| g have you been trying to make money on the | | | | reaching, however it does have the result of reaching |
| Internet? | | | | a larger consumer pool. The cons to this strategy is |
| Are you satisfied with the sales results you're getting? | | | | COST. Using the blanket method will cost you a pretty |
| I've been in business for myself for over 20 years | | | | penny and at the same time you won't be reaching |
| now, and while my first venture did not fair so well, I did | | | | who you really want to. YOUR target market. I mean |
| learn a lot about marketing myself and what would be | | | | that's the whole point right? You want to reach those |
| expected of me if I wanted to succeed as an | | | | who would be more likely to buy your new clothing line |
| entrepreneur and successfully generate a salary for | | | | or your new soft drink, or maybe you have an |
| myself that could allow me the financial freedom of | | | | amazing new product altogether that a certain market |
| working for others. | | | | would be interested in. THOSE are the consumers you |
| Small business owners are a unique group of | | | | want to reach. |
| individuals, are we not? We spend hours on end | | | | Moving on to "Targeted Marketing", I'm sure you've |
| searching for ways to acquire new customers and | | | | heard of this one before. A method in which you |
| improving our business practices. Small business | | | | choose a specific target market (or demographic) and |
| marketing can be a walk in the park for some | | | | only focus your marketing there - not over here. |
| entrepreneurs, and be stressful for others. | | | | THERE. |
| The key of course is to understand what types of | | | | The beauty about target marketing is that you are |
| marketing for small businesses are out there, and | | | | more likely to increase interest and revenue be |
| which are right for your business, budget and goals. | | | | reaching the right people. Sounds simple enough, but |
| It's a new year, and if you have yet to settle down on | | | | many businesses are missing the mark and prefer |
| a marketing strategy or plan, I encourage you to do | | | | going the route of blanket marketing, hence losing a lot |
| that now, right away, before you send your marketing | | | | of potential profits and wasting valuable energy. I don't |
| budget in so many directions that you lose grip of it. | | | | know about you, but losing money is not why I got into |
| Choose small business marketing strategies that fit | | | | business for myself. |
| with your overall goals and simply be consistent with it. | | | | So it pays to have a market in mind, and work on |
| You'll come find soon enough that your small business | | | | reaching that audience. |
| marketing budget will be better controlled and produce | | | | And finally, marketing your business through social |
| more results and increase product sales in the long run. | | | | networks. |
| I'll share with you several small business marketing | | | | SMM (Social media marketing) is when you promote |
| methods I have used that have had different results, a | | | | your brand/business by making your presence known |
| couple you may already know, while the other may | | | | within social media networks (such as Twitter, |
| seem a little foreign to you. Don't worry, I'll explain each.. | | | | Facebook, StumbleUpon, Myspace, etc). Building your |
| I can't stress this enough. It's important to choose the | | | | fan base, getting followers and increasing your friends |
| marketing strategies that'll work the best for your small | | | | list. |
| business. By doing so, you'll be in a better position to | | | | You have to keep in mind that the key to social media |
| point your marketing budget in the right direction and hit | | | | marketing is that it's not really there to provide instant |
| closer to your target audience. | | | | business, but rather increase your business or brand |
| Let's start with "Blanket Marketing", normally utilized by | | | | visibility to ultimately convert "friends" into buying |
| bigger corporations, basically means spending your | | | | customers. You can also blog and post in forums to |
| marketing funds on advertising to all target markets, no | | | | try and harness some new business. The con side |
| demographics involved or filling a void...just market to | | | | however is that social media marketing can be a lot |
| any and everyone it can. Companies and businesses | | | | like blanket marketing. |
| choose this method for magazine or newspaper | | | | So there you go, all you need to do now is figure out |
| advertising. Unless money is no object to your budget, | | | | which marketing is right for your business and focus |
| this method has no control of who your message is | | | | your energies there. |