6 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid When Promoting Your Business

June 20, 2012

There are entrepreneurs who formulate comprehensive plans and devise elaborate strategies when pursuing their business objectives; and then there are those who are unplanned and simply rely on luck and chance.

While luck may work well for a business in the short run, a cleverly devised marketing and promotion strategy is an essential prerequisite to its long-term sustainability and growth.

Here are six common marketing mistakes that business planners and strategists make when promoting their business:

1. Lack of defined objectives – A businesses without clear well-defined objectives is akin to a traveler without a goal. A business’ failure to set realistic, measurable and achievable goals and milestones only reiterates its lack of planning and this eventually causes disarray as the workforce would have little idea of what their joint efforts are aimed at achieving.

2. Knowing your consumer – Many a time, businesses give little consideration to evolving market trends and changing preferences and tastes of the consumer. This is perhaps the worst mistake that a business can consciously make. When a business has little idea of what the consumer wants, it will naturally be as unsure on what to produce for them. Consequently, it may fail to identify its own market niche and target the wrong market as a result.

3. Not testing – A business will inevitably be plagued by dwindling sales and shrinking market share if it fails to test sales copy and market segments with regular split testing routines. This can eventually translate into monetary losses and wastage of time and resources. On the other hand, by testing ad copies as well as marketing promotions, or by simply placing 2 ads for a product in the same marketing platform, businesses are able to learn which of the two ads is more useful.

4. Not budgeting: Budgeting is always an important consideration for a business as it helps to maintain healthy cashflows. Unfortunately, inept budgeting or the complete lack of it constitutes the most common marketing mistakes that businesses make and this invariably leads to a shortfall of money for critical marketing and advertising ventures.

5. Surrendering without a fight – Chance only favors those who court her. Marketing promotions are often consciously driven to failure because of a lack of patience and strong will power. Giving up too soon is seldom the right thing for a business, particularly when success waits around the turn. It is also imperative to allow promotions some time since they take some time to achieve results.

6. Poor sales copy – An effective and encouraging sales page is a major sales multiplier whereas businesses that devise unprofessional ad copies end up seriously compromising on sales. This is because it is the sales page that eventually determines the interest of a consumer in a business. A business has little chance of selling its products and services effectively to consumers if its marketing strategy endorses poorly devised and inefficient sales copies.

Tim has been blogging about marketing and branding issues for over 3 years. He has been working as a branding specialist distributing logo t shirt.  http://www.customgear.com.au

5 Comments | budgeting, Marketing | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Gary Simning

How To Use Social Media When Launching Your Store

June 4, 2012

When you launch a new business or a new store – it can be difficult in the first few weeks. Getting a regular customer base takes time and it can be difficult to ensure that everyone knows about your new store and what you’re offering. A great way of giving yourself a head start though, is to use social media in the promotional process and to target locals using social media.

Using Facebook

If you set up a Facebook page for your store then why not introduce yourselves on Facebook using the already existing community pages. Most towns and villages will have a community page, so post on their wall introducing your business and perhaps giving away a promotional code they can use in store. It’s a great way of getting the word out too. Try and introduce yourselves on a few different community groups so the maximum amount of people are getting the message and being informed about your new store.

Using twitter

Twitter is another great social networking site that you can use to promote your business. Start following people that work and live around the local area. Introduce yourself with a brief tweet and don’t be afraid to have some friendly conversation with them. If you’re a coffee shop – offer them a free cup of joe if they come in and introduce themselves. You can also use hashtags to your advantage here too – making sure that you hastag your local area’s name or postcode in any updates or promotional deals. Get talking to other businesses in the local area too and network with them via twitter! The more connections you make the better!

Using Pinterest

If you are opening a clothes shop or a hair dressers or anything else with products – you could open a Pinterest account and upload photographs of your products to the sharing network. It’s a great idea for getting your shop name out and around town.

Remember over time – to continue using the social networks too. If you have a new product in store one day then why not announce it on your social networking sites? If you build up a big enough following then this will really be beneficial. You could also do small weekly promotions via your social networks too – such as a discount code or BOGOF offer code. People love feeling rewarded and by offering them online deals to collect in-store you can really encourage them to stay loyal to your store and to keep popping by.

This article was provided by Elle-Rose, a Social Media manager for Lomito and XXPress PCR. Helping people use social media for business purposes!

Leave a Comment » | Getting Started, Marketing, Timing | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Gary Simning

How To Use Social Media When Launching Your Storefront

May 28, 2012

When you launch a new business or a new store – it can be difficult in the first few weeks. Getting a regular customer base takes time and it can be difficult to make sure that everyone knows about your new store and what you’re offering. A great way of giving yourself a head start though, is to use social media in the promotional process and to target locals using social media.

Using Facebook

If you set up a Facebook page for your store then why not introduce yourselves on Facebook using the already existing community pages. Most towns and villages will have a community page, so post on their wall introducing your business and perhaps giving away a promotional code they can use in store. It’s a great way of getting the word out too. Try and introduce yourselves on a few different community groups so the greatest number of people are getting the message and being informed about your new store.

Using twitter

Twitter is another great social networking site that you can use to promote your business. Start following people who work and live around the local area. Introduce yourself with a brief tweet and don’t be afraid to have some friendly conversation with them. If you’re a coffee shop – offer them a free cup of joe if they come in and introduce themselves. You can also use hashtags to your advantage here too – making sure that you hashtag your local area’s name or postcode in any updates or promotional deals. Get talking to other businesses in the local area too and network with them via twitter! The more connections you make the better!

Using Pinterest

If you are opening a clothing shop or a hair dressers or anything else with products – you could open a Pinterest account and upload photographs of your products to the sharing network. It’s a great idea for getting your shop name out and around town.

Remember over time – to continue using the social networks too. If you have a new product in store one day then why not announce it on your social networking sites? If you build up a big enough following then this will really be beneficial. You could also do small weekly promotions via your social networks too – such as a discount code or BOGOF offer code. People love feeling rewarded and by offering them online deals to collect in-store you can really encourage them to stay loyal to your store and to keep popping by.

This article was provided by Elle-Rose, a Social Media manager for Lomito and XXPress PCR. Helping people use social media for business purposes!

Leave a Comment » | Marketing | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Gary Simning

Marketing Ideas You Can Use For Start Ups

March 12, 2012

For the small retail or restaurant start up getting known and your message out is always challenging. Here are some ideas that work.

Gmail – MARKETING MONDAY: Chipotle Is Using This Unconventional Marketing Strategy To Take The Nation By Storm – garysimning@gmail.com.

Leave a Comment » | Marketing, Retail, Target Customer | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Gary Simning

5 Innovative Business Promotional Ideas

December 12, 2011

Are you looking for a ground-breaking marketing strategy to promote your business?

If yes, you are not alone, everybody else wants to climb the corporate ladder as well. Substantial and effectual marketing has always been the primary subject for many businesses. It has become more intricate as the number of marketing channels have outgrown in contrast to the customers available.

For example, a customer searching for a printing press over the Internet might never be able to find you because there are scores of them as well with successful business promotion campaigns. Likewise, a promotional email from a nearby restaurant might be ignored, despite offering a coupon. Similar promotional offers from two different businesses might never be able to garner the same customer appreciation because of old-fashioned marketing strategies.

So, what are the secret ingredients to those innovative business promotional plans? Unfortunately, there are no push-button promotional ideas that will straightaway drive a vast stream of customers into your business. Use multiple creative ideas to execute a successful marketing plan.

1. Set up A Professional Business Profile: Make a professional social networking profile for your business on Facebook, Twitter Google and LinkedIn. Ensure that each profile includes a link to your website. If you meet a prospective customer and they lose your contact information, your Internet profile will serve great benefits.

2. Take up Your Space on Google Places: Google Places are not only meant for retail stores or restaurant establishments. It will enable your potential customers to find you easily upon searching. For example, if a potential customer searches for your business on Google places, many place profiles will appear on the result page. It might also be possible that your business place doesn’t turn up on the first page of the results. However, it is beneficial for your business.

3. Write Informative and Promotional Articles: It is also very valuable to write promotional and informative articles for the product or service you offer. Upload some of them on the business website and distribute others to article directories and websites. Mention a brief author box and include your website link as well.

4. Ask For More Referrals: In addition to asking your present clients to refer your business further, reach out to the professionals in your business. Professionals in a particular field are a great way to gain some expert advice, as well as, set up more professional contacts and new customers.

5. Build a “Running” Website: There have been many instances when customers reach a business over their social networking profiles where there are no activities by the owners. This is a huge turnoff for the customers as they take it as very unprofessional and non-serious. This also results in appearing the least on search engine results. Greater activity leads to increased traffic and more customers.If you have been in the business for a long time and have not employed any marketing strategy yet, pay attention to it now.

Guest Post by Tim Brown. Tim Brown helps businesses with their promotional activities.

2 Comments | Marketing | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Gary Simning

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