Sometimes it can be difficult to see the wood from the trees when you are trying to market your own business.  Effective marketing is essential to attract new prospects to your business and it needn’t be that complicated! 

1.       Take a look at how your customers see you

It may seem obvious but have you taken time out to see things from your customers’ perspective?  Try putting yourself in your customers’ shoes for a moment and ask yourself the following questions.  Why would someone come to you in the first place; what exactly are they looking for?  Then ask yourself, does your product or service really answer all their needs?  And, most importantly, are you showing them how it does?  Chances are, you probably are telling them in some shape or form, but could you do this more effectively, and if so how?

Let’s imagine your business is a plumbing service.  So, customers may come to you to get their boiler or pipes fixed, and, yes, you are answering that functional need; ‘I fix boilers and pipes’ states your ad in the local paper.  But, let’s take a closer look.  Mrs Smith wants her boiler fixed but she’s a bit worried about getting this done because she knows someone who had a bad experience with a plumber who charged over the odds, was unreliable and delivered a poor quality job.  So, as well as conveying the functional message ‘I fix boilers and pipes’, in order to win Mrs Smith over, you need to convey the emotional message ‘I am trustworthy and charge a fair price’. 

2.       Show how you can meet your customers’ functional and emotional needs

Having identified both the functional and emotional needs of your customers, you need to show how you can meet them.  In the case of the plumber, for example, the following would be a good communication strategy to adopt; 

• Be open and transparent about your rates and explain how your estimation service works.
• Tell people about any industry recognised endorsements or standards you have been awarded.
• Share positive customer feedback and testimonials.
• Where possible show photographs of previous work.

 All the above are likely to engage new prospects more fully and help to alleviate any worries or concerns they may have.  Once you have agreed your strategy and approach, you can decide on the most effective medium for communicating this. 

3.       Choose effective communication channels

This requires a dual approach; firstly, thinking about things from your customers’ perspective and getting your chosen message to them through the channels that they are most likely to use and respond to.  Secondly, you will need to consider the cost of using each channel and the likely return on investment for any promotion you undertake.   For each business the communication channels will be different, and each business may have multiple target audiences, each of whom who will respond differently.   

Example communication channels

• Telephone directories
• Local press
• Direct mail
• Web site
• Online marketing
• Radio

 Let’s go back to the plumber and Mrs Smith.  How is Mrs Smith most likely to choose or find you?  She may ask friends or relatives for recommendations.  She may look in her local phone directory, or search online.  She may do all of these!  You need to make sure you have all bases covered and that your message is consistent throughout.  Also, bear in mind that certain channels lend themselves better than others to communicating your chosen strategy.  In the case of the plumber and Mrs Smith an advert in the local paper or telephone directory can convey some of the required message, but this is likely to be limited by the cost of the space.  The plumber is unlikely to take out a full page advert to include customer feedback, testimonials, photos of previous work etc.  Much more cost effective to take out a smaller advert referring to a website where the detailed information can be held. 

Food for thought that will make a real difference!  How does it apply to you?