When I work with clients, I get a LOT of "pushback" when it comes to identifying their target market. The reactions I've had to the premise of identifying a target audience range from mild annoyance to completely horrified. In a couple of cases, you'd have thought I was asking my client which foot to remove with a hack saw. For some reason, most business owners think that by … [Read more...] about What you don’t see in advertising
Affordable Small Business Marketing Strategies
Affordable small business marketing strategies can help you reach a larger audience and generate more leads. Remember, there's a big difference between marketing strategies vs tactics.
Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. You are responsible for creating jobs, innovating, and driving economic growth. However, you may lack the resources to compete with larger competitors. In order to have a successful business, small business owners need to be creative and persistent in their marketing efforts.
It's important to learn how to advertise your business. You can keep your advertising costs low by targeting a tightly defined niche market. Don't get distracted by all the latest online marketing tools. Instead, create a strong social media presence where your targeted customers are hanging out. Then develop targeted advertising campaigns that appeal to that audience.
In these articles, we will explore some affordable marketing strategies that you can use to get ahead of your competition.
The articles below are a good starting point. If you want to learn more, pick up a digital copy of the book Beyond Niche Marketing.
Online and Offline Marketing Work Better Together
Is there a difference between online and offline marketing? Do they really work better together? This question was brought up when I received a lovely email from a reader who wrote: "I took a copy of your book with me on vacation. It's so good! I'd love more sections on online stuff though." I have to admit, when I was writing the book - I never envisioned it would serve … [Read more...] about Online and Offline Marketing Work Better Together
Marketing Magic and “Selling” Copy
I'm in the middle of working with a very frustrating client who thinks that there is some way to wave a magic wand and instantly create magical "selling copy". My client hasn't voiced this in so many words - but rather it's been the underlying theme of our interactions. This client is like many small business owners. She came from a corporate background and had little … [Read more...] about Marketing Magic and “Selling” Copy
Small Business Marketing Strategies Revealed
I've been sharing here some tales of my own struggles with implementing marketing strategies for my small business. In The Kiss of Death for Your Small Business Marketing I shared how not knowing the answer to the question, "Who is your customer" is the kiss of death for any small business marketing strategy. Of course, who is your customer is just the first of many … [Read more...] about Small Business Marketing Strategies Revealed
Zombie Advertising
One of the "problems" with technology is that the question "why" isn't asked nearly often enough. Small business owners create FaceBook fan pages without asking WHY - or more importantly - "what's in it for me?" from a customers' point of view. It's easy to see why small business owners would embrace the "free and easy" FaceBook fan page - but it''s quite another story … [Read more...] about Zombie Advertising