Psst…want to know Marketing’s best kept secret?

Now onto Marketing in the Branding vs. Marketing blog series

Recap: Marketing is what you do once your brand is established and ready for promotion out in the world.

I want to focus this particular post in the series on the small business. While bigger businesses can benefit from the lesson in this post, it’s the small business owners who really need to take note.

You’re not alone.

As a small business owner, typically there isn’t a deep pocket set aside for marketing the business. That’s very normal.

Side note: I do counsel my small business owners on setting aside a percentage of their profits just for marketing initiatives, but most often, that percentage is quite variable. That is also normal.

What does that mean? As a small business owner, you need to make sure you are doing something to get the word out about your business, product and/or service. There are a few marketing tactics in a marketing plan that can be done for free or for cheap. The question is: Which one is best for you and your business? More on that in the next post.

What you do “do” matters… a lot!

What it means is… especially in the early days of a newer business, reputation is everything. Building a good and strong reputation is the key to building a good business. The good news? If you do good things and do good business and treat your customers well, that is one of the best ways of marketing your business. Your customers, in turn, will rave about you, quite possibly review you online, but more importantly, become loyal brand ambassadors. They will help you get the word out about your delicious sandwiches, incredible service, or the thoughtful way you’re thanking them for their patronage.

Being good is the start. Doing good means everything.

Homework- Take a step back and look at ways you can really put your best foot forward in your business. Whether its customer appreciations, a little extra cookie in their lunch order, or the way you donate to a community cause, taking strides to build a brand that is reputable and worthy of their time and money again and again, is something you really need to focus on.

Need ideas for customer appreciation? I can help. Email me now and let’s make it happen.