Email, social media, video, website, radio and podcasts are just a few ways that small business owners can market their business these days. Unlike the days of way back, when I was a little girl watching my dad and my uncles build their business with none of the tools that we have today.
Despite the advances in technology, many small business owners still face marketing challenges. With so many online and offline marketing tools, some of which are free, it would seem that marketing would be easier. Well, the problem isn’t with the tools or systems. The problem lies with the business owner in three particular areas – clarity, consistency and cash flow.
Before I address those areas, let me first highlight some of the marketing challenges small business owners face as stated in a survey I conducted.
• Attracting the right people
• Turning my email list into sales
• Lack of funds to market
• Finding new customers
• Lack of time to network because of full time job
None of the challenges listed above truly address the core problem. When there’s a marketing challenge it’s usually tied to clarity, consistency or cash flow. Let’s look at each area individually:
Clarity – It’s important to know who your ideal client is. No, it’s not everybody. When you market to everyone, no one hears you. You must speak directly to your ideal client.
Consistency – You can’t go to the gym once and expect to lose 10 pounds. Well, you could but the chances of that happening are pretty slim. My point is this, marketing isn’t something you do once and expect your ideal client to come running. You must do it daily.
Cash Flow – Now, this isn’t about having a lack of cash flow to invest in your marketing. This is about you tracking the money that is being invested in marketing and the cash flow that is generated as a result. If you don’t know how much cash flow is being generated then how do you know if your marketing efforts are paying off.
If you’re still confused about how to fix your marketing challenges, let me break it down for you.
Get clear about who your ideal client is. Share your products and services consistently because consistency makes money. And lastly, track your cash flow. In other words, count your money!
Leave a Reply