Effective Marketing Is Less Costly Than You Think
It's a mistake to not do marketing because you think it's expensive. That's especially true in today's era of Internet options.
First things first...you've got to stop spending on things that don't work and are giving you a very poor return on your investment. Items definitely include print ads, such as in magazines, newspapers and Yellow Pages. (The one exception in the modern era may still be newspaper ads by car dealers.)
Biggest problem: With print ads, you're paying for people to see them who have no interest in what you're selling (and the total number of readers is already much less than it was 10 years ago).
As you consider Internet options, keep some things in mind:
1. Don't just "throw a website up". It needs to be designed in a way that's looks professional and is not overwhelming. Focus on having it "convert", which means visitors will take the next step to become a lead or an actual customer.
Biggest problem: Letting someone who talks a technical game, but doesn't really understand marketing & sales principles. In the wrong hands, your site will look amateurish and perform poorly.
2. Local search is not just about having a website. It's about getting listed and creating a presence in many ways, and that means showing up on even more online locations.
Biggest problem: Taking your own or your staff's time to try to learn what to do and how to do it. This should be an outsource situation, just like calling a plumber or going to a car mechanic (if you are not expert in either).
3. Think through the potential for pay-per-click. This is where you run text ads on Google, Bing and Yahoo, only paying when someone clicks on them (which will bring them to your website). Be aware that you need to get your website in decent shape before you spend PPC dollars to bring more people to it.
Biggest problem: If the person managing your PPC campaign has no PPC or real marketing experience (they need to have done this exact task elsewhere & successfully), you'll be getting short-changed on the results, leaving money on the table. In some cases, you'll give up on something that might have produced for you.
4. Don't think social media is just for Dell, Cox, IBM or soft drink vendors. It can deliver strong branding value to your firm, and help you build relationships with both customers and your industry's thought leaders. It's just a labor investment, with very little other out-of-pocket expense. For companies under $20 million in revenue, this is not a full-time employee position.
Biggest problem: Companies will hire interns or entry-level personnel for this role, with the primary criteria being their familiarity with Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. That's a big mistake. The role requires experience in managing products/services, branding issues and joint marketing relationship building. It's why this is a perfect area for you to outsource, and, due to cultural issues in this environment, work with professionals who reside within your country.
Molosomar provides results oriented, cost effective, online and consulting services to small businesses (in all industries across the USA), through their lead generation team.
Craig Schwartz - Molosomar, Inc.
First things first...you've got to stop spending on things that don't work and are giving you a very poor return on your investment. Items definitely include print ads, such as in magazines, newspapers and Yellow Pages. (The one exception in the modern era may still be newspaper ads by car dealers.)
Biggest problem: With print ads, you're paying for people to see them who have no interest in what you're selling (and the total number of readers is already much less than it was 10 years ago).
As you consider Internet options, keep some things in mind:
1. Don't just "throw a website up". It needs to be designed in a way that's looks professional and is not overwhelming. Focus on having it "convert", which means visitors will take the next step to become a lead or an actual customer.
Biggest problem: Letting someone who talks a technical game, but doesn't really understand marketing & sales principles. In the wrong hands, your site will look amateurish and perform poorly.
2. Local search is not just about having a website. It's about getting listed and creating a presence in many ways, and that means showing up on even more online locations.
Biggest problem: Taking your own or your staff's time to try to learn what to do and how to do it. This should be an outsource situation, just like calling a plumber or going to a car mechanic (if you are not expert in either).
3. Think through the potential for pay-per-click. This is where you run text ads on Google, Bing and Yahoo, only paying when someone clicks on them (which will bring them to your website). Be aware that you need to get your website in decent shape before you spend PPC dollars to bring more people to it.
Biggest problem: If the person managing your PPC campaign has no PPC or real marketing experience (they need to have done this exact task elsewhere & successfully), you'll be getting short-changed on the results, leaving money on the table. In some cases, you'll give up on something that might have produced for you.
4. Don't think social media is just for Dell, Cox, IBM or soft drink vendors. It can deliver strong branding value to your firm, and help you build relationships with both customers and your industry's thought leaders. It's just a labor investment, with very little other out-of-pocket expense. For companies under $20 million in revenue, this is not a full-time employee position.
Biggest problem: Companies will hire interns or entry-level personnel for this role, with the primary criteria being their familiarity with Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. That's a big mistake. The role requires experience in managing products/services, branding issues and joint marketing relationship building. It's why this is a perfect area for you to outsource, and, due to cultural issues in this environment, work with professionals who reside within your country.
Molosomar provides results oriented, cost effective, online and consulting services to small businesses (in all industries across the USA), through their lead generation team.
Craig Schwartz - Molosomar, Inc.
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