The Most Common Small Business Marketing Mistakes 2021
To say that the world of business marketing can be overwhelming is an understatement, especially for new business owners that are only just starting to get their businesses off the ground.
However, marketing and promoting your business doesn't have to be complicated.
They say that learning from others is one of the most innovative ways to avoid making mistakes.
And this is precisely why we've put together the following article about the five most common small business mistakes.
Not Understanding Your Customers
No matter what type of business you own, there's a particular type of person most likely to buy your products or services.
This type of person is known as your ideal customer.
By understanding who your ideal customers are, business owners can make more intelligent business marketing decisions, which means that their marketing campaigns and investments will be more likely to generate a positive return on investment (ROI).
Thinking that every individual you or your company interacts with is a customer is also a giant mistake.
Remember, for the right customer, your first interaction won't always be the interaction where you make the sale.
But by understanding who your ideal customers are, you'll be able to take a more targeted approach to your initial interactions, which is the perfect opportunity to qualify your leads!
Not Analyzing Your Competitors
Aside from your target audience and customers, it's also crucial that you take the time to analyze who your direct competitors are.
You'll want to learn about both newer, up-and-coming businesses in the same industry as you, as well as the more prominent companies that are dominating your markets.
Knowing about who else is playing the same game as you is important because you learn what is already working for other businesses offering the same products or services.
You should never copy precisely what your competitors are doing.
But there's nothing that says you can't learn from their mistakes or use their marketing tactics in a way that is similar but customized to your brand and business.
Not Creating A Strategy
Lastly, small business owners' absolute worst marketing mistake is not having a plan or an overall marketing strategy.
It's great that you want to launch a Facebook page!
But your marketing strategy needs more than that!
Your strategy should be made up of what are known as SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
So rather than creating a simple goal like, "I'm going to start posting on Facebook," you should make more specific, measurable goals, such as, "I'm going to post once per day on Facebook to generate at least 500 likes by the end of the month," for example.
Rather than being vague, this type of goal is much more concise, which means that it's easier to stick to and that you'll have a better understanding of what you need to do to accomplish that goal.
Finally, it's essential to have a marketing strategy that outlines how, where, and when you'll connect with your ideal customers.
You'll need to get active by creating a website, business logos, graphics, a blog, social media profiles, and more if you want your brand to make an impact in your industry.
Small Business Marketing Mistakes
Marketing and promoting your business to the world doesn't have to be complicated or overwhelming.
Although several other aspects come into play when creating a viable business marketing strategy, not knowing your customers or competitors and not having any clearly outlined plan are the three biggest mistakes you can make!
Written by Chelsea Bryant