| What does a small business marketing strategy mean | | | | * tradeshows |
| to you? Some people automatically think in terms of | | | | * billboards |
| their company's long-term goals. When they start their | | | | * bus stops |
| small business, they create a long-term business plan, | | | | * school buses |
| including a marketing strategy, that will help them | | | | * regional transportation systems |
| develop their company over time. Others think of a | | | | * sponsorship of school athletics |
| small business marketing strategy as a single | | | | * and much more |
| campaign. They create a marketing campaign for one | | | | An ideal small business marketing strategy will |
| product or service they offer, and create a series of | | | | encompass many of these types of tools, and have |
| marketing tools that will help them sell that product or | | | | campaigns set up using select tools at different times |
| service. | | | | throughout the year. |
| While both may technically be correct, there is a | | | | 2. Use those marketing tools over long periods of time. |
| distinct difference between the two. One creates a | | | | Once you have your marketing tools in place, continue |
| stream of income for a short period of time (typically a | | | | to use them again and again. Probably the biggest |
| few weeks to a few months), while the other ensures | | | | mistake a small business owner makes is to grow |
| you have a stream of income coming in on a regular | | | | tired of his own marketing campaign, and abandoning it |
| basis. | | | | before it's realized its full potential. |
| In order to ensure an effective small business | | | | The average campaign takes a person 8 - 12 times of |
| marketing strategy, you must have three things in | | | | viewing the same material to recognize the information |
| place. | | | | and take action. If you quit running a campaign before |
| 1. Multiple marketing tools in place. Every day a person | | | | you reach the 8 - 12 times average, you won't achieve |
| is marketed to 60-100 times. You see banners on the | | | | your desired results. |
| sides of busses, advertisements in newspapers and | | | | An ideal small business marketing strategy will provide |
| magazines, and coupons in your mailbox. It's easy to | | | | goals to seek out longevity in marketing campaigns. |
| see why marketing tends to become almost | | | | While nuances of a campaign can change (i.e. |
| non-existent in our minds. | | | | changing ad advertisement to showcase seasonal |
| But the thing that a good marketer realizes is that he | | | | products) the structure of the campaign should always |
| has to use different marketing tools to reach different | | | | remain the same. |
| target audiences. Everyone has a different attention | | | | 3. Use those marketing tools in many different places. |
| span. Everyone is searching for different products and | | | | Your prospects come from a variety of different |
| services at different times. A good small business | | | | sources, and have a variety of different interests. |
| marketing strategy has multiple tools in place to | | | | Mailing your brochure out to prospects is a great way |
| capture a prospects attention when he or she is ready | | | | of marketing; but you may also do well by placing your |
| for our product or service. | | | | brochure in offices of complimentary businesses. |
| The key is to knowing who your ideal clients are. The | | | | Advertisements may work well in your local |
| more you know about them, the more you'll be able to | | | | newspaper; but they may do just as well in an industry |
| reach them in a manner that's best for them. Good | | | | trade publication. Direct mail postcards may inspire a lot |
| marketing tools are: | | | | of people to pick up the phone and call you; but it may |
| * direct mail postcards | | | | motivate more people to visit your website. |
| * direct mail letters | | | | Creating a handful of tools to use in your campaigns |
| * advertisements in magazines | | | | provides you with the resources. Getting those tools |
| * advertisements in newspapers | | | | into the hands of your prospects is what requires a |
| * neighborhood postcard packs | | | | plan. |
| * door hangers | | | | An ideal small business marketing strategy will be a |
| * flyers | | | | long-term plan that involves creating marketing tools, |
| * brochures | | | | putting them into the appropriate places, and leaving |
| * promotional products | | | | them in place long enough to let them work. |