Here are some marketing mistakes to avoid.
Poorly Written Copy
Spending a few thousand dollars to place an ad in the newspaper or to start an email marketing campaign is a huge waste of money if that copy is not well-written.
This doesn’t only mean that all of the grammar and spelling is correct. It also means that the copy is going to be compelling to the people that you need to compel, your target market.
Failing to Clearly Identify Your Target Market
Some small business owners do not even bother to identify their target market before beginning their marketing efforts.
This is a huge mistake as the money you spend could be wasted. Once you figure out who your target market is then you need to develop a plan to reach that portion of the population.
For example, if you’re selling pet products you need to target pet owners. Ask yourself what medium would be best for reaching that particular target audience.
Not Addressing the Needs of Customers and Potential Customers
Some copy goes on and on about how great the product or service is, but it fails to address why customers may need that product or service.
You should include in the copy the need or want that you are going to fill with your product or service.
Let’s use a heating and cooling company as an example. Instead of, “We have the best systems at the best prices installed with the best service” consider “Tired of high energy bills? Can’t keep your house cool or warm enough? We have systems that can lower your heating and cooling bills by up to 20% and can keep your home at a consistent temperature.”
The second ad speaks directly to the needs and wants of consumers, such as a comfortable home and lower energy bills.
Skimping on Marketing
While it is true that small business owners need to watch every dime, marketing is not the best place to skimp.
You should cut back on expenses that are not directly related to increasing revenue. While it might seem like a good idea to slash your marketing or advertising budget, the bottom line could suffer for it.
Even if you need to make cuts, do all you can to leave some room in the budget for marketing and advertising.
Failing to Deliver
The best well-written copy placed in all of the right places will not mean a thing if you fail to deliver on the promises made.
A customer who responds to your ad is not going to be happy if the promises in that ad are not kept. You should consider outstanding customer service to be an important part of your marketing plan rather than something separate from it.
One of the best ways to keep customers coming back is, obviously, to keep them happy. If you provide excellent service, most customers are going to stay with you even if someone is offering a similar product or service a little cheaper.
Great customer service is some of the best marketing there is.
Don’t make these marketing mistakes. Instead, identify the marketing problems in your small business, and work diligently to correct them.
