The 4 Most Common Marketing Mistakes to Avoid This Year
A clean slate. Ahhh, it’s what the New Year affords us all. Now is the time to take stock and avoid some of the most common marketing mistakes made by small businesses. The first and classic marketing mistake made by many businesses is using too many mediums to market themselves. Small businesses have small budgets and can’t afford to water down their impact in multiple mediums. It’s generally best to select one or two mediums you can afford and dominate them so your target market becomes familiar with your company and expects to see your message every time they tune in, read or watch that medium.A second common mistake is failing to identify and promote a USP or Unique Selling Proposition. Businesses must appeal to their target market with something unique, even if they are offering the same products and services as their competition. Now is the time to think creatively. What can you do differently? Think in areas that aren’t necessarily product or service oriented. Maybe you can offer better financing, special pick-up and delivery service, added bonus with purchase, longer guarantee, free gift wrap, curbside service, etc. Thirdly, using the wrong advertising medium is an all too often pitfall in which small businesses fall. In a vast sea of marketing opportunities, it can be overwhelming to select the best place to advertise. The first question to ask is, “Does my target market read, listen to, watch, visit, view, etc. this medium?” Only if the answer to this question is positive can you even contemplate the medium. Ask your sales rep for demographics. The fourth and most common marketing mistake is not having a marketing plan and budget in place. With a solid plan, small business owners can more effectively control spending, enhance revenues, evaluate mediums, and prepare for seasonal busy periods. A solid marketing plan eliminates guesswork and costly mistakes while making every dollar spent count. Now is the perfect time to do some planning and some reflection to prepare for a strong year of sales. Evaluating what has worked and not worked so well in the past will offer quite a bit of insight into creating your plan and contributing to your success.
About the Author
Nicole Shields is a marketing consultant and author of 7 Step Marketing Plan, a how-to guide, complete with a Quick Start Kit of forms and spreadsheets empowering small businesses to quickly write a marketing plan. Visit their website at: www.7stepmarketingplan.com
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