As a small business it is essential that your marketing be efficient and effective. In other words, your plan must yield market growth and must be on budget.
Though we will be discussing small businesses in general, it does not mean that a one-size-fits-all marketing plan is the way to go. It is possible to effectively market small businesses with custom packages and strategies.
How long should I invest in a marketing campaign?
Before we answer this question there are a few things that need to be considered. Are you looking for a short-term or long-term marketing campaign? If you are looking to build your brand, and have consistent marketing, then you definitely have a long-term perspective when it comes to your marketing goals.
If your perspective is long-term, than you marketing should also be long-term. In this case, “testing the waters” won’t provide the desired results. The minimum marketing campaign should run for a year. One year will effectively get your marketing off the ground and moving toward greater market share as you build your brand.
Defining your marketing strategy.
As a small business you might be tempted to advertise every service possible. We don’t recommend this, see our blog Focus to Increase Sales. Your advertising dollars are likely limited, and thus your marketing message has to be focused and consistent. This is where the unique selling proposition comes in handy. A professional marketing firm will help you hone in on your messaging strategy.
What media makes sense?
The next step is to decide on which media is the best fit. Your marketing firm should spend your marketing dollars in the most efficient way possible. What that means is that they won’t try to sell your services that you don’t need. A professional firm will give you suggestions on how to best market your company.
To make this decision it is important to consider what media is most effective for lead generation. BrightLocal recently surveyed 20,000 U.S.- based businesses to access sources of leads and this is what they found:
Word of mouth: 26%
Search engine optimization: 19%
Online directories: 15%
Pay-per-click: 3%
Local TV: 1%
Local radio advertising: 2%
Online marketing as a whole: 54%
Let’s start with pay-per-click. If you are new to marketing you won’t want to start with just search engine optimization, as the length of time it takes to achieve results can be anywhere from four months to a year. With that said, our recommendation is to start with online paid advertising. This helps get small businesses immediate exposure.
In tandem with the paid advertising, a marketing firm should begin working on a long-term search engine optimization campaign.
While it is difficult to prove direct ROI from social media, it is a crucial component of any marketing strategy. Social media provides an effective way for companies to communicate directly with their customers, but it does more than that. Social media aids with word of mouth. Followers can easily share information, products and or services with their network.
Let’s not forget email marketing. Tried and true email marketing is still an essential part of any marketing campaign. The average return on investment for every $1 spent is approximately $44. Email marketing works together with social media, SEO, and paid online advertising.
Can I pick and choose?
While you are free to purchase stand-alone initiatives, we don’t recommend it. An integrated strategy works much better. Marketing should work together to achieve the greatest results possible. When only one-piece of the marketing mix is used, marketing programs are not as effective and can often times fall short of their intended purpose.
If you have questions regarding marketing for your small business, we’d be happy to schedule a no-obligation consultation. We can show you how to most effectively spend your marketing dollars, and will help create customized packages that are perfect for your business.