In the case of small businesses, the number 1 marketing goal should always, but always, be sales. It doesn't matter if they are services or products. Since you run a small business, you have a limited marketing budget, and for marketing activities to make sense, they have to generate profit ( check what ROI is ). Therefore, focus on direct sales.
The marketing goal of large corporations may be to build brand awareness, but for small businesses it should be a bit different. Replicating this strategy is probably the worst thing you could do. For you, there is no better way to build brand awareness than through sales. So, determine what level of sales you want to reach in a given time and we have that point covered.
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One Page Marketing Plan
In Allan Dib's book "The 1-Page Marketing Plan" (book materials at: a simple and effective marketing plan is presented, cumulated on one page. And this is the plan I would like to present to you today.
The one-page marketing plan consists of 3 main phases that relate to the sales cycle developed by Dean Jackson:
before acquiring a customer - the potential customer does not know us yet. This is the time when we reach him with our message;
during - an interested customer (lead), with whom we have already established contact, is considering using our offer;
after the sale - the lead becomes a customer. This phase determines how the lead is treated after making a purchase.
In each of these phases we can distinguish three sections, which are:
Before acquiring a customer While After sale
target group
lead acquisition
providing world-class service
preparation of the message
nurturing relationships with leads
increasing customer value
sources of reaching potential customers
sales conversion
arranging and stimulating the acquisition of referrals
Now let's go through each of these sections together and discuss them: why they are important and why they should be included in your marketing plan.
1. Target group
If you go for too general a target group with a small marketing budget, you will probably fail miserably. How to become a big fish in a small pond? Find a niche, a narrow specialization in which you can dominate.
For example: you open an online store for women's clothing. Your products, their prices, or the way you serve them are no different from the offers of hundreds of other similar stores. By focusing on selling women's blouses, dresses, or pants through popular advertising channels, you are competing with large discount stores that have a wider selection, more trust, better pricing and return conditions. They also have a much larger advertising budget, so it can't work.
That's why you need to find a niche. In this particular case, it could be women's clothing, in non-standard sizes, or ecological clothing, from sustainable production. This is a narrowed group, in which there is still room for you, which will make starting easier. As the company grows, you can gradually expand it to other niches and thus expand the target group.
Who is your customer?
Answer the question of who the customer is that you want to vk database reach with your message. This will allow you to step into the shoes of a potential customer and understand them better.
Example: Local coffee shop in Warsaw
You can buy regular coffee in any supermarket. So focus on selling coffee for real connoisseurs, specialty coffee. High-quality products from different corners of the world, freshly roasted in craft coffee roasteries. Don't forget about the equipment - there are plenty of coffee brewing techniques, your customers will definitely want to try them out.
Target group: Coffee lovers from Warsaw (and primarily from your neighborhood) who highly value the unique taste of this drink. They are aged 25+. They value product quality over price. They know about coffee (at least a little), they are eager to learn something new about the products, or try a new coffee directly in the store.
2. Drafting the message
Now that you know who you are addressing, it is time to develop an advertising message that is understandable to the recipients. Put your value propositions in words that will best reach your target group. Make sure that the message is not boring, stand out from the crowd with a message that is not a template.
To do this, you first need to define a unique selling proposition (USP), something that sets your offer apart from the competition and will convince potential customers to choose you. Remember that "the highest quality product" or "high level of customer service" are values that the customer expects as standard. So find something that will make a difference. To make it easier to find a unique selling proposition, answer two questions :
Why should they buy?
Why should they buy from me?
You probably can't afford to play only with price. Instead, make your offer unique and not comparable to the competition 1:1. Offer more than just a product.
Example: Advertising materials printing house
Basically, such a printing house is required to provide high-quality printing of advertising materials, preferably at the lowest price. In order to stop being perceived only as a manufacturer and salesperson, offer something more. A customer who comes to a printing house does not want to have a business card or a banner, but the effect resulting from their use. A unique sales proposition could be an audit of the customer's needs, based on which you will determine which prints the customer needs and can help achieve their goal. Additionally, this audit can be free, but only for customers who will ultimately use your services. In this way, the perception of your business will change and you will become a trusted advisor from a printer.
Keep your unique selling proposition condensed and to the point, ideally in 30 seconds. Focus on the problem you solve, not your business.
Create an offer
Now it's time to create an offer that your customer won't be able to resist. Here are a few points that should not be missing from it:
Value Unique value from your purchase.
Tongue The language of the offer is adapted to the target group.
Reason Justify why you do what you do.
Increase in value Add bonuses, freebies.
Selling at a higher price Propose complementary services and products on which you have a better margin.
Installment plan If you are selling a more expensive product this is an absolute must.
Guarantee Increase transaction security.
Deficiency Limit the number and duration of promotions that will call to action.
Product or service name
Sometimes when I come across a client's website that is interested in your offer, I have a hard time figuring out what they actually do and what their offer is about. Try to call your products and services by their names, using the language of your customers. The more technical and complicated the service you provide, the more important this is.
3. Sources of reaching potential customers
These are the types of advertising that you will use to reach your target group. Both offline and online. Popular internet marketing channels include website positioning (SEO), paid campaigns in the search engine and Google advertising network ( Google ADS ), advertising in social media, and mailing. I have described the most popular of them in detail in the article on internet advertising . You will also find information there about how they work and in what business they can be successful. I suggest you choose the ones that in your opinion or in the opinion of a marketing consultant are most likely to work. Then test each of them, ultimately focusing on those that work best.
