Common Marketing Problems for Small Businesses (redo)

Below are some common marketing mistakes we’ve seen some of our clients make (before they came to us, of course…..)

The number mistake? Not delivering what they say the will deliver. All talk and no action makes for a very short-lived company. The best website, the best ads (the kind that get people to take action), will do you no good if you don’t keep your promises.

Customer service is imperative. If you say you’ll get a project done by Friday, get it done by Friday (Thursday would be better.) If your product breaks down in  month, replace it for free. Do you tout your company as open and easy to talk to, but your phone system leaves clients frustrated because they can’t get a hold of a live person? Then you’re not only not “open and easy to talk to,” you’re also a liar.

As for your marketing copy, is it too features oriented? What are its benefits? More importantly, what kind of benefits is your target market looking for? Is it a red car? Or is this red car going to make me look hot and sexy, so men will clamor for me? Or will it make me seem cool and dangerous, so all the ladies will gather round?

Do you know exactly who your target market is? Taking the red car example above, are you selling to middle aged men or to 25-year-old males? Are they single or married? How much money do they make? Where do they live? What are their hobbies. Decide who you want to buy your product/service and then make sure you understand them completely.

When budgets are tough, it’s natural to want to cut back on expenses. But marketing helps bring in business and when times are tight what do you need more of? Business, sales. So don’t skimp on the marketing. Cut back elsewhere if you need to but don’t cut your marketing/advertising budget back entirely.

 

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