What is marketing? Why is it important? What can it do for your business?
In simple terms, marketing is how you sell your product or service. It's any way that customers come into contact with your business. It's not as simple as putting an ad in a magazine and waiting for the sales to take off, though. Think strategy! Research, timing and creativity are all essential for developing a successful marketing plan.
It's my belief that when an entrepreneur creates a product to sell, that it should be marketed in a way that allows them to feel the most passionate. I believe in making true connections with people, maintaining relationships, and getting the most out of networking. There are many different ways to present a product, but I believe that most people, upon starting a business, have a vision of what they want it to be and how they want it to be presented to the world and that this vision should be followed to a T to achieve maximum results. The best way is the way you are most passionate about. Stay true to product, your market, and yourself.
While a business plan (and I know you have one of those written....right? Right??) explains what your business does, your marketing plan explains how you're going to do it. Any way that your customers or potential customers interact with your business is a way of marketing, from the colors in your logo, to the placement of your advertisements and the thank you cards that you send them after they buy something.
Not sure where to start? Trouble getting those creativity juices flowing? Does the thought of writing out a marketing map bore you to tears? Stay tuned because I'm currently working on some freebies that make it easier for small business owners to map out their own personalized marketing plan.
If you're looking for something more (extra creative juices, brand development, stellar strategies) feel free book a marketing session with me and we can work together on a plan that is best for you and your products. Feel free to send me an email!
