Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Three Marketing Mistakes New Businesses Make....and How to Avoid Them


by Donna Sams

Starting a new business can be fun and exciting; it can also be scary and overwhelming.  Between hiring employees or sub-contractors, all of the “back of the house” needs like insurance and accounting, along with the countless other surprises that pop up when you are first starting out, it’s easy to see how marketing can be an afterthought.

That’s the first mistake.

When you finally make the decision to start your own business, one of your first priorities should be marketing.  Before you even open the doors, before meeting with your first potential client, it’s important to have a plan in place and already be implementing it.  Don’t wait until business is underway to decide on a logo or web site.  Once business starts, you will be busy enough.  Already having a logo, marketing materials, a web site, etc. will be one less thing to do during those very busy first days and will ensure that you give your marketing the time and attention it deserves.  Trying to determine how to brand your company after you are already busy running it can contribute to your branding not being the most effective.  Of course, marketing is ongoing and important to keep up after your business has started, but going in without having a firm plan implemented can spell disaster and lead to even more work (and more expense) later.

Another reason to start marketing early - it generates interest.  A few months before opening your doors, you can generate excitement for your new business by putting your best marketing foot forward.

Mistake number two made by new businesses - failure to do any tracking.  After you’ve spent your time and money on various marketing efforts, make sure to track them.  Find out how your new clients are finding out about you.  It will help determine the best way to spend your marketing dollars in the future and avoid potential waste.

Once your business is booming and things are going well, don’t forget about your marketing.  That’s mistake number three.  New businesses tend to think that once their logo is determined, their web site up and running and marketing materials purchased that they are done.  It’s important to stay at the forefront of trends and keep your marketing fresh.  The last thing you want is to be stagnant.  If you don’t have a marketing employee, it’s good to have a marketing professional you can outsource to (or even both), to help maintain your status as a  leader in your industry.

For more marketing tips or to schedule a consultation, contact us today!  You can also like us on Facebook for more tips and information.

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