Business 101: A Crash Course in Small Business Marketing

It’s a fatal flaw in our system that most universities and business books teach marketing from the perspective of big brands, not from the vantage point of small business and solo entrepreneurs.
Marketing campaigns are talked about in terms of branding and building awareness on a global scale. For small businesses with limited resources to put toward creating a winning campaign, marketing seems out of reach.

It’s true that the big brands have matching big budgets to put toward creating global marketing campaigns, but that doesn’t mean small businesses can’t take the principles of building a marketing campaign and apply them on a smaller scale to bring clients directly to their door.

Whoa! Did you just say marketing campaign?

Yes, even small businesses can benefit from a marketing campaign. Talking about campaigns sounds a lot more complicated than it is. It’s just a word that means a system course of activities for a specific purpose. It all comes back to systems.

Small Business Marketing 101

Marketing should be the first step in the creation of every product and in many senses is more important that the product or service itself. It doesn’t have to be complicated – it’s just a systematic approach to growing your business by attracting clients who need and want what you are selling.

The fear that many entrepreneurs have of marketing being complicated or difficult stops them from attracting the clients they need to succeed, which is part of the reason that so many businesses fail. But when you think of marketing in terms of attracting clients, it seems much more utilitarian than scary. Right?

Creating a Client Attraction Strategy

#1 Know exactly who it is you want your business to serve

The first step in building a client attraction strategy is analyzing who your ideal customer is. Get to know him or her by asking questions and looking for answers. Where does your ideal customer live? Where does she person shop? What magazines does she read? Is she involved in social media? And so on.

#2 Identify the pain or problem you solve

Next, you need to identify the pain or problem your ideal customer is looking to solve and how your product or service solves it. People don’t buy things that won’t somehow make their lives better. From shoes that will help you walk the pounds off to drinks that will boost your mood, customers buy products that they believe will improve some part of their lives.

#3 Address the need and show how your solution solves the problem

The key to a success marketing campaign is showing your potential customers that you both understand their need and can solve the problem. It’s important to put yourself in your client’s shoes and look at your business for her perspective. Include the benefits, and unique value proposition of your particular solution and if possible, social proof in the form of customer testimonials.

#4 Ask your potential customers to take action now

Don’t forget to include a specific call to action, like “Reserve your seat today” or “Take advantage of our limited time pricing”. Make your call to action very specific and include any instructions your customer may need to complete the sale.

A final reminder: people buy from you when they know, like and trust you. A successful client attraction strategy builds the know, like, trust factor by fostering a relationship between you and your potential customers.

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