Small business owners are very busy people. However, being busy is not an excuse for neglecting your marketing, which is a common error we see in small business. Marketing is often at the bottom of the “to do” list, and sometimes never happens at all, leading to some easily remedied marketing mistakes.
For a small business, marketing doesn’t need to be overly complicated or expensive, but it does need to have a strategy, an action plan, and a budget. The key issue for many clients I work with is that they don’t know where to start with their marketing, so they procrastinate and don’t start at all or they have a very scattered approach to their marketing and don’t get the results they expect. For a small business, a planned approach is very important to avoid wasting the precious time and limited marketing budget you have.
So, to help you achieve better results from your marketing, here is a list of top marketing mistakes to avoid in a small business.
1. Not Investing in Marketing
Marketing needs to be as important, if not more so, as the other key areas of your business – alongside good governance, finances, and operations. Putting it simply, it doesn’t matter how well your business operates, or how great your product or service is, if people don’t know you exist they won’t buy.
2. No Marketing Plan
Having a strategic marketing plan ensures you keep marketing activities on track and on budget; it helps avoid spending time and money of ad hoc items; and importantly sets out target markets, activities, and timing. Even just having a simple plan is better than none.
Re-visit your plan regularly, and make sure you can measure the success of all marketing activities undertaken to avoid repeating ineffective marketing decisions.
3. Underperforming Website
A website is not optional – it is mandatory. It doesn’t need to be big and expensive, but you do need to have one, and it needs to look professional. Don’t just depend on your social media. Remember, you don’t “own” your social media pages, but you do own your website.
Make sure your website is functioning – if you’re not sure, get a full website audit. The two biggest small business website mistakes are:
- Hard-to-find contact details
- No prices
For further tips please check out our Website Tips for Small Business blog.
4. Trying to be Everything to Everyone
With a limited budget and limited resources, work out your priorities and do a few key things well, rather than trying to do everything with a scattered approach which means nothing gets done well.
For example, choose two social media channels and do them consistently, rather than taking on four channels and doing them sporadically. Make sure you have a defined target market/s – trying to appeal to everyone doesn’t work. This mistake is avoided by having a strategic marketing plan.
5. Expecting Immediate Results
Evidence and research show that on average a potential customer will see your business at least seven times before they purchase. Just undertaking one ad or email will not achieve sustainable results. Consider different ways for people to be connected with your brand. Social media, newsletter, ads, networking, video, webinar, reading a helpful article you have written – to highlight just a few.
6. Lack of Brand Consistency
Some business owners are creative types, and some are not. If you’re not, make sure you get help with establishing a consistent brand. An inconsistent brand means mixed messages, and mixed messages mean that people will be confused about your business. This includes the type of images used, colours, words, and even fonts and layouts.
A consistent brand looks professional, and people know what to expect. Think of big brands like Nike, Coke, McDonalds, BMW, etc. They all have a very consistent brand. Small businesses need to do the same, but on a smaller scale.
7. No Personality
For small businesses it is especially important to create a connection with your customers, and the best way to achieve this is to let them know who you are. Let your personality shine through in everything you do; provide information about yourself on your website and on social media.
Our biggest pet hate with small business websites is that so many have a bland “off the shelf” sterile look. They have no personality, no information about who they are or their purpose, and no images showing the owners or their staff. First step – get rid of stock library images! Show and tell people who you are and why you want to help them.
8. Underestimating the importance of Repeat Customers
Only focusing on new business and neglecting repeat business is a big mistake that small business owners regularly make. Make sure you look after your existing customers and undertake marketing especially for them. Marketing to an existing customer is a lot cheaper than finding new customers; and more importantly, unsatisfied customers will tell all their friends and family. No small business can afford bad word-of-mouth advertising.
9. Lack of Response
It astounds us how often we contact a small business and receive no response at all, or an extremely slow one. There is no excuse for this, especially these days with autoresponders and all the tech tools available. The sooner you respond to a lead or enquiry the better; this includes both online and phone message enquiries.
A quick response shows you are professional, provides a good first impression, and shows that you are attentive to your clients’ needs. It is generally expected that leads are followed up on the same day; at the very most 24 hours. Potential clients do not wait these days – they will go elsewhere; and there is the added risk of reputation damage as well.
10. Not Taking Advantage of New Digital Technology
Make the most of social media and digital technology. Many digital marketing tools are available for free, or for minimal cost. This includes database management, image and document creation tools, newsletters, project management, website analysis and statistics, and of course, social media.
Don’t try and do it all, but pick the tools that work best for you – or get someone to help you if you don’t feel confident to do it yourself. There are plenty of free online forums, tutorials, and blogs that provide tips and “how to” guides.
Need A Helping Hand?
We hope these marketing mistakes to avoid tips have helped you determine how you can improve your marketing and what marketing mistakes you may need to fix in your business.
Feeling overwhelmed? Contact us if you’d like a free strategy session!
If you have any questions, comments, or additional suggestions to add to this list, please let us know.
Planet Marketing provides practical and sustainable marketing advice – helping you determine what marketing suits your business best.
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