Mediaboss Marketing

Often it starts with a passion. And someone wanting to turn that passion into a profession.

For many entrepreneurs the gap in the market that they can see drives them on to set up that business that 'cannot fail'.

But when the initial spurt of enthusiasm gives way to a day-to-day grind, corners start being cut and the slide downwards can begin.

So how can SMEs avoid this? Here's five top tips from Larry Anderson Consultants that can stop this in its tracks.

As Mark Zuckerberg states in movie The Social Network when asked if Facebook is finished, "It won't be finished, the way fashion won't be finished." The same can be said for training.

Most small businesses spend a week training new staff then send them on their way. This is not the way. It is import to ensure all staff has a continuous training plan, allowing them to sharpen existing skills and teach what they know to others.

The biggest challenges to this are time and cost. The easiest way round this is building training into your team's job description. Make it a requirement to learn a new skill every month or every 90 days.

Too much of marketing today is just noise. Marketing is not about broadcasting your specials or telling about all the shiny awards you have won.

The effective marketing strategy should accomplish three things: educate, persuade and cause someone to take action.

Make full use of your website, and have a good grasp on SEO (search engine optimisation) and Social Media. Don't shy away from your traditional media, such as newspapers and radio.

Most importantly, be direct with your customers, but make sure your message is well crafted to avoid it looking like spamming, and be sure to follow-up effectively.

Everyone in your company has a role to play in the sales department.

The issue is how many people look at the role of the sales person, with many imagining your typical used car dealer. The reality is today's successful sales people don't do a lot of selling. Instead, they ask questions, listen well and match solutions to problems.

It is important for your sales rep to be able to engage people in a conversion about needs, usage and expectations. The sales person of today is more of a match maker than a smooth talker.

The real differentiator is the ability to listen. When a customer feels listened to, they feel like they matter. You want your customers to feel welcome, at ease and connected.

Your brand is your soul. It's your essence; the reason you exist. It is the reflection of who you truly are and at the same time, it allows your customers to see something of themselves in your brand.

Every touch point you have with your customers is part of your brand experience. From your advertising, to your website, to your site and to your products.

When you take the time to get clear about who you are, what you want to serve and what experience you deliver, your next step is to make sure everyone in the company is living your brand promise everyday.

You should always encourage mistakes. Sounds crazy right? But we do our best learning just after we've fallen flat on our face.

However, don't confuse sloppiness for mistakes. Sloppy is when we don't do what we know we should do. Mistakes are when we try new ideas, push forward and don't have the information available, or proper skill sets, we don't fully achieve sucess.

There is a big difference! Please make sure you have a culture based on chasing greatness and not living with mediocrity. The learning is in the doing, and so is success.

Read the original here:
Five things every small business owner should know right now - insider.co.uk