Some common mistakes and 10 tips to help business owners make their marketing work.

1. Making Marketing Work for Small Businesses
For a lot of small businesses, marketing doesn’t work . . . or so they’d have us believe.
Some small business owners have found marketing so frustrating they even claim to have
dispensed with it completely. In truth they restrict their marketing effort to a few basics,
probably a web site, and looking for referrals in one way or another. This is fine as far as it
goes, but probably isn't enough. When these business owners splash out on another
marketing activity, they are quickly disappointed when it doesn’t result in immediate new
customers.
Ten top tips for making marketing work for small businesses. Actually, the first four tips are
really the most common mistakes small businesses often make with their marketing, but I
am disguising them as tips:
1. Accept this as a truth – there is no magic bullet, no single miracle activity that is going
to accelerate your business into the big time. Even those that appear to have struck lucky
have normally worked hard to create the opportunity.
In truth, there are very few marketing activities that are good at winning new customers
straight off. Some activities are about the bigger picture. They are designed to raise
awareness or educate your likely customers so that they 'get' what you are about. Other
forms of marketing will be good for building your reputation. If any of these activities wins
you an immediate new customer it’s definitely a bonus. So don't be disheartened, just
remember what the bigger picture is.
2. Small business owners rarely have the inclination to research, or invest in, something
that takes time to get off the ground and start producing results. Especially if it is unknown
territory. As a result, many small business owners stick to what they feel comfortable with,
whether networking, referrals, or just opening the shop door. If you are unwilling or unable
to go beyond your comfort zone get some support to help you. If necessary, create a
watertight brief and pay someone else to do it.
3. Small business owners are at the mercy of well-intentioned advice. Someone raves
about the latest buzz that works for them and other business owners fear they might be
missing an instant return, that miracle marketing activity again. What works for one small
business doesn't always work for another, but lack of time and marketing experience plays
to the 'give it a go' advice of others. You know your business best.
Catherine Doel , Henmore Marketing, 01335 289075.

2. 4. Most small business owners don’t follow a plan. They do a marketing activity and
quickly lose heart when they don’t get the results they’re looking for. They raise some
awareness, for example, and then never move on to the next step and, say, suggest a trial
purchase. They abandon what they've achieved so far and move onto something else or
revert to old habits. Marketing is a process and needs persistence to follow through to get
the desired result.
Here are some ways that small businesses can address marketing to make it work better:
5. Plan a series of activities to suit the business requirements (rather than your comfort
zone).
All businesses have to put in place marketing activities to support all phases of the sales
cycle. Being 'open for business' is not enough, whether literally turning the sign on your
high street shop or metaphorically as you sit in your office. The notion that ‘having a
website’ is the answer to all your marketing is short sighted. You have to get your message
out there and generate interest. And then you have to put in place ways to make sure that
most expressions of interest do actually turn into sales. Everything you do with that in mind
counts as marketing. And so does everything you do and say to customers who have
already bought from you, because you either need them to buy again or support your work
in finding someone else who will. Get planning!
6. Set objectives - be sure exactly what each activity is designed to achieve (and whether
an immediate sales is feasible or not). Manage your own expectations.
7. Complete the series of activities (and if you are tempted by another idea, consider it in
the light of your existing marketing objectives).
8. Be wary of the latest fad, it can be time-consuming to evaluate even so-called ‘low-cost
no cost’ marketing tools. If you are going to blog, twitter and do online networking be clear
exactly where this fits into your plan. There is a lot of noise about these tools at the
moment, meanwhile people’s letter boxes, for example, are empty . . . a personal note
posted to your target A list prospect might be a lot quicker and more effective. There are
fashions in marketing and some of them will work for your business and some of them will
be distractions. Stick to your plan.
9. Evaluate the result of each activity against the desired result for that step along the way
to the bigger picture (adjust if required, or abandon and replace if truly necessary).
So here’s the 10th idea – an activity that will take you an hour or two. I would like your
feedback if you do it . . .
10. Try identifying all the phases of your sales and marketing process, right through to
concluded customer, and make sure you are communicating clearly at each phase. Jot
them all down and list all the marketing communications you are and aren’t doing in support
of each phase. Is there room for improvement? I work on the basis there are at least 5
Catherine Doel , Henmore Marketing, 01335 289075.

3. steps to presenting your product to your target audiences and a further 7 steps from
selection, through purchase and product usage, to the conclusion of not being a customer
anymore, for whatever reason. These vary from business to business so analyse your
operation and see if you can identify at least a dozen phases. You’ll be amazed by how
much marketing you are doing, and possibly quite fazed by the enormity of the challenge
you face. I have a programme you can join if you want to do this in good company.
Marketing done well, works well. Who should do it?
Successful businesses treat marketing as one of the essential business disciplines. Well
managed businesses often engage the services of experienced marketing professionals to
support the function of marketing planning. It doesn’t matter if that person is on the payroll
or not. The day to day management and implementation of marketing tasks can also be
delegated. Successful businesses, however, never delegate the responsibility for responding
to the changing needs of the market, which is what drives business direction. This strategic
marketing should remain always a board room function. If you are a small business owner,
this should be your job.
So here’s the 11th idea, because I like to over-deliver and you are fully warmed up now.
Think of a way to test whether you are still meeting the needs of the market you are aiming
at. Do a full SWOT analysis if you can be persuaded; or just survey your customers;
research the competition; stand in the street and ask people their preferences; go mad on
Google as a minimum . . . whatever works for your business At the very least be clear what
your potential customers are buying if they are not buying from you. And be even clearer
what you need to be doing to change their minds.
Which takes us neatly back to the beginning again! Here’s what you can be doing . . .
1. Remember the bigger picture
2. Be prepared to go beyond your comfort zone
3. Know your business
4. Plan a series of activities
5. Set clear objectives
6. Complete the series of activities
7. Stick to your plan, without being distracted
8. Evaluate and adjust
9. Identify all the phases of your sales and marketing process and make sure you are
communicating clearly
10. Test whether you are still meeting the needs of the market
Catherine Doel , Henmore Marketing, 01335 289075.

4. If this is all too much may I suggest Strictly Marketing – the business development
programme which ensures business owners spend time working productively on their
marketing every month?
Catherine Doel , Henmore Marketing, 01335 289075.