Small Business Solutions

Introduction

Small Business Marketing

The main focus of this area is online marketing. What is not entitled as such? Basically, because online marketing or web marketing or website promotion is not, or really, should not be performed merely “online”. There are numerous aspects to successful marketing, but these are not limited to online facilities – more on that later.

If you are reading this, then the chances are that you seek to improve your company’s image, performance or profit margin. Small Business Solutions is here to help you make this vision a reality.

Perhaps, you have a small business idea and seek knowledge to help get it off the ground. Good for you! I have heard many outstanding business concepts that originated from friends or colleagues that simply died a meaningless death simply because they were afraid to take the next step. You are here, doing your homework, finding out more and taking the step to make your dreams come true. (Insert applause for you here and celebrate your ability to take action!)

Regardless of your product or service, a solid business plan accompanied with an outstanding marketing plan and strategy are crucial. This normally scares most people right away. Please let me put you at ease. Your initial business plan and marketing strategy don’t need to be volumes of paper if converted to print form. Initially, a list of bullets highlighting the main areas of each, are fine! Don’t get bogged down in the details and allow your creative or professional mind to lose sight of your goal.

Each of these steps YOU can perform. Yes, you CAN do it. The main question you might want to ask yourself subsequent to reviewing all the information we provide is “should” you do it. To bring your dream to fruition, you need to be time efficient. Organization is nearly as important as execution and action. Therefore, you must decide when you will perform a task or when you can outsource the task effectively. By “effectively”, I mean within your planned budget and within your accepted parameters.

Now, I’m sure you have heard the term “outsource”. It, too, can scare some. I recall the first time I approached outsourcing. I had no idea how to begin, where to look or what to ask. But, I learned and that education has paid off for me, time and time again. Outsourcing different components of marketing is a smart move. Again, it takes the small time-consuming tasks away from you and allows you to concentrate on whatever it is that you know best! Now, let’s get on with how to strategically build a successful marketing plan.

TOP Components of a Solid Marketing Plan

Branding

Brand Identity and Brand Management are major items to consider from the beginning. While, yes, you can put time and efforts into it later, believe me, you don’t want to worry about this midstream and have to change up an entire small business or company image in the middle of handling clients or taking care of payroll. Many of us have been there and it can be a nightmare.

Again, a short amount of time and effort upfront can save you some serious headaches down the road. Branding not only includes symbolism, colors, but also a good domain name and much more.

Learn More

Social Networking

Of course, years ago, social networks weren’t considered a part of marketing. But, let’s pause for a moment. How did others learn about a new business? Billboards, sure? But, word of mouth is huge. And, where are people talking these days: Social Networks. Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, etc are a small number of the examples. All are huge on the Internet and get more visitors per day (combined) than CNN or Fox News. Don’t discount the power of Social Network Marketing or you may be losing out on a huge possible flow of clients.

Learn More

Domain Name

A vital part of branding is a good, easy to remember domain name. The domain name registration and assignment to your business is a separate, but interlinking process to a website. Most business owners don’t know (and some don’t need to know) that these are two distinct, but very important functions. Learn how to select a good domain name and get it registered early. This should be a top priority in your marketing plan.

Website and Web Design

You probably already have a website, either your own or via an online service somewhere on the net. Even teenagers have them these days. They seem to have become almost as automatic as carrying a cell phone. Website addresses are usually at the bottom of every business card you receive, are they not? Additionally, with the competition on the Net, there simply is no reason not to have your own website. The benefits are phenomenal and if you’re serious about your product or service, a website is a must. Even if your budget will only allow a page or two, get it done now!

Article Marketing

Usually, most clients cringe a bit when we mention the term “Article Marketing”. Along with outsourcing, these terms are like a foreign language to many. But, they are far easier than most realize. No one knows more about your product or service than you. If you enjoy writing, and many of us do, this will become second nature – simply sharing information and conveying knowledge. If not, hire a ghostwriter or professional freelance writer. Either way, article marketing is a very inexpensive way to get the word out about your company and is far more effective than most realize. Don’t neglect the power of the written word!

Press Release

Another highly under-used tool in your marketing plan strategy should be the press release. Yes, this is another daunting term to some, but again, a powerful ally. A professionally written press release can not only launch a business effectively (online business or brick and mortar,) but can also bring new growth to an already successful company. Again, this is something YOU can learn to do, but I recommend outsourcing this because of the power of the result.

A press release can flood a new website with traffic. Additionally, if you time it right, when your website comes online and is designed well, you could very well see a surge in profit within days! Believe it or not, there are even sources to publish a free press release. But, in our experience, this is one of those items that you get what you pay for. For Search Engine Optimization (SEO) a free press release isn’t a bad idea. But, to truly reach the most clients you can, plan to purchase a press release service from one of the larger press release companies with a larger distribution list. I can’t emphasize enough the effectiveness of this aspect of marketing. Educate yourself on this and discover the power of the press release.
Forums

A smaller but also effective tool for marketing is online forums. Why choose to put time and effort into participating in forums? Well, much like the social networks, forums are largely targeted for a specific niche. There are forums on fishing, sewing, several aspects of business and management and much, much more. The list is endless. And, the folks that participate here are likely already seeking tools and services to help them do what they like to do. This is also referred to as “targeted traffic.” If they visit your website or call you on the phone due to your forum participation, they are already interested and provided you have the correct sales mechanisms in place, you are going to increase your profit margin as a result.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The SEO world is just that – an entire world of its own. There are many technical aspects to “on-page” search engine marketing and “off-page” search engine marketing. Basically, there are things done within your websites setup that are crucial to Google, Yahoo and MSN (Bing). Additionally, there are things done elsewhere (some of the marketing mentioned above, for instance) that are not done on your website, but are quite important also.

On-page SEO does take some in-depth technical knowledge. While, off-page SEO can be taught and implemented rather painlessly, many times it is outsourced as aforementioned. Regardless, both types create a synergistic effect to the success of traffic to your website. SEO is something that can bring traffic to your front door for years to come. Once in place, the search engines do the work for you. We call this “natural” traffic. Make SEO a priority in your marketing strategy.

Learn More

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Search engine marketing is an incredibly fast way to get visitors to your website. You have likely seen many online advertisements about getting on “page 1” of Google overnight. It may sound like a fairy tale, but it CAN be done. It’s quite a bit easier than it sounds. But, making this happen comes with a cost. This is usually in the fine print, so please beware.

The most often tool or process used to hit page 1 of any search engine is PPC or Pay-Per-Click traffic. This is usually highly targeted traffic because no one is going to click on the link being paid for unless there is an interest. But, depending on your product or service, the “keywords” used to create these paid or “sponsored” links can be astronomical. Effective keyword research is crucial to Pay-Per-Click (PPC) success.

Radio and Television

We have saved this portion of marketing for the last, basically because it is simply out of the realm of possibility for most small or medium-sized businesses. This isn’t to say that one day you will be able to afford such a powerful venue. We hope that you one day will, but for the scope of this document and SBS services, this is a bit of a stretch. It is worth mentioning though, because as most know, many clients are in front of the television or listening to their radios for hours a day. If you wish to learn more about radio and television “spots”, feel free to contact us and we can point you in the right direction.

Marketing Conclusion

As you can now see, there are many aspects to marketing successfully. And, these that have been listed here are simply the majority of the main elements of a marketing plan. This is certainly not all that can be introduced to help bring clients to your business.

We recommend educating yourself, at least briefly, with each aspect. Again, the point to take away from this is to not lose sight of your goal. Indeed, Take Action! But, know your limits and plan accordingly. Outsource with a reputable company with proven results and do what you can to assist your growth when you are able.

An “aggressive” marketing strategy is fantastic for those that are able. But, keep in mind, there is nothing wrong with paced and steady growth with a firm foundation in place. Plan your action steps and commit to performing them in accordance with your plan. Make an effort to revisit your plan frequently to help keep you on track and with each step towards completion, you will take a step towards success.

Learn More about Marketing:

Branding | Social Networking | SEO | SEM | Marketing Terms