| Along with your business plan, your small business | | | | pervade all of your marketing materials and what your |
| marketing plans is only of the most important long-term | | | | customers will use to identify you. The importance of |
| plans you'll make for your small business. Some small | | | | diligently developing your brand as part of a successful |
| business owners choose to ignore that advice, instead | | | | small business marketing strategy can't be overstated. |
| preferring to fly by the seat of their pants, so to speak, | | | | Small business marketing strategy step 3: Analyze |
| to "wing it." While some of those small business | | | | your competitors' small business marketing strategies |
| owners are successful, they're not nearly as | | | | Once you've developed your brand - that unique |
| successful as they could be had they laid out a | | | | identity that tells your customers who you are and |
| well-defined small business marketing plan. | | | | how you're different - you can begin thinking about |
| Small business marketing strategy step 1: Know your | | | | how you're going to actually market your business. |
| market | | | | First, look at your competitors' small business marketing |
| The first step in developing a successful small business | | | | strategies. Are there obvious gaps that you could fill |
| marketing strategy is to make sure that you have a | | | | (and thereby stand out among the competition)? For |
| really solid handle on your target market. Ask yourself: | | | | example, if you see that none of your competitors |
| Who are my customers? Once you've identified who | | | | have websites, you could stand out with a small |
| they are, ask yourself: What are my customers' | | | | business marketing strategy online. |
| problems? What are their dreams and aspirations? | | | | Wherever you market your business, it must be where |
| The surest way to answer those questions, of course, | | | | your customers are. For example, small business |
| is to ask your customers themselves. Even if you can't | | | | marketing online will be a waste if none of your |
| afford to hire a small business marketing firm that will | | | | potential customers use the Internet. Likewise, you |
| conduct focus group tests for you, you can do your | | | | may think that writing a monthly column in your local |
| own simple survey by hitting the streets and talking to | | | | newspaper would be a great way to advertise your |
| those people you plan to sell to (and make contacts at | | | | services and establish yourself as an expert; but if |
| the same time!). You'd be surprised how powerful that | | | | none of your potential customers read that paper, that |
| simple task is yet how few businesses do it. | | | | small business marketing strategy will fail. |
| Small business marketing strategy step 2: Know | | | | At this point, your small business marketing strategy will |
| yourself | | | | not only be defined by where your customers are and |
| The second step in developing your small business | | | | what your competitors are doing, but it will also depend |
| marketing strategy is to get to know yourself (your | | | | on your small business marketing budget. A full-page |
| business), once you've gotten to know your | | | | spread in a national magazine may be the best way to |
| customers. Ask yourself: What does my business do? | | | | reach your target audience, but if you can't afford to |
| How is my business different than my competitors'? | | | | shell out tens of thousands of dollars, it's not the small |
| How does my business help solve my customers' | | | | business marketing strategy for you. |
| problems or help them achieve their dreams? | | | | Wherever your small business marketing plan takes |
| Answering these questions will help you to define your | | | | you, the careful development of your small business |
| unique selling proposition - those aspects that set you | | | | marketing strategy - by knowing your market, knowing |
| apart from your competitors. | | | | your business, and analyzing your competitors' |
| That unique selling proposition should become your | | | | strategies - will be a critical determinant of your |
| brand - your business's identity. Your brand is what will | | | | long-term business success. |