The small business and marketing - let’s have coffee.

It is not an uncommon assertion that small businesses have to market themselves. It proves to be a rather risky venture as the large amount of alternatives available could make way for expensive mistakes. Not only could these mistakes have financial implications, but it could also harm your brand image, which at the crucial stage of establishing itself, could lead to disastrous reputational damage.

Rather opt for advice first before running off to the printers to produce a large amount of flyers or a costly website that you do not need for the objective that you have. Business owners have the responsibility to run, market and build a team to look after the customers. Instead of biting off more than you can chew, it is advisable to source a professional who can assist you on exactly where and how much to spend with a limited marketing budget.

Moving your brand online shouldn’t be as daunting as it might seem with the right help at hand. Digital Marketing is the best way to make that brand message reach a larger group and it is more targeted and budget friendly. By targeting it is not implied that you spam your family and friends, but rather attract an audience that is genuinely interested in your product or service. The smart move would always be to have your message spread both online and offline for maximum exposure but for an effective start with a tiny budget, online is the best call for action.

Understanding your audience is first and foremost the most important step that any strategy could take, as this would define, develop and determine the message. Once this audience is determined, you would better know where to find your audience. The general public is not a target audience – think more directly – define it. Once you have this group allocated, try to get into the minds of these potential customers and understand what they are thinking, feeling and most importantly: where you would find them!

Scott Goodson wrote in his book “Uprising: How to build a brand and change the world” that we are currently in a “post product” age. His book is awe inspiring and an excellent read, but this concept is what stood out in his work. The modern consumer is already bombarded with noise – yes, it is noisy out there: all the different messaging that are shouted at us every step taken. As advertising is shouting at us every step we take – that they are ‘closed off’ and ‘unresponsive’ to any type of message, no matter how good the product or service.  

This does not mean that all is lost and your small business would never grow – it only means that you cannot expect to slap a few words on a Facebook post and expect the crowds to come running. If it was that easy, everyone would start a business tonight and be employing by the morning

By understanding that you need to take marketing more seriously, you are already half way there and to speed up the process here’s a few tips for you to enjoy with your latté:

• Acknowledge your weak spots: Do not be embarrassed about a problem that you are facing. Having a name for the problem means that you are only a google search away from the solution. Remember, admitting that a problem exist is the first step to finding the solution.
• Understand your audience: Don’t just target them – understand them, go out and have coffee with them.
• Marketing, Advertising and Sales: ARE ALL DIFFERENT THINGS! Yes, they are connected but they are different in the way they function so understanding this is crucial.
• Consistency is key: Marketing is not a once off initiative – it needs to be consistent. No matter how big or small your message, it has to be ongoing. The communication that comes from the business reaches the target audience and they give feedback. This feedback must be responded to and then the cycle must repeat itself. Only once this is established can the flow of communication be effective.
• Content still is King: With that said ensure that you create quality content for your audience to consume with delight. It is damaging to your brand to make spelling mistakes or use incorrect grammar. Attention to detail at all times – rather communicate less with better quality messaging, than bombarding your audience with lesser than great content.

Thanks for the coffee – we must do this more often.

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