Danny turned the tables on the FS360 Podcast this week when he became the host and the regular host, Gavin, was interviewed about Marketing for small-medium sized businesses. Below is their conversation. You can also listen to the conversation below on our FS360 Podcast.
Danny: Marketing seems like a broad term – what does it mean for most small-medium businesses?
Gavin: Marketing is the action, Branding is the identity
For example: Marketing can be an ad campaign in a newspaper, radio or TV – it can be a Google Ad, an article on your website, your social media, your signage, and of course your Marketing Plan (Step 10 of the FS360 process).
Branding is your businesses identity – the thing customers remember after dealing with your company.
For example: Apple is known for high quality tech products that innovate – the iPod, the iPhone etc. They aren’t known for low prices! Netflix is known for high tech and convenience at an affordable price, Aldi Supermarkets are known for low prices but not the full range, McDonalds is known for low prices and convenience.
For small – medium businesses it’s important to develop your own brand identity over time – this ‘brand identity’ is then central to all your Marketing efforts.
Danny: What is the first thing that a small business should do to get their marketing and branding going?
Gavin: Develop a solid Digital Footprint – how your business is found and identified online.
This is the first place people will go to look for a business they need.
A Digital Footprint usually encompasses:
- Google My Business listing
- Bing Business listing
- Website including SEO
- Social Media accounts/pages
Listings on other directories such as Yellow Pages or if you’re a franchisee, the head office website.
The key is to make your digital footprint consistent with what you are offering. Logo, photos, Opening Hours, services, products, your company history and experience – all should appear the same on all these platforms.
Danny: OK so if you have your digital footprint in order, and need more customers what would you recommend?
Gavin: Then it is time to advertise and actively market your business.
The options are endless from taking out a radio campaign to Google Ads to paying an influencer to use your product and tell their following about it. All can work but the trick is to find the thing that works best for your business, then stick with it over a period of time.
For example: A client of mine who run a Tractor dealership – we currently undertake website updates, listing their gear for sale on other websites, ads in country newsletters in the district , eNews to client base monthly – no newspaper, radio, TV at all. They get all the enquiry and new clients they need!
Danny: I’ve heard that it is much cheaper to turn your current clients into higher yield clients than it is to attract new clients – is that right?
Gavin: Correct – if your business is up and going and has already got a list of customers who visit to buy from you (product or service) then it can be a lot easier to communicate with them to turn them into customers who visit more often and spend more.
This is where loyalty programs come into the marketing equation. Eg. Bakers Delight ‘Dough Getters’ reward $5 for every $50 spent (that’s 10% off) but the strategy is to get people to always buy their bread from you instead of someone else.
eNews to your client-base – a cheap and easy way to email your client-base regularly. Tell them about the latest deals, new staff members, new opening hours or a community group you are sponsoring.
Offer them a reward for referring a friend / family member to your business – this can be financial or a discount.
The trick here is to collect information from every customer – name, email, mobile phone number and address if you can so then you have that detail to market to. Not too much! Then you own that information and can use it.
Danny: How does Social Media work into all this?
Gavin: There are many platforms you can use and again it depends on your business as to which ones to choose. Facebook has an older demographic – TikTok has a younger demographic. LinkedIn allows you to add links to your posts to link back to your website, Instagram does not allows links in their posts.
So you really need to understand the platform before committing to it.
The trick with Socials is the planning. It’ easy to get overwhelmed by ‘having to post something’ syndrome.
Planning on a calendar is key – most businesses do not need a post a day – a post a week might be enough to remind your customers who you are.
Danny: What is Content Creation? And why is it important for Marketing?
Gavin: Creating content is another term for writing articles, recording videos, posting on social media etc. It has become key to a lot of marketing in the current day marketplace.
Marketing used to be about broad brushstroke ads to convince you to buy or make contact for services. These days we are in the ‘trust economy’ – customers may only use you if they think you are expert, qualified, knowledgeable on the product or service.
Think AirBnB and Trip Advisor – Google Reviews and Facebook Reviews – Trust Pilot and good old Word of Mouth – there are lots of ways now that potential customers can check on your business before making contact with you or even considering your business for their custom.
Google even reward it these days in their algorithm – they want to reward those who are giving great content and establishing themselves as experts. It’s the best way to get your website to the top of the search on page 1 of Google! ~~
For more information on any of the services available at Mulcahy & Co Marketing, contact any of our friendly marketing professionals today.
