Small businesses depend on solid marketing campaigns to grow. The campaigns must be budget-friendly yet still reach a large audience. However, without the proper help and marketing knowledge, many small businesses waste time and effort on ineffective marketing. Here are some common marketing mistakes small businesses make and how to avoid or fix them.ย
What Competition?
One of the biggest mistakes these businesses make when planning marketing campaigns is ignoring their competition. Many do not conduct the proper research to understand what their competitors are doing and how effective they are. This is a problem for two reasons. For one, in order to stand out from the crowd, you need to be different from the crowd. If you do not know what your competition is doing, you are doomed to repeat tired, dull ideas. Since your competitors did it first, it will look as though you are not innovative โ or, even worse, you stole an idea. This can lead your potential customers straight into the arms of your competition. Second, if your competitor is doing something that is not working, why would you want to repeat that concept? The best way to correct this problem is to stay on top of your competition. Make awareness part of your business research.
Tracking
The Internet is amazing. It allows people to reach a large community without ever leaving their home or office. It also allows those same people to see how that audience is responding to the information they are releasing to the public. Yet many small businesses never take full advantage of this feature. They blindly advertise on social media and the Internet and never look back. Instead, they wait until a person calls to see how they were found. However, tracking software is free and easy to place in the code of your online campaign. This way, you can track how your marketing campaign is working and your return on investment. Learn to use resources like Google or Facebook Analytics. Study the results and implement changes with each new campaign. Do not repeat what does not work.
Market with a Plan
When you created your business, you had a plan. You wrote it out and studied it. You set goals and put them on paper. You then shared your plan with others to create your business. Yet when you set out to let others know you are in business, you no longer have a plan. You listen to others and take advice from friends and family, as if you were looking for a new couch for your den. You finally find something you think may work and pour all of your money into it, and still the phone remains silent. This is one of the most common mistakes small businesses make. Your business plan is not the same as your marketing plan. Your marketing plan needs to change with the market and adjust constantly to new and growing trends. Additionally, you need to know your budget and your goals to keep a consistent base to an ever-changing aspect of business.
The experts at Skol Marketing are happy to help you avoid these and other small business marketing mistakes. Call them at (612) 787-7565 to help develop a plan that works for you and your business.
