Which Small Business Marketing Strategy is Right For YOU?

I've been in business for myself for over 20 yearspoint right? You want to reach those who would be
now, and while my first venture did not fair so well, I didmore likely to buy your new clothing line or your new
learn a lot about marketing myself and what would besoft drink, or maybe you have an amazing new
expected of me if I wanted to succeed as anproduct altogether that a certain market would be
entrepreneur.interested in. THOSE are the consumers you want to
Small business owners are a unique group ofreach.
individuals, we spend hours on end searching for waysOkay, enough with the blanket talk I'm getting tired.
to acquire new customers. Marketing can be a walk inWhich reminds me, I have to pick up a new comforter.
the park for some, or stressful for others. The key ofMoving on to "Targeted Marketing", I'm sure you've
course is to understand what types of marketing areheard of this one before. A method in which you
out there, and which are right for your business andchoose a specific target market (or demographic) and
goals.only focus your marketing there, not over here.
It's a new year, and if you have yet to hunker downTHERE.
and create a marketing plan of action - I encourageThe beauty about target marketing is that you are
you to do that now, right away, before you send yourmore likely to increase interest and revenue be
marketing budget in so many directions you lose gripreaching the right people. Sounds simple enough, but
of it.many businesses are missing the mark and prefer
Choose marketing strategies that fit with your overallgoing the route of blanket marketing, hence losing a lot
goals and simply consistent with it. You'll come findof potential profits and wasting valuable energy. I don't
soon enough that your small business marketingknow about you, but losing money is not why I got into
budget will be better controlled and produce more fruit.business for myself.
I'll share with you several small business marketingSo it pays to have a market in mind, and work on
methods I have used, a couple you may already know,reaching that audience.
while the other may seem a little foreign to you. Don'tAnd finally, marketing your business through social
worry, I'll explain each to you.networks.
It's important to choose the marketing strategies that'llSMM (Social media marketing) is when you promote
work the best for your small business. By doing so,your brand/business by making your presence known
you'll be in a better position to point your marketingwithin social media networks (such as Twitter,
budget in the right direction.Facebook, StumbleUpon, MySpace, etc). Building your
Let's start with "Blanket Marketing" - This is normallyfan base, getting followers and growing your friends.
used by bigger corporations, and basically meansYou have to keep in mind that the key to social media
spending your marketing funds on advertising to allmarketing is that it's not really there to provide instant
target markets, no demographics involved or filling abusiness, but rather increase your business or brand
void...just market to any and everyone it can.visibility to ultimately convert "friends" into buying
Companies and businesses choose this method forcustomers. You can blog and post in forums to try and
magazine or newspaper advertising. Unless money isharness some new business. The con side however is
no object to your budget, this method has no controlthat social media marketing can be a lot like blanket
of who your message of reaching, however it will alsomarketing.
reach a larger pool. The cons to this strategy is COST.So there you go, all you need to do now is figure out
Using the blanket method will cost you a pretty and atwhich marketing is right for your business and focus
the same time you won't be reaching who you reallyyour energy there.
want to. YOUR target market. I mean that's the whole