7 Small Business Marketing Strategies Every Entrepreneur Ought To Know
7 Small Business Marketing Strategies Every Entrepreneur Ought To Know
With the introduction of the Internet, however, entrepreneurs have now been presented with a piece of technology that has already begun to revolutionize the way businesses market and sell their products and services. It has become the quintessential medium for entrepreneurs to gain better competitive advantage and stronger economic footing in their marketplace.
As exciting as the Internet is for entrepreneurs, however, it inevitably poses a new set of challenges for small businesses, specifically in marketing. So, if you’re a tad bit confused about creating your marketing strategy to fit today’s global marketplace, then here are 7 small business marketing strategies that you and every other entrepreneur should know about:
1. Start A Blog
You know a marketing strategy is working extremely well if Microsoft is using it. The revolution of the Internet made websites mandatory for any business seeking an online presence, but the evolution of the Internet has made it mandatory for entrepreneurs to start blogging. There’s a lot that should be said about blogging, but in a nutshell, it is a distributed media that entrepreneurs create and relinquish control to their audience (prospects and customers) to establish a long-lasting customer relationship.
Blogs are probably the quickest way to create awareness and draw attention to your business, building trust with your prospects and removing perceived risk by tearing down communication barriers. It puts a human face to your business, illuminating an element of business transparency your customers can easily identify with.
2. Network Online And Offline
Networking is seldom referred to as a marketing strategy and those who undervalue its potential to grow a business couldn’t be more wrong. The proof of this is in the popularity of social networking sites like MySpace.com and Facebook.com. So popular are these digital networking sites in today’s Web 2.0 era that there is practically a site created around every interest imaginable.
Networking sites like Ryze.com and LinkedIn.com are specifically centered on like-minded small-business entrepreneurs like you and are perfect platforms for seeking out new business opportunities and partnerships.
Let’s not forget the traditional methods of networking as well, such as attending seminars and business events which, although outshone by the current frenzy of online social networks, still play a huge role in carving out big chunks of business opportunities.
3. Branding
Let’s face it, growing a business is easy if you know how, but giving your business a unique identity amidst all the competition in your market is tough. Here’s where branding can lend a helping hand, personifying your business by leveraging on brand awareness to build stronger relationships with your customers.
Ideally, your brand should influence every aspect of your business operation because the successful brands of today will be those capable of producing customer-centric business models consistently.
4. Targeted Traffic
Getting traffic to your business is obviously a must for survival. No business can survive without traffic, whether it be online or offline. But the key to outsmarting your competitors is attracting targeted traffic, which pose a much higher chance of converting to paying customers.
Attracting targeted online traffic is a much faster and more cost-effective way of growing a small business and can be achieved by utilizing strategies such as search engine optimization, buying traffic (using PPC, CPA, or banners), recommending affiliate programs and syndicating content.
5. PR
Want to spark a buying frenzy for your products or services in a flash? Then, nothing comes quite as close as landing a press coverage about your business or about your success as an entrepreneur. Yes, advertising in papers or magazines has its perks, but consumers know that these can be biased. Gaining publicity via a news release, on the other hand, lends huge credibility to your business and should only serve to boost your sales for the long term.
6. Writing Articles
The Internet has made it extremely easy for anyone to establish themselves as an author and information publisher. Take advantage of this by writing articles promoting your business. Why? Because as an entrepreneur, writing articles makes you an authority in the eyes of your customers, a marketing strategy often used by CEOs of Fortune 500s to garner a following of pre-sold prospects for easy sales.
7. Public Speaking
Probably the hardest strategy for the publicity shy, but speaking to promote your business is a critical marketing strategy. Communication experts list speaking and writing as the two most important skills to develop as an entrepreneur due to the instant recognition that these skills contribute to your business.
Small businesses experiencing a growth spurt on the Internet can be attributed to one common factor: a successful marriage of both online and offline marketing strategies. So put these 7 marketing strategies into practice and watch your business takeoff from a whole new level.
Robert Moment is an innovative small business coach , speaker and author of soon to be released book , “Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service”. Robert specializes in teaching entrepreneurs how to start a small business that profits and grow. Visit http://www.howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com and sign-up for the FREE Small Business Coaching 7 day e-course titled, “Turn Passion into Profit: Small Business Startup” and .
7 Small Business Marketing Strategies Every Entrepreneur Ought To Know - To learn more about this author, visit Robert Moment's Website.
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Before the Internet came along and changed human behavior forever, small business marketing was pretty straightforward. An entrepreneur had merely to focus his or her efforts on offline marketing strategies to maximize returns.
With the introduction of the Internet, however, entrepreneurs have now been presented with a piece of technology that has already begun to revolutionize the way businesses market and sell their products and services. It has become the quintessential medium for entrepreneurs to gain better competitive advantage and stronger economic footing in their marketplace.
As exciting as the Internet is for entrepreneurs, however, it inevitably poses a new set of challenges for small businesses, specifically in marketing. So, if you’re a tad bit confused about creating your marketing strategy to fit today’s global marketplace, then here are 7 small business marketing strategies that you and every other entrepreneur should know about:
1. Start A Blog
You know a marketing strategy is working extremely well if Microsoft is using it. The revolution of the Internet made websites mandatory for any business seeking an online presence, but the evolution of the Internet has made it mandatory for entrepreneurs to start blogging. There’s a lot that should be said about blogging, but in a nutshell, it is a distributed media that entrepreneurs create and relinquish control to their audience (prospects and customers) to establish a long-lasting customer relationship.
Blogs are probably the quickest way to create awareness and draw attention to your business, building trust with your prospects and removing perceived risk by tearing down communication barriers. It puts a human face to your business, illuminating an element of business transparency your customers can easily identify with.
2. Network Online And Offline
Networking is seldom referred to as a marketing strategy and those who undervalue its potential to grow a business couldn’t be more wrong. The proof of this is in the popularity of social networking sites like MySpace.com and Facebook.com. So popular are these digital networking sites in today’s Web 2.0 era that there is practically a site created around every interest imaginable.
Networking sites like Ryze.com and LinkedIn.com are specifically centered on like-minded small-business entrepreneurs like you and are perfect platforms for seeking out new business opportunities and partnerships.
Let’s not forget the traditional methods of networking as well, such as attending seminars and business events which, although outshone by the current frenzy of online social networks, still play a huge role in carving out big chunks of business opportunities.
3. Branding
Let’s face it, growing a business is easy if you know how, but giving your business a unique identity amidst all the competition in your market is tough. Here’s where branding can lend a helping hand, personifying your business by leveraging on brand awareness to build stronger relationships with your customers.
Ideally, your brand should influence every aspect of your business operation because the successful brands of today will be those capable of producing customer-centric business models consistently.
4. Targeted Traffic
Getting traffic to your business is obviously a must for survival. No business can survive without traffic, whether it be online or offline. But the key to outsmarting your competitors is attracting targeted traffic, which pose a much higher chance of converting to paying customers.
Attracting targeted online traffic is a much faster and more cost-effective way of growing a small business and can be achieved by utilizing strategies such as search engine optimization, buying traffic (using PPC, CPA, or banners), recommending affiliate programs and syndicating content.
5. PR
Want to spark a buying frenzy for your products or services in a flash? Then, nothing comes quite as close as landing a press coverage about your business or about your success as an entrepreneur. Yes, advertising in papers or magazines has its perks, but consumers know that these can be biased. Gaining publicity via a news release, on the other hand, lends huge credibility to your business and should only serve to boost your sales for the long term.
6. Writing Articles
The Internet has made it extremely easy for anyone to establish themselves as an author and information publisher. Take advantage of this by writing articles promoting your business. Why? Because as an entrepreneur, writing articles makes you an authority in the eyes of your customers, a marketing strategy often used by CEOs of Fortune 500s to garner a following of pre-sold prospects for easy sales.
7. Public Speaking
Probably the hardest strategy for the publicity shy, but speaking to promote your business is a critical marketing strategy. Communication experts list speaking and writing as the two most important skills to develop as an entrepreneur due to the instant recognition that these skills contribute to your business.
Small businesses experiencing a growth spurt on the Internet can be attributed to one common factor: a successful marriage of both online and offline marketing strategies. So put these 7 marketing strategies into practice and watch your business takeoff from a whole new level.
Robert Moment is an innovative small business coach , speaker and author of soon to be released book , “Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service”. Robert specializes in teaching entrepreneurs how to start a small business that profits and grow. Visit http://www.howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com and sign-up for the FREE Small Business Coaching 7 day e-course titled, “Turn Passion into Profit: Small Business Startup” and .
7 Small Business Marketing Strategies Every Entrepreneur Ought To Know - To learn more about this author, visit Robert Moment's Website.
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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