All small and medium sized businesses struggle with the problem of not enough marketing budget. They have come, or perhaps been led to the conclusion that marketing must be expensive, and often it is, but a bit of creativity goes a long way.
You do not have to spend a fortune to get a result, but you need to be focussed, disciplined and creative.
Some of the simple things that every small business should have down pat
Community. Small businesses are local, part of a community, and we are herd animals that like to look after our own, so long as it does not compromise us, so be local, engage in local activities and causes, make a contribution to the social and cultural fabric of your community.
Elevator pitch. It is amazing to me how many people cannot describe the value their businesses bring to those who do business with them in 30 seconds or less. Taking the time to craft a good elevator pitch is worth every minute.
Be vocal. Many people are uncomfortable being vocal, making speeches and presentations, but they are a great way to build profile, acceptance, and loyalty, all of which delivers new customers to you. Being controversial can be dangerous, but we all relate to the rebels, those who have the guts and presence to say what they think, and make a noise about it, respectfully and with wit and wisdom, but nevertheless a noise. The added benefit is that when you do it well others pick up on it and spread. Nothing spreads as easily and widely as a good idea.
Collaboration. Scale is power, and can be easily built. Often mutually beneficial collaborations are relatively easily managed on a local level that are challenging on a wider scale, and they offer all sorts of benefits. If you run a fashion retailer, why on earth would you not want to collaborate with the fashion shoe retailer two doors down?
Networking. Networking works, but takes considerable time and effort, and it not for free. Nobody likes being sold to, and while that may be the objective, going into a networking conversation with the attitude that you need to give before you earn the right to receive is always a good move. Rather than opening a conversation with the usual “What do you do..?” ask instead, ‘how can I help you?’ and see the difference. Networking enables you to build relationships, and trust.The reality is that we do business as far as we can with those we know, like and trust, and that does not happen immediately, it evolves over time based on behavior and performance.
Referrals. When you have someone else recommending you to their networks, it is the most powerful marketing you can do. Therefore not be backward is asking for referrals from those to whom you have given. Usually they will be delighted to repay some of the value you have delivered to them. Referrals however can be complicated. As the number of networking groups has exploded, the value of the referral has diminished, as there is a ‘sort of’ obligation to refer as a part of the network group process. Tied up in the referral is your own credibility. Each time you give one, you should ask yourself, ‘Would I use this person to solve this problem?” If the answer is anything less than an emphatic ‘Yes” my view is that you should not give the referral as it is a compromise of your own credibility.
Use tools for leverage. All of the above are enabled and enhanced by the digital tools now available, but they are just tools, the principals of marketing have not changed just because someone invested a fancy digital tool. Understand how the tool is best used, use it yourself, or if your time is better spent elsewhere, and normally it is, find an expert who can maximize the leverage the tools can deliver.
None of this costs much money, but it does take time, commitment, and importantly, a plan that is executed, measured, and improved.
Do not be bamboozled by the notion that marketing is all about branding, it is not.
Building a brand is a key part of marketing success, the foundations of a brand make for marketing success, but the communication processes to build a brand, which is what everyone thinks about, are nevertheless just a part of the more holistic process of marketing.
