Three
Big Barriers To Small Business Marketing Success
When you feel like youre always
busy working on your business, but not getting where you want to
go, it can be frustrating trying to figure out how to get your
marketing on track. It can easily become a not seeing the forest
for the trees feeling.
Here are three big barriers I
regularly come across with business owners and how you can avoid
them.
1. No Clear Definition
Of Success
For some, the word Success brings thoughts of fame and fortune to
mind. But for small businesses, Id caution against this definition
being your guiding light. When clarifying your own definition of
success, I suggest starting with success from your clients point of
view.
What is it that you are trying to
do for your clients? What is it that theyll have or be able to do
as a result of buying your service from you? Match this up with
what you are passionate about. What is it that you love doing for
your clients? Ill know Im successful when my clients no longer have
to struggle with how to consistently attract more
business.
2. Not Clarifying Who Your
Ideal Clients Are
When you can clarify who your ideal clients are, you are better
prepared to know where to find them and how to market to them. You
can develop messages that will appeal directly to them.
What do you know about your
best clients? Spend some time to put together as complete of a
profile as you can on the clients you enjoy working with the most.
What are the demographics and characteristics? How would you
describe them to someone who has never met them?
Without clarity of your ideal
clients, youre likely to waste time, effort, and money marketing to
the wrong crowd(s) and/or not getting your message
across.
3. Not Spelling Out
Your Unique Value
You must be able to clearly define what differentiates you from
your competitors. If your prospects cant differentiate you from all
the competitive alternatives in the marketplace, then why would
they come to buy from you?
Often for small businesses its not
that theyre not unique, its just that they havent spent the time to
evaluate and clearly describe how and why. What is it that you do
better, faster, cheaper, or more effectively whatever? Maybe its a
unique model youve developed or the unique niche of clients you
serve. Maybe its your satisfaction guarantee offered to
clients.
Most important here is to spell
out why your uniqueness is so important to your clients and
prospects. Why should they care? What is it that theyll get by
coming to you for services?
Spend some time critically looking
at these items for your business. It will be time very well spent.
If you find you cant see the forest for the trees, dont hesitate to
get some outside help.
(c) Kevin Dervin, KPD
Marketing
About the Author:
Kevin Dervin is the owner of
KPD Marketing and the creator of the ABCD Growth
System. If you find these tips useful, youd probably enjoy
Kevins FREE monthly eZine called ABCD Grow. To
subscribe, just go to http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and follow one of
the links to the FREE Stuff page!
| 