The whole purpose of marketing is to get more sales and more income. Marketing is therefore very important to both start ups and existing small businesses. But marketing for small businesses is becoming increasingly complex. Changing online environments make it important to remember the basics of marketing. Focus on the customer’s needs is what it means to focus on them.
Profile Your Target Customer
Do you understand the characteristics of your ideal client, what do they purchase, why do they need those products or services, and why do they purchase from you? Most companies serve a variety of market segments, each with a different set of requirements. This means you will need to identify those segments and create customer profiles for them.
Choose Your Customer’s Channel
How can identified customers and market segments be reached most effectively? While offline marketing may be the best route, online marketing is more likely to be the most efficient and cost-effective method. Discover how your target audience sources information. A search engine query, social media, or an online publication may be relevant. Decide which marketing medium will work best for you and focus on it.
Be Found
There is little point in having a website if it cannot be found by prospects typing relevant search terms into the major search engines. The statistics show that over 90% of prospects never go beyond page 1 of a search engine. Social media is subject to the same argument. The goal of any online marketing tool is to be found.
Build A Relationship
It is rare for prospects to make an immediate purchase after finding the product. Much larger proportions will return to learn more and buy more in the future. As soon as a prospect lands on an online communication channel, the goal is to earn the prospect’s trust and credibility in order to achieve a sale in the medium to long run.
Convert
Unless it leads to a sale, a relationship is not very useful. So it’s crucial to lead prospects down a path and indicate what a call to action is. For example, acquiring a prospect’s email address (perhaps in exchange for a valuable download) may facilitate ongoing communication.
To succeed in small business marketing, small businesses need to start with their customers. Once the customer is defined, provide the information they need and develop a relationship that leads to a sale. A method that is most likely to be read and engaged with is the best method to get the message out. Keep your eyes open, forget the marketing hype, and focus on the basics.