Power Marketing in 2021
As we begin a month on power marketing, let’s spend some time getting on the same page, making sure we are talking the same language. For many of us, who have started our businesses without a degree in economics or an MBA in business, it’s a murky topic and we may be dreading what power marketing may require. For others of us, the lines between marketing and advertising have gotten blurred over time. And for some of us, who spend all our time wearing five hats, it’s an ethereal concept almost alien to our brains. Who has time to worry about it? You had better make time, because this is the perfect time to grow your business!
Let me tell you a little story. One arm of my business lies in writing Christian children’s literature. Since this is the age of information, it should be an easy field to break into, right? Wrong! Wannabe authors line the parade route of every king of publishing and the rate of accepted new manuscripts by traditional publishing houses is, give or take a few points, around 10%, dependent on the genre. It takes a whole lot of pixie dust to get your manuscript into a publisher’s hands. Hence the rise of indie publishing. The marketplace has exploded with new authors bypassing traditional publishing houses to self-publish their works…but they are not traditionally accepted by stores like Barnes & Noble, so aspiring authors found a new set of hurdles they had to jump in order to be successful: how to get their books into children’s hands.
Advertising and marketing are hot lectures at every indie conference. The nuances of indie publishing releases are not the same as the demands of brick and mortar businesses, but some concepts transcend all platforms. Many of us in more traditional businesses can relate to the dilemma of indie authors and can profit from some of that crossover. We open our shops with grand hopes of success, and after the initial rush of loyal friends, find ourselves trying to survive with a trickle of interest. COVID scares caused many a spreadsheet to take a nosedive. The quest to lure more customers is one every business owner must master to survive.
Some put their money into advertising, others into marketing, and some dabble in both. What is the difference? Advertising is money spent on an impersonal campaign to drive bodies to your business. An advertisement often focuses on a promotion or other method of enticing people to check out your business.
What is marketing? Marketing employs a set of planned behaviors which target specific people who will be interested in your product or message, and while it may include some advertising, broadens the effort into other forms of communication, i.e. things like emails, Facebook posts, boosting brand recognition, public relations and customer training. It recognizes that business comes from word of mouth and happy customers as well as from an ad in the local paper.
A somewhat lengthy article that described the differences was published in ebizuniverse. It traced the genesis of the movement to the Microsoft release of Windows 95. It was a global initiative, but was highlighted by publicity stunts like bathing the Empire State Building in Windows 95 colors or painting their logo on sports fields throughout England. The public response proved phenomenal. Other businesses learned from their success, and marketing became almost more important than advertising.
Now let’s look at marketing for small businesses. You are not without an arsenal.
Begin with making sure you have a memorable logo or name or characteristic.
Splash it around. The Chamber can help you with that! We have ribbon cuttings and host dinners and a Facebook page to acquaint your business with the public.
Take advantage of free ways to advertise: Facebook posts and blogs are the cheapest form of advertising. Instead of funneling all your budget into a 50-word ad with limited circulation, splash your business into a medium without limitations.
Target your business locally. There is an emphasis on buying local, take advantage of it.
Think outside the box. Bring a consultant onboard to find new ways to reach customers.
During the rest of this month, we are going to look at immersive marketing, car versus foot traffic and your digital footprint. Plan out a year of savvy marketing as we proceed and be a turnaround specialist. All of us have suffered from the blahs of 2020, but we don’t have to remain there. Let’s move forward with a dash of power marketing.