But what is marketing, really?? – PART 1
Before you can fully understand your marketing shortcomings, you first need a basic understanding of what marketing is.
Marketing is not advertising.
That is the single biggest misconception small business owners make.
Marketing is a big bubble that covers a lot of areas and advertising is just one of those – although, to be fair, they all seem pretty closely related so the misunderstanding is easy to realise.
Understanding this should prevent you from making the same mistake that many others do – thinking that a bit of advertising has the whole marketing campaign covered.
Let’s have a look at some common marketing mistakes:
1. NOT HAVING A MARKETING PLAN
Trying to sell your business without a marketing plan is like doing the groceries without a shopping list, whilst blindfolded. You could just buy random stuff and hope that it is what you need, but more than likely you are going to spend a lot of money on things that you don’t need, or perhaps you find that you already have enough of the item that you have just purchased.
A marketing plan helps you to spend money and time wisely.
A good marketing plan can be long and filled with ideas, plans, graphs, data, etc…
However, a great marketing plan can just be one paragraph.
2. BEING UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT
Your business isn’t the same as anyone else’s, there is ALWAYS something that makes you different even if you are in the same town, offer the same basic service at the same price, perhaps you are a different gender, live in a different area of town, have different hobbies, are older or younger…,
There is something that makes you and your business its own unique entity. Use it to create your unique selling proposition (USP).
Being the cheapest, or offering a better service isn’t and shouldn’t be your USP.
Find your thing…you may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you don’t need to be.
3. TRYING TO SELL TO EVERYONE
You cannot sell/cater to everyone or every type of person. Narrow down your perfect client and target them.
Your clientele/market could be the biggest businesses in town or the smallest. It might be women between the ages of 30 and 50, or it might be people that like to run.
When you target customers you understand them better, understand their problems better, offer better solutions, and ultimately do a better job.
4. UNDERESTIMATING THE POWER OF ‘WORD OF MOUTH’ MARKETING
It is this simple….word of mouth is marketing! That’s it!
Everything else you do is just an effort to do one of two things;
- Add context, credibility, or more information to what is being spoken about – for example: “Mick you have to try my mechanic, he is great, have a look at his website”.
- To get people talking…eg: “Andrew, have you seen that ad for the new Hilux, I’m so keen to test drive one.”
People are FAR more likely to listen to a friend than an advert. When you find a business or product you love, you will tell people, then you have adverts walking around for you, spreading the word, and best of all, it is free.
Don’t forget to check out Part 2!
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082 219 9703
Let’s Start
We are really excited to get started with your awesome new logo. We are just waiting for you to say hello, and we can get the ball rolling.
082 219 9703
Your logo
is your
promise
Your logo is often the first lasting impression your business gives, get this wrong and you are fighting an uphill battle from the start.
We don’t want that for your business.
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