By
Edward Zia
Submitted On June 30, 2014
As Entrepreneurs we are faced with the awesome (yet equally
scary) tasks of plotting our own futures, making our own decisions and
being 100% Responsible and Accountable for our own results.
Small Business Marketing is certainly an area that not only challenged myself when I started out, but also can be stressful for many awesome Small Business Owners out there. The bad news is that at the start it can be very hard to get a handle on, BUT the good news is that with objective assessment, continual work and review; one can improve it over time and succeed.
I get asked almost all the time by clients in very simple terms, "Edward - How do I make my Marketing Successful and Profitable?"
This is quite a broad question and the answer can certainly differ from client to client and circumstance to circumstance; however I would like to at least share with you the Top 7 X Strategies and Tips that I often recommend (and have been amazing for myself):
1) Top Product / Service Quality: Always start with what you are selling. The better your product / service, the easier it is to sell and get awesome word of mouth.
2) The Right Image: Make sure the image you deliver from your marketing is awesome and premium. From what you say, to how you dress, to your business cards, to your website, to sales material and more - the more professional you look, the stronger you are. Getting a professional designer helps!
3) Fair Pricing: You can charge Penetration (Below Market), Competitive (At Market) and Premium (Above Marketing) and either strategy has it's time and place. Make sure whatever you are charging YOU consider fair and you would pay it. Chances are so would the market!
4) Balance Real World and Online World: Business owners often lean too far one way. That is, they hide behind Facebook and don't leave their house or they are running around wearing out their Shoe-Leathers without even a Facebook Page. Get these both right so they work for you!
5) Challenge yourself with the Sales & Marketing Work Required: If you are starting out, it will take MASSIVE amounts of work to succeed. Regardless of any 'Magical' strategies and stories you hear. I have seen too many not succeed because they just don't work hard enough!
6) Get other people to help you: Be it building your own personal referral network or say hiring someone to build you an awesome website - the reality is that you can only push yourself so far. You want to leverage other people as much as possible while you achieve your goals (and help them achieve theirs while you are at it!).
7) Test & Measure: Always keep an eye on what you are doing and make sure it's working for you. If you say release some new business cards and people say they are wonderful - chances are it's good decision for your business. If you get up and do an elevator pitch at a networking event and you can hear the crickets - then time to tweak it!
I trust these short tips help you in your own Small Business Marketing. It's an ongoing process of tweaking, changing and experiment - the good news? The more we do it, the smart and more powerful we become.
Enjoy and contact me anytime if you need a hand awesome friends!
Small Business Marketing is certainly an area that not only challenged myself when I started out, but also can be stressful for many awesome Small Business Owners out there. The bad news is that at the start it can be very hard to get a handle on, BUT the good news is that with objective assessment, continual work and review; one can improve it over time and succeed.
I get asked almost all the time by clients in very simple terms, "Edward - How do I make my Marketing Successful and Profitable?"
This is quite a broad question and the answer can certainly differ from client to client and circumstance to circumstance; however I would like to at least share with you the Top 7 X Strategies and Tips that I often recommend (and have been amazing for myself):
1) Top Product / Service Quality: Always start with what you are selling. The better your product / service, the easier it is to sell and get awesome word of mouth.
2) The Right Image: Make sure the image you deliver from your marketing is awesome and premium. From what you say, to how you dress, to your business cards, to your website, to sales material and more - the more professional you look, the stronger you are. Getting a professional designer helps!
3) Fair Pricing: You can charge Penetration (Below Market), Competitive (At Market) and Premium (Above Marketing) and either strategy has it's time and place. Make sure whatever you are charging YOU consider fair and you would pay it. Chances are so would the market!
4) Balance Real World and Online World: Business owners often lean too far one way. That is, they hide behind Facebook and don't leave their house or they are running around wearing out their Shoe-Leathers without even a Facebook Page. Get these both right so they work for you!
5) Challenge yourself with the Sales & Marketing Work Required: If you are starting out, it will take MASSIVE amounts of work to succeed. Regardless of any 'Magical' strategies and stories you hear. I have seen too many not succeed because they just don't work hard enough!
6) Get other people to help you: Be it building your own personal referral network or say hiring someone to build you an awesome website - the reality is that you can only push yourself so far. You want to leverage other people as much as possible while you achieve your goals (and help them achieve theirs while you are at it!).
7) Test & Measure: Always keep an eye on what you are doing and make sure it's working for you. If you say release some new business cards and people say they are wonderful - chances are it's good decision for your business. If you get up and do an elevator pitch at a networking event and you can hear the crickets - then time to tweak it!
I trust these short tips help you in your own Small Business Marketing. It's an ongoing process of tweaking, changing and experiment - the good news? The more we do it, the smart and more powerful we become.
Enjoy and contact me anytime if you need a hand awesome friends!
To learn more about Small Business Marketing and gain Instant
Access to Edward Zia's Online Sales & Marketing Course the "Awesome
Marketing Vault". Visit http://www.excellenceabove.com.au
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free to sign up to our Newsletter as well to get some great tools on
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thank you!
Edward Zia - Marketing Mentor and Developer of "The Awesome Marketing Vault". Visit my own blog right here at: http://www.excellenceabove.com.au/theedwardfiles
