the term
Networking is a relatively low to no-cost way to get your message in front of people.
If you are a small business, join a networking group in your area. These groups are made up of representatives from other small businesses in the area. They will be from different niches and will often assist you by spreading the word about your company. This is the way networking groups are designed.
What is great with these networks is that members tend to use the products or services of other members.
If you take care of group members and provide them with exceptional service, you are likely to receive quality referrals that will hopefully translate into even more referrals. If your business is predominately online, take advantage of forums and discussion groups. (LinkedIn is a great place for this.) They offer the same benefits as local networking groups, except in the virtual world.
Your local college may also be a possibility and could earn you some free marketing opportunities. Although a long shot, it is quite possible that you can hook up with a marketing professor or marketing student who will take on your business as a marketing project as part of a class.
I remember one of my wife’s business courses that required her to do a financial analysis on a local company. Image if you were able to receive a marketing analysis about your company, showing you when and where to locate potential customers. Your local chamber of commerce will know of these programs so checking with them could provide you the introduction you need.
As far as time is concerned, you simply have to do it.
Find ways to get rid of some of your other tasks by assigning them to employees.
You will have plenty of time to focus on marketing once you go out of business.
If you are unwilling to give up control of some of your day-to-day duties, then you are going to watch your business fall into despair from the comfort of your own office. Get up from behind the computer and let someone else fill in.
Teach employees how to do inventory, pull sales reports, or any other task that you can assign. Or, if you have some guerrilla marketing techniques that you want to implement, have employees carry them out.
Long story short, you MUST make time for marketing. Whether you do it yourself or assign it to one of your employees, make a marketing schedule and stick to it.
Do not let marketing costs scare you from exploring the many opportunities available to you. You will be surprised how a little bit of work can lead to quality leads while spending little or no money.
Written by: Mike Wood Source: www.AllBusiness.com
