Business Planning is essential
Understand what marketing is
Many start ups use the terms marketing and advertising interchangeably. Advertising is only a small part of marketing as a whole and to market yourself effectively you need to decide which elements are most suited to your needs (PR, direct mail, networking etc). They all form part of your overall communication strategy and it is important to consider the validity of them all.
Think big, but not too big
You need to understand why potential customers will choose you and in doing so you can work out how to market to them effectively. As a business start-up with a limited customer base there is little point in buying the biggest advert you can afford as it will be a very scattergun approach, untargeted and likely to generate little or no response whilst taking a big chunk of your budget. Instead, identify specific prospects and use them as a launch pad for further expansion.
Keep things simple
You have to have a clear focus on who it is you are trying to sell to. Just as potential customers will screen you , you have to avoid being everything to everyone. Once you understand who your target audience is you will be able to learn what motivates them to buy products or services like yours and you can streamline your marketing to meet their needs.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Take any help that is offered or available to you. Most companies will offer free initial consultations and give you some ideas of areas to focus on and prioritise. If you are not in a position to use their services as a fee-paying client at this stage, many will give you telephone time. And of course there are many business support organisations whose primary purpose is to help start-up businesses.
Shout loudly
Make sure that the right people know you exist. Think about PR which is free and often more credible than paid advertising. They say every business has a story in them so yours could be your exciting new product or service or even your journey to starting the business.
Network
There are hundreds of business networking events taking place every month in your region. The key is to find out which would be most beneficial to you so that you are not spending half your week networking and not earning. Networking events come in all shapes and sizes, some free, some pay as you go and others on a membership basis.
Don’t reinvent the wheel
It’s more important to have something compelling to say that is relevant to your target audience and has elements that give a clear call to action than finding new ways to deliver that message to them. Always try to give your customers a reason to buy from you.
Get referrals
Word-0f-mouth is by far the cheapest and most effective method of gaining new business. Referrals are so effective because they have a high level of credibility. You have to actively encourage people to recommend your company and make sure you always deliver excellent service.
