Getting the word out about your brand fosters business growth, but small business marketing efforts often produce lackluster results because they fail to develop an intentional strategy.
Whether it’s not being consistent or neglecting to develop a strategic marketing plan, there are many reasons why small business marketing falls flat, including the following:
- Failure to Research
Your audience evolves and so should your small business marketing. Failing to do your research can cause you to lose touch with what matters to your target audience and it will show in your lack of engagement with your marketing. - Inconsistent Branding
From the fonts you use to your colors and logos, branding needs to be consistent across all mediums. Every piece of content you distribute says something about your company and you want every message to be consistent. - Poor Web Design
Most consumers do research online before making a purchase. If their first impression of your brand is developed through a clunky website, visitors will likely move to a competitor’s site. Your website needs to be easy to navigate and provide a quality user experience.
The more planning you do in developing a marketing strategy, the more engagement you’ll get out of your efforts.
Tips to Success
Small businesses that consistently meet their marketing objectives share commonalities, the first of which is that they know which media are going to provide the most value in content distribution. They know when a video is going to be more impactful than a webinar and when a blog is more appropriate than an Instagram post. They also know when an infographic or animation will help to sell a point better than a social post.
Another trait of successful small businesses is that they know their marketing efforts shouldn’t be focused solely on sales. It’s easy to get into a rut where every bit of content is about a product or a service meant to push the value of those products and services.
It’s important to focus on relationships, not sales. Consumers form relationships with brands because they feel a kinship with them, which is developed through good marketing. Rather than sell a product, you’re selling your brand.
Focusing on small business marketing is something our team at SJC Marketing excels at. Contact us and let’s begin developing a marketing strategy that will help you connect with potential customers.