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Marketing Your Small Business (Part 1)



Welcome back to Write Away, the blog for small business owners, freelancers and anybody who is thinking of starting a business and jumping into self-employment.

Today we’re going to look at marketing – a key area to enable the small business owner to get their name out there, attract new customers, and begin to build the brand, whether that be the brand of “you”, if you are a freelancer, or your business’ brand.

Marketing can be quite daunting for a new small business, but there are a huge number of resources available across the web to help you establish, and carry out, your own marketing strategy, regardless of your budget (If any!).
Here are a selection of the better tips I’ve come across, to help you get started:

Create, and refine, your elevator pitch
An elevator pitch is the term used when considering what you would say, to a complete stranger, in a lift, when they ask “So what is it you do?” – it should be succinct, last maybe eight seconds, with the objective of grabbing their attention and, hopefully, giving you a further opportunity to sell your product or service to them.
Having a killer pitch will be a great tool, and should build your confidence wen talking to others about your business.

Network, network, network
Another area that a lot of people find difficult. But this isn’t just about being I a room full of strangers at a business event, and having to pluck up the courage to go and talk to them. It is about sharing what you are doing,  and what your business does, with as many people as you can.
Most people already have a good network of friends, family or existing work colleagues – start with them – tell them about your new business or venture, ask them to tell others, give them your business cards, brochures or samples and ask them to spread the word.
Sure, there will be an element of having to grow your confidence in telling people you don’t know about your business, but your confidence, and your business, will grow as you get better at it!

It’s all about Relationships
People buy from people – an over used term if ever there was one, but still relevant. Most people, albeit subconsciously most of the time, like to use businesses they know, and have relationships with.
So take the time to get to know your customers as it is much easier to get more business from an existing customers, than it is to pick up a new one. Ask for their e:mail addresses and keep in touch with them, providing information, or offers, that they will look forward to receiving.

Offer Free Trials or Give Products Away
This may go against the grain, particularly for new businesses where every penny counts, but you need potential customers to experience your product or service, and by removing the argument or objection over price, will make achieving that goal so much easier.
This should leave them wanting more, and, if they like it, they will be much more open to becoming a paying customer.

I hope these first tips in the series prove helpful, in the next post we will look at some other strategies to help you market your small business more effectively.

Until next time……




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