Small business owners have to do whatever they do better than the competition does. Successful marketing efforts in the current marketing environment need to address the consumer of today, who is drastically different than the consumer of yesterday.
Today’s Consumers
Today’s consumers are not interested in being preached at – they want two-way communication channels – hence the rise of the importance of social media.
Today’s consumer no longer blindly believes business owners – they want businesses to prove and earn their loyalty.
Small business owners have to “play” in the same arena their potential customers are “playing” in. They need to:
- Be accountable and have a presence.
- Capitalize on their marketing strength/advantage/edge.
- Engage their target or niche on social media platforms.
- Listen to what the consumer wants and needs and be sure they are addressing those wants and needs.
It is a tough time – but the savvy business owner will realize the importance of relationship building in business and focus his/her attentions on the relationship – both on and off the Internet.
Internet Marketing
The Internet has become so important and actually makes it easier for the small business owner to find out exactly what and where the competition is – and that is EXACTLY where he/she needs to be too.
There are some really neat free social media marketing tools that can help you monitor what your competitors are doing in the social networks as well as your own traction on the social web such as:
Create a Larger Presence
Small companies can create a large presence on the Internet thereby putting them in the same playing field as the larger companies (unless the players are major, well-renowned brands like Coca Cola and Dell) The power of the Internet is boundless.
There are so many free ways (many with options for upgrades) to reach ones’ target market such as:
Do yourself a favor and do a Google search on your niche. You will be surprised at the enormous number of resources that will literally be handed to you on a silver platter. Seek and ye shall find…
Today’s marketplace is highly competitive and the economic climate is tenuous at best. As such, it is imperative that small business owners have a clear understanding of who their target market is and what their value proposition is.
Answer the Following Questions
Before embarking on a new or revised marketing strategy, the small business owner should be able to answer the following 4 basic questions:
- Who are your customers?
- What do they want or need?
- How can you help them?
- Who are you?
The last question is important enough to discuss separately. Sounds like a simple question but it can sometimes be a difficult one to answer.
Small businesses who offer solutions-oriented products and services might find it difficult to pinpoint exactly what their brand is.
However, the successful business owner will be the one who has the ability to powerfully and effectively communicate a brand identity that meets the consumers’ needs in a better and distinctive way than competitive companies.
Answering these questions is just the beginning of your marketing journey but without the right targeted direction, you might find yourself spinning in the wind.
Don’t spin, instead focus and target.
As a Visual Digital Marketing Specialist for New Horizons 123, Julie works to grow small businesses, increasing their online visibility by leveraging the latest in internet and video technologies. She specializes in creative camera-less animated video production, custom images, content writing, and SlideShare presentations. Julie also manages content, blog management, email marketing, marketing automation, and social media for her clients.
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These are very interesting tips .I learned a lot thanks for sharing.