If you own a small business, no matter what you sell, make or distribute, you are in the business of marketing. At every point of communication you make, whether internally or externally, you are marketing yourself, your services and your brand.
And what is the difference between marketing a small business and marketing a large business? Let’s face it, like everything else, it comes down to money.
With limited resources, you need to make sure that you are getting the most effective marketing for your small budget. Sounds logical, right? But how do you do this?
Three Steps To Marketing Your Small Business
- Make sure you actually know who you are as a brand. Ask yourself these questions:
- What is your point of difference?
- Why would anyone choose you over a competitor?
- What does your brand tell people about what you do and who you are?
If you can’t answer those simple questions, do not pass GO; do not collect $200! Stop where you are and get a professional marketing evaluation of your business.
The best use of your money is to have a complete branding guide and strategy document created for you. If you don’t know who you are, your customers won’t know who you are. And, believe it or not, often times you will find out who you think you are and want to be, is not how you are seen.
Your brand should not be based on what you want to be, but on what your customer’s needs are and how can you, as a small business, meet those needs.
A branding guide and strategy document will create the roadmap to where you need to go, and tell you what type of vehicle you need to get there.
If you do no other paid marketing, this is the best investment you could make for your company.
2. Make sure that all of your external materials are reflective of who you are as a brand. These are your customer facing materials – your logo, your business card, your proposal template.
- Make sure that your customer can get a sense of who you are and what your point of difference is from their first glance at your materials.
- Often times, these items are provided without the sales pitch or immediate interaction. They need to speak on their own.
3. Create a presence in your marketplace. Start with items that will give you the largest impact for the smallest dollar amount.
- Social media is a great place to start. But, the ‘spaghetti on the wall’ theory doesn’t work anymore with social media. The market has become so saturated, it is even more important these days to target your specific audience with the right messaging.
- With the right branding and strategy in place, creating a presence becomes less daunting.
Always keep in mind the words of Seth Godin, “Everyone is not your customer.” Once you realize this, you can begin to capture those folks who are your customer.
If you would like more information on creating a branding guide and strategy document for your small business, or have any questions, please email [email protected].
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