?> The Single Most Powerful Small Business Marketing Tool On The Planet

CashCome.com Articles Pages

Home
Articles Index
Site Map

The Single Most Powerful Small Business Marketing Tool On The Planet

?>

Download eBooks and Software

The Lotto Black Book
This Radical Approach To An Online Sales Letter Converts In The 3-5%... We've Never Seen Something Like This Since The Early Days Of 2004-2005 And I'm Sure You Haven't Either... We Convert More Than Our Competition And We Pay Out More... Try It!

How To Create An Iphone Or Ipad Apps And Games Succeed In App Store!
Discover How To Create An Iphone Or Ipad App&game And Hit Pay Dirt With It In The App Store! 60% Commission + Bonus. Awesome Member Area With Full Video Course. All You Need To Know On How To Start App Business With No Programming Skills At All!

Legit Online Jobs
Completely Redesigned For 2012! New Pricing = Higher Conversions And Lower Refunds. 24/7 Support Converts Even More Visitors Into Customers. Visit Http://www.legitonlinejobs.com/affiliates To See How Each Visitor Can Be Worth Well Over $200.


Articles > Online Business

The Single Most Powerful Small Business Marketing Tool On The Planet

 by: John Jantsch

Let me get right to the point. The single most powerful small business marketing tool on the planet is a marketing plan. Now before you roll your eyes and run for the hills let me clear a few things up.

When I talk about a marketing plan I am not referring to those academic exercises found in college marketing books, or the templated mumbo jumbo found in business planning software. I will not be asking you to determine your share of the market today. Give me a break, share of the market, most small business owners just need to figure out to get ten more customers.

A marketing plan is a simple (in many cases one page) document that specifically answers who you are, what you do, who needs it, how you plan to grab them by the throat, when you plan to do it and how you plan to pay for it…in a way that everyone in your organization, network, and client base can clearly understand.

Now that was a mouthful so let me back up a moment. Small business owners are doers, not planners. While doing is better than, say, mildewing, without direction, it leads to “marketing idea of the week” syndrome and stunts any chance a small business has for real growth.

Take one day, follow these 7 simple steps to creating the most powerful small business marketing tool on the planet, and your life will become a much simpler affair. Flowers will grow where weeds had previously resided, your children will say thank you at the top of their lungs, and your favorite baseball team will finally make that run for the pennant.

Well, maybe none of that will happen but you won’t be as irritated when it doesn’t.

Step 1: Narrow your market focus

Look at whom you are currently doing most of your business with. Figure out why they do business with you and what it is about them that is unique. Write one paragraph that describes what they look like and what they want out of life. Take a good hard look at the rest of your clients and customers and decide if they fit that description of your best client. Start saying no when the phone rings and it’s not your target market calling.

Step 2: Position your business

Figure out what it is that you do best, figure out what your target market longs for and tell the world that you do that like no one else ever thought of. Maybe it’s serving a niche, maybe it’s a form of service, maybe it’s a way you package your products. Here’s a hint: you probably don’t know what it is. Call up 3 or 4 of your clients and ask them why they buy from you.

Step 3: Core messages

Create several very compelling benefits of doing business with your firm and find ways to work them into everything you say and do. Just remember it’s not a benefit unless your clients think it is. Your clients don’t buy what you sell…they buy what they get from what you sell.

Step 4: Marketing materials

Recreate all of your marketing materials, including your website, so that they speak only of your core messages and your target market.

Step 5: Never cold call

Make sure that all of your advertising, including yellow pages, is geared to creating prospects and not customers. You must find ways to educate before you sell. Your target market needs to learn how you provide value in a way the will make them want to pay a premium for your services or products. You simply can’t do this in a 3 x 4 ad. Your ad needs to get them ask for more information…then you can proceed to selling.

Step 6: Expect referrals

You must create a referral marketing engine that systematically turns clients and referral networks into 24 hour marketing powerhouse. The first step in the system is to make providing referrals a condition of doing business with your firm.

Step 7: Live by a calendar

After you complete steps 1-6, determine what you need to do to put them into action and then schedule them on a calendar. Whatever it is that you need to pick a month and pledge to get it done that month. The mistake most small business owners make is to get overwhelmed when they realize how much they really need to.

If you can begin to schedule one or two activities each month you will look up at the end of six months and find that you have a fully developed referral system, new website, and a lead generation system. Slow and steady wins the race tortoise.

So what will have completed when by the time you read the next issue of this publication?

Copyright 2004 John Jantsch

About The Author

John Jantsch is a marketing consultant based in Kansas City, Mo. He writes frequently on real world small business marketing tactics and is the creator of “Duct Tape Marketing” a turn-key small business marketing system. Check out his blog at http://www.DuctTapeMarketing.com/weblog.php - gets these kinds of killer tips weekly by sending an email to mailto:subscribe@ducttapemarketing.com

?>


News on Online Business

McGraw University Introduces New Online Business Degree Programs to Match Employers’ Needs
McGraw University adds in new courses to the current business curriculum in order to increase the relevance to the current job market trendsArlington, TX (PRWEB) May 25, 2012 McGraw University, an accredited leading online university that has been known around the world for its improved learning services for working adults has announced that it has introduced fresh courses in its Business and ...

Raising Funds for Your Online Business: Show Me the Money!
Tax guru Barbara Weltman explains the options available for obtaining capital for your growing ecommerce business. In Part 1, she discussed the pros and cons of borrowing money (debt) vs. taking in investors (equity) - see Raising Funds for Your Online Business: Debt vs. Equity . Today, she discusses where to look for debt and equity financing and some pitfalls to avoid.

A SEO package to help build your online business
What do we offer in websites that improve SEO? Our website packages allow you to feature your business with a customizable webpage built with the latest search engine optimization (SEO) tools. Through these SEO tools, as well as coupons and special deals and premium placement in your local online directory, you can maximize online traffic to your business.

Online CRM Provider Really Simple Systems Increases Web CRM Adoption With Intelligent Data Import
LONDON, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ ---Innovative data import solution increases usability and simplicity of online CRM, web CRM and   small business CRM  system-Really Simple Systems http://www.reallysimplesystems.com/ ...

Building a multi-billion pound business online
The recent valuation of Facebook at $104bn, the purchase of Instagram (by Facebook) for a billion dollars, and even Rakuten’s investment in social network Pinterest shows that there is serious money to be made in online business.

transparent