Marketing Tips to Rev Up Your Business - Part 2

Make 2012 your year to work smart. In this second part of a two-part column, you’ll find marketing tips that could inject new life into your business despite a stale economy. Pick a few to focus on this year, or try implementing a new one each month.




Start using social media. People are changing the way they want to communicate, so you have to too. Put together a social media plan; start small, adding a new tool every quarter. Consider LinkedIn, Twitter, a blog and YouTube. FaceBook can also be utilized effectively by small business, but separate personal from business.

Leverage traditional media. You are doing ground-breaking things, and are even a hero to some of your customers. Use public relations tools like media advisories, press releases and community TV to get a little free publicity when you have something special taking place.

Review your creative efforts. Do your marketing materials look like you mean business? Spell-checked isn’t enough – they need to look great to command attention. And, your branding needs to be consistent so your messages start to look familiar to potential customers.

Outsource. Marketing is a full-time job essential to your business success. Consider that it might be time to hire a pro and/or another set of hands, particularly for specialty areas like public relations or social media.

Get active in your community. Be a part of your community. Get to know your business neighbours, your customers and local community groups in a personal way. Find volunteer opportunities within scope of the time you have, even just a couple of hours a month.

Corporate Social Responsibility is a serious phrase for something that can be really fun. Join a bowl-a-thon or sponsor a worthy organization. Be smart about it and match your target customers with those of the charity’s. But don’t do it for business, do it out of generosity of spirit.

Take a (refresher) sales workshop. Hone your skills, learn some smart tactics and shortcuts, and set achievable targets. Inspiration needs regular refreshing even for the most motivated sales person.

Consider the impact of your personal branding; in very small businesses, you are your business. The way you dress, walk, shake hands and speak all make a statement. Make sure it’s a positive one for your business.

Use 12-15 marketing tools. Flyers and business cards won’t cut it. You need 12-15 different marketing tools perpetually at work to generate the kind of traffic you need to make a profit.

Boost your budget. Benchmarking says that established businesses need to spend 4-9% of their annual sales target on marketing initiatives. (New businesses: 9-12 %.) When budgets are tight, consider zero-cost tactics like public relations and social media.

Persevere. Perseverance is an absolute must. If you give up too early, you may miss out on the success for which your business was destined.