{"id":1033,"date":"2009-08-07T10:09:48","date_gmt":"2009-08-07T15:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/37d57f8fa2.nxcli.io\/blog\/?p=1033"},"modified":"2009-09-25T10:20:43","modified_gmt":"2009-09-25T15:20:43","slug":"7-rules-to-small-business-marketing-you-need-to-understand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketingforsuccess.com\/blog\/small-business-marketing\/7-rules-to-small-business-marketing-you-need-to-understand\/","title":{"rendered":"Break These 7 Marketing Rules At Your Own Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"

The other day here in Calgary where I live, I was out walking my dog and noticed a Parking Officer giving my neighbour a fine for having his camping trailer parked on the street.<\/p>\n

What was the mistake this friend of mine made?<\/p>\n

Either he didn\u2019t know the laws around parking a trailer on the street for extended periods of time, or he was ignoring it. While it only cost him $150 in fines, if you don\u2019t know the rules (or ignore them) in business it\u2019s far costlier. On the other hand, if you stick to the following basic rules of marketing, you\u2019ll avoid losing money, and instead be on the road to success.<\/p>\n

Just follow these 7 rules of small business marketing<\/a>:<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s not your brand or your logo that sells; it\u2019s solving a problem for your customer.<\/strong> Most small businesses invest thousands on their professional \u201clook\u201d without any thought (or investment) in how they can help solve their customers\u2019 problems. If you think about the WIIFM (what\u2019s in it for me) rule for marketing\u2026 you can see why a logo means little to your customers.\u00a0 Help them solve a nagging problem\u2026 and you have a friend for life.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To get a prospect to become a buyer, use a compelling offer<\/a>.<\/strong> The first thing you need is an in-depth understanding of what exactly your prospect wants.\u00a0 Guessing doesn\u2019t work in the marketing world. Then make sure the targeted offer is front and center in your promotions.\u00a0 Headlines are perfect to show them you understand their innermost wants, needs and desires. Next, make sure you cover all the intimate details and benefits they get with their offer. Show them ample amounts of proof that you deliver what you promise, and that others in their shoes got the results you promise.\u00a0 Give them a solid reason to act right now\u2026 and guarantee<\/a> that your product or service will deliver.\u00a0 The longer the guarantee the more compelling the offer.\u00a0 Make it so compelling that there is literally no risk on their side, you carry the risk and must deliver or they get their money back.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Each marketing campaign<\/a> you launch needs a minimum of 3 steps to succeed.<\/strong> When communicating with your clients and prospects, you must send at least 3 different pieces to them in order to call it a properly designed campaign. In the day of email spam, deliverability issues, and the sheer volume of competition in your inbox (or mailbox)\u2026 you need to be consistent in your communication to get them to read it.\u00a0 Each of the messages can and should cover one of the main benefits you are offering.\u00a0 Having multiple messages also allows you to cover off multiple objections you get from prospects.\u00a0 Last, people need reassurance and seeing different points of view on your offer is a great way to drop their buyers\u2019 resistance that can cost you the sale.<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Avoid cutesy sayings and vague one-liners that say and do nothing<\/strong> that take you closer to goal #1.<\/strong> Again, a cute radio ad is useless if it doesn\u2019t generate you leads or make you money.\u00a0 Sometimes people get lucky and find a great tag line, but that alone won\u2019t make you successful.\u00a0 You must back it up with solid marketing and exposure to those prospects that are most likely to buy.<\/p>\n

5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Personal marketing<\/a> is far more powerful than impersonal marketing.<\/strong> Don\u2019t hide the fact that you are a real live person, like most business owners do. They try and mask the size of their company… pretending to be a big corporate behemoth.\u00a0 Putting your face and personality front and center in all your marketing will do more for your sales than anything else you do.<\/p>\n

6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Effective advertising<\/a> is interruptive.<\/strong> It stops your ideal customer in their tracks and literally forces them to start reading your materials.\u00a0 Be realistic to yourself here\u2026 the ads you run, the website you have: do they stop your ideal prospect in their tracks and literally force them to read more on what you are doing?<\/p>\n

7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tracking your advertising campaigns is the only way to know whether it is working, or not.<\/strong> Most business owners do not understand where, exactly, their leads come from.\u00a0 Or at which point in the sales cycle<\/a> does a prospect typically turn to a buyer.\u00a0 Or which ad version works best\u2026 or in which paper, on which site, etc.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t track your marketing effort you have no clue what is working or not\u2026 so how can you keep doing what is working and stop doing what isn\u2019t?\u00a0 You can\u2019t!\u00a0 Testing and measuring is the only way.<\/p>\n

You know at least 7 rules to keep you safe and avoid expensive mistakes. Use the above 7 marketing rules to keep your business safe and headed where you want to go.<\/p>\n

– Troy White<\/em>
\n\u201cTurning Your Words Into Wealth\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About Troy White<\/a><\/strong>
\nRelated Resources<\/strong><\/a>
\nMore Posts by Troy White<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

To discover the easy and inexpensive ways anyone can attract more clients and maximize their profits<\/span>, sign up for your <\/strong>FREE <\/a><\/strong>Profit Now <\/a><\/strong>Report<\/a>. <\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\"Reblog<\/a>