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Cause-Related Marketing
Altruism. Corporate responsibility. Philanthropy. These are often used to describe cause-related marketing, an activity in which businesses join with charities or causes to market an image, product, or service for mutual benefit.
Embracing a...
Cost Effective Marketing Methods can yield the Best Results
Cost Effective Marketing Methods can yield the Best Results Low budget marketing methods can yield the best results. I’ll not give the organization’s name but let me share the experience with you all. A very new branch opened in a metropolitan city...
Marketing-Minded Financial Planners Get Free Publicity by Choosing the Right Outlets
Sure, any publicity is good. But don’t invest time and effort to be in “Lucky: The Magazine for Shopping” if your major topic is planning for college. Go where your market is! Which media outlets are the best for you? Easy answers – and the Home...
My Marketing Budget Is Small. How Can I Make The Most Of It?
For example, it may not make sense or be necessary to market consistently all year long. Are their times when your particular industry is slow and customers are not likely to purchase? Conversely, are their times during the year when customers are...
The Five Most Common Joint Venture Marketing Mistakes To Avoid
Joint Venture marketing has become a highly popular way for small businesses to maximize their profits. When two or more businesses combine their resources synergistically, it creates greater marketing impact and bigger profits than either can have...
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Three Big Barriers To Small Business Marketing Success
When you feel like you’re always busy working on your business, but not getting where you want to go, it can be frustrating trying to figure out how to get your marketing on track. It can easily become a “not seeing the forest for the trees” feeling.
Here are three big barriers I regularly come across with business owners and how you can avoid them.
1. No Clear Definition Of Success For some, the word Success brings thoughts of fame and fortune to mind. But for small businesses, I’d caution against this definition being your guiding light. When clarifying your own definition of success, I suggest starting with success from your client’s point of view.
What is it that you are trying to do for your clients? What is it that they’ll have or be able to do as a result of buying your service from you? Match this up with what you are passionate about. What is it that you love doing for your clients? I’ll know I’m successful when my clients no longer have to struggle with how to consistently attract more business.
2. Not Clarifying Who Your Ideal Clients Are When you can clarify who your ideal clients are, you are better prepared to know where to find them and how to market to them. You can develop messages that will appeal directly to them.
What do you know about your best clients? Spend some time to put together as complete of a profile as you can on the clients you enjoy working with the most. What are the demographics and characteristics? How would you describe them to someone who has never met them?
Without clarity of your ideal clients, you’re likely to
waste time, effort, and money marketing to the wrong crowd(s) and/or not getting your message across.
3. Not Spelling Out Your Unique Value You must be able to clearly define what differentiates you from your competitors. If your prospects can’t differentiate you from all the competitive alternatives in the marketplace, then why would they come to buy from you?
Often for small businesses it’s not that they’re not unique, it’s just that they haven’t spent the time to evaluate and clearly describe how and why. What is it that you do better, faster, cheaper, or more effectively – whatever? Maybe it’s a unique model you’ve developed or the unique niche of clients you serve. Maybe it’s your satisfaction guarantee offered to clients.
Most important here is to spell out why your uniqueness is so important to your clients and prospects. Why should they care? What is it that they’ll get by coming to you for services?
Spend some time critically looking at these items for your business. It will be time very well spent. If you find you can’t see the forest for the trees, don’t hesitate to get some outside help.
(c) 2004 - Kevin Dervin, KPD Marketing
About the Author
Kevin is focused on helping businesses that are ready to grow, but struggle with how to consistently attract more clients. Visit http://www.proven-small-business-marketing-solutions.com for more information you can use to grow your business. Visit http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and subscribe to his free ezine.
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