“I have tried everything and nothing works! “
If I only had a dollar for every time I heard that one.
Let me let you in on a little secret…
Marketing and media buying is not like going to your favorite Sunday buffet. You cant take a little bacon, some pancakes, granola and fruit loops and expect to feel good an hour later.
Like a good wine or a good cigar or a good book or a good women… stick with it. Invest in it. Give it time to flourish.
Here are the top 5 things that if practiced and followed, will greatly increase the chance of your brand rising above the pack.
The number 5 marketing tip for small business owners:
Commit to marketing your business mentally and financially. New businesses a minimum of 7% of gross revenue. Current businesses a minimum of 5%. Period. Put it aside and develop a marketing plan and execute it. It`s not rocket science. It should not take more than 2 weeks to figure it out. If you don’t want to figure it out, for gods sake, hire a professional to do it for you.
The number 4 marketing tip for small business owners:
Promote yourself as the expert. Give free advice. Contact your local media and offer your expert knowledge for features or breaking news. Create a You Tube channel with videos of what you specialize in. It doesn’t matter if you are a dog walker or an attorney; establish yourself as the go to person/company.
The number 3 marketing tip for small business owners:
Be specific. Stop trying to be everything to everybody. Talk directly to your consumer. Your message should be clear and concise. What is in it for them? EXAMPLE:
Say you are a looking to get a divorce. (Sorry). Here is the 1st ad you see or hear:
Attorney handling all types of family law. Been in business for 10 years. We care about our clients and treat them like family. Open on Saturdays for your convenience.
Or, ad 2,
Divorce Attorney specializing in getting you what is fair. Our firm has earned the respect of judges in your area which will help ensure the legal system works in your favor. Free consultations. If you want the best and need to protect yourself and your family… you will call me today.
Which attorney are you and the majority of consumers calling?
The number 2 marketing tip for small business owners:
“OWN” whatever medium you choose to buy or DON’T BUY IT. If you buy cable TV, then EVERY week you are in the top programs and events and you stick with it for a least a year. If you buy radio you buy one station and air one spot every hour, on the hour, in the prime listening dayparts before you buy another station. If you buy print you have the biggest ads and the more than one in EACH publication. Commit to one medium. Dominate it, and then look for other opportunities.
The number 1 marketing tip for small business owners:
Get involved in the community. Sponsor a hockey team, a baseball team, Help Habitat for Humanity. Talk to your local officials and ask how you can help the community. Sponsor parks. Sponsor city events like Anti Violence campaigns, honor roll recognition awards, Easter Egg hunts, Halloween events or 4th of July parades. You don’t have to give a lot of time or a lot of your money however I have seen huge benefits for local companies. Help others and I promise you… really.. I promise you. It will come back to you 10 fold.
Good Luck!
