Whether you are new to business ownership or you have a few years of experience, everyone needs to continue to market their business to help grow their bottom line. Here are five marketing mistakes to avoid so you can get your marketing plans kick start your marketing plan.
- Ignoring your competition.
Do you know exactly who your competition is? Finding out is a great place to start. Do some research to figure out who in town is your biggest competitor based on services and product offering. Once you have a better understanding of your competition, keep an eye on them! Check their website or their social media pages regularly so you know what they’re doing. Be on the lookout for new services or seasonal promotions.
- Not capitalizing on what makes you different.
Once you know who your competition is, you need to understand what sets you apart from them. Even if you have similar offerings to the guy down the road, there’s something that makes your company unique. You aren’t exactly like anyone else out there—so figure out what that is, and use it to market to your audience.
- Trying to sell to everyone.
When you’re looking for new customers, who do you target? Having a plan of your ideal customer helps you strategically go after prospective clients. Understand the type of client you’d like to have, and go out and find them. This will also help you know how to talk to them and promote your services.
- A fear of social media.
Social media is an affordable, effective method of promoting your business and services. But if you haven’t ever used social media for business purposes before, it may seem a little scary. In Ewing’s Social Media for Landscapers series, you can learn how to set up social media profiles, develop a strategy and advertise on social media. You can also set up a free Hootsuite account to manage your social media pages and “listen” to your competition by monitoring their social media too.
- No reviews or testimonials.
Asking people to post a quick review on Yelp or Facebook might seem like you’re fishing for compliments, but many businesses do this! Word of mouth marketing is free, and many people prefer to hire businesses their friends or family recommend. After you’ve provided someone excellent customer service, ask if they can take a couple of minutes to go online and share their experience. A quick review can go a long way!
Help others learn from your mistakes or triumphs by sharing any marketing or business lessons you’ve learned in the comments below!
