SMB Marketing-Planning

If you haven’t thought about it yet, even the smallest of businesses can improve their brand awareness with a small amount of sweat equity.  I am referring to the everyday bakery, florist, plumber, etc., whether you have 1 shop or several shops, you have a brand and with it is your responsibility opportunity to create awareness and help grow your business. 

Some key questions to ask yourself:

• Have you sat down recently and thought about a plan?
• Where are most of your business referrals coming from?
• How do you measure your growth opportunity?

This is just a short list, of course, as there are many more follow-on questions to create the whole picture.  If you can take a few minutes a day and answer these questions, you will start to see your future formula of success, but, it will take additional thinking and processing to devise your next plan.

I bring these up for the SMBs because I know you wear many hats during the day, and your day is never just 8-5.  This is not going to lead you down a path of advertising $s necessary for your business.  It actually will introduce you to the notion of online marketing you can manage yourself.

First step is asking yourself about your website.  Do you have one yet?  When did you last update it?  What are you doing with it?  Are you communicating a message to drive people to it?  How are you communicating your message?  What happens when people find your website (Do you use web analytics?)

If you can say yes to all the above, that’s great, keep doing it.  If not, then its time to look at your current marketing model and see where you can improve it. 

Next steps are revising your marketing plan.  Are you using a blog such as WordPress or Blogger?  Are you tapped into Twitterto promote your business AND engage with potential customers?  Transparency is and will be key to driving consumers to your business, whether you are a BtB or a BtC.  If you are offering advice/help, pointing people to solutions(maybe not even yours), then a consumer will remember you.  In todays economic environment, consumer is king when it comes to spending their money, and it is NOT just about the cheapest price.  Its actually about trust.  A consumer who is opening their wallet for a coffee, pipe fitting, floral basket for the significant other, is more willing to spend their money in your store if they trust you and your BRAND.  This is your time to take action, gain credibility and retain your business. 

Doing all of these now will not only help you weather the current storm, but, give you the edge and growth factors when our communities climb out from this economy.

I hope these suggestions help in someway for businesses who are in a floundering mode right now.  There are actions you can take to improve your situation.  If you need more, feel free to ask.

Matt Nees

www.stickitcommunications.com

matt@stickitcommunications.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/smbguru

Now what…?

Hi everyone,

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. 

I have been watching the Internet world the past several days, on Twitter, Facebook, as well as blogs.  Honestly, I have stayed away from the news outlets to keep out of the ‘Hyper’ media light that is going ’round due to the economy, large businesses making job cuts and just the constant drone of dread and fear.  Times are questionable right now, we all know that.  But, I keep asking myself, “What else could we have done to avoid/prepare?”

Its not the easiest question to answer.  And there is not one, single reason you can point to.  As I kept thinking of the question, it made me turn to more of what some businesses could do to protect themselves today.  My thoughts based on experiences and my opinions of what constitutes sound business decisions

For Small Businesses, one of the first things you should be asking/telling yourself is how can we re-prioritize/re-focus on our business?  This economic downturn wreaks havoc on large enterprises and presents a lot, and I emphasize A LOT of great opportunities for small businesses.  You have the flexibility to attract new customers, provide excellent customer service to clients who have been treated with status quo ‘processes’ of getting projects done for them.  Now is the time to shine, blow off the dust from your Business Plan, update it, especially the Marketing Plan section, and begin to execute new marketing ideas.  Have you jumped into the Social Media sandbox yet?  You should.  Take the time to educate yourself on some of the top social mediums out there, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, even Facebook.  Get your presence out there, gain a following, and you will extend your previous geographic boundaries to new clientele.  They are out there, and they are just waiting for you to contact them.

For the Large Enterprises, it is time to re-evaluate why/how you became so bloated and cumbersome.  But, don’t look down at the worker bees, look at the strategic players who set the course of gluttony.  I am not knocking big business, its just a fact that resting on your laurels will come back to bite you.  Its time to re-invent and re-invest what you have, not just flush the toilet and say, “we need to start over, sorry about that.”  Instead, own up to your mistakes, take the hit in the gut, but, learn from it and come back stronger.  Too many enterprises have accepted defeat due to stock prices, profit margins and begin to play the blame game.  Its PR 101 time.  And using one of my old Intel euphemisms, “Lets polish this turd ’til it shines,’ is just a duck and cover my a** move used by many high levels. 

Enterprises now have a chance to learn/re-learn what it takes to be a fast moving, agile player on the field by watching how SMB’s create their game plan and execute. 

Until next time, may your thoughts become actions and may your failures become key learnings of success.  Here is to the opportunities in 2009.

Matt

My Thoughts – Local Auto Dealers

With the Big 3 Automakers begging the Federal Government for funds to stay away from bankruptcy for at least another quarter, there is brewing a larger mass of businesses shuttering their doors, or at least trying every cost-cutting idea to not shut their doors…the local auto dealers.  

I had the opportunity to talk to a few of the owners and staff to hear their side of the bleak story.  Its not good.  Some had continued down a path of growth expectations and poured their money into expansions of brick and mortar from 2007 into 2008 plans.  Their cash reserves have been emptied as consumers have stopped buying newer cars.  I know what you are thinking, that’s not new to us.  But, the biggest ‘A-ha’ I came across was what the heck are they doing to market themselves?  Did you know that your typical auto dealer has several revenue streams, aside from selling cars?  Think about the Parts and Service you use when you take your car in for warranty work.  Did you know those 2 business models are where car dealers generally make money, as in profits?  They don’t just provide a $30 oil change for free because they can.  They provide parts and services to automechanic shops throughout their general area.  On top of that, their ability to be an Aftermarket Parts Dealer is such a profit-advantage to them they didn’t realize the  bag of money they were holding.  Now for the fun part…

These auto dealers have, I repeat, have (not had), an opportunity to reach out beyond their local geographic region with their Aftermarket Parts and sell to a wider customer segment they never had before.  How many of you have a Mopar aftermarket part on your car?  You can’t buy directly from Mopar, you have to buy from a dealer.  Did you know that the following ‘dealer’ is a local Auto Dealer Parts shop acting as the reseller?  Check them out:  http://www.moparpartsamerica.com/  What do you think of the website?  Not too bad, but, the title says ’America’, yet their messaging says local car dealer.  And how are they marketing to their customer?  Using google adword buys at ~ $3-500/day.  Are they part of an online forum?  No.  Do they monitor car forums?  No.  Are they going to jump on this bandwagon before it rolls right over them?  I hope so…

I am trying to lead them down a path of digital modernization to get them to see the light.  There are local jobs at stake here, and this ‘Parts’ business is a very profitable revenue stream. 

Now, I know they have many other business issues to deal with as the owners continue to lose a lot of $/month from all their dealerships.  In fact, the last 2-3 weekends in a row, they have actually sold more new cars than they ever have in a weekend, even during the frivolous days when everyone had jobs and money(you remember those times, don’t you?).  Selling enough cars can save the overall corporation if it turnsaround consistently, but, I believe those days are still a long ways away.  In the meantime, they need to relook at their business models, re-evaluate how they are doing business and how they are marketing to their customers, current and new.  Digital highway marketing can lead them down the successful path if they are smart and pay attention.

‘Til next time,

SMBGuru

Matt