Marketing That Creates Momentum
When I initially meet with a client one of the first things we discuss is their “why”. Why they chose their business? How long they’ve been in business and what inspires them to keep going? Because when you start a business, passion initially becomes your short term income and inspiration. Then as your business becomes more successful, your income goals can overshadow your passion for your business.
I think most business owners would agree that when your passion for your business intersects with clients you enjoy working with (and products or services that you are proud to represent), life is pretty great. But, if you find yourself marketing your business consistently and you’re not feeling passionate about your business anymore, then it’s time to re-evaluate. Here are some things to consider when creating a marketing plan that will create the momentum that you’ve been missing:
- Is the product or service that you thought would be the most popular, actually selling? I’ve had clients who are extremely excited about what they do, but they don’t bother to ask if people need or want the service. Or if that service it relates to their targeted prospective clients daily experience. If you throw all of your marketing dollars into one service, product or sector then you are putting all your eggs in one basket. Niche marketing is good, but you need to do research to find out if anyone needs that niche fulfilled besides you. One of the things I’ve learned is that, “who you think you’re clients will be versus who they actually turn out to be is something many businesses only figure out with time and experience”. And if you pay attention by tuning into your clients needs, then gaining that experience will help your business grow for the better. Stay open to the possibilities personally and professionally of what your service/product could be and you’ll find out what your clients need.
- Is your marketing strategy evolving? For some reason, many business owners think that the products or services should be marketed the same way forever. Or they think if a product is successful in the beginning but then less successful after a year or two, then they are still compelled to sell it. Neither of these assumptions is true. Your brand or services offered do not need to be frozen in time. Your clients like it when you offer new complimentary services. They like it when your offerings and image keep up with the times. Evolving your brand and products thoughtfully could mean the difference between being a success or becoming stale.
- Do you reinvest in your brand? As an entrepreneur, you might find one thing that you’re good at and then it seems to make sense to just keep on doing it. Business owners can fall into a comfort zone regarding how they promote their business. Maybe it’s just easier to keep doing old things rather than try something new. We owe it to ourselves and our clients to save some of our marketing budgets specifically for a new medium, idea or application. If your current marketing is working for you, don’t abandon it, but use the financial success it brings to pay for some new ventures. Whether it’s joining a new networking group, trying a new advertising medium or taking a new marketing seminar, reinvest in yourself and your brand.
Diane Labazio, owns Creative Solution Consulting, a boutique firm that helps small businesses create custom marketing and sales strategy that get results. She loves what she does, and thinks every small business owner should too! Find out more about what Diane does at creativesolutionconsulting.com