Published : 3 years ago, on 01/02/2022

By Melitta Campbell  

Having worked in marketing for close to three decades, I’ve consistently noticed that the most impactful marketing – for both businesses and their prospects – is simple!

This is already good news for small business owners. But the better news is that they have some powerful advantages over their corporate cousins.

Before I show you how to use this advantage, I’d like you to understand one thing: marketing is about more than just promotion, it’s about putting customer insight and understanding at the heart of every decision you make. Do this, and your entire operation will be wired to delight your customers, drive revenue and lower costs.

Sound good? Here are five ways to maximise your small business advantage….

1. Deepen your Customer Understanding

You can never know your customers too well. Explore who your ideal clients are, along with their biggest concerns and aspirations.

If you don’t already have this information, ask them! Your clients will love the demonstration that you care and will value the opportunity to share their feedback and ideas with you.

When you focus resources on your best clients, you can save considerable cost. And happy customers are by far the best form of marketing.

2. Make it Personal

Use your customer insights to create a marketing approach that feels personal.

Explore ways you can simplify their life or help them take a step towards their goals though information, an experience, or a mini product. Aim for something that’s easy and low-cost to deliver, and gives your prospect a taste of what it’s like to work with you.

3. Nurture your clients

Staying in touch with clients and prospects builds trust, keeps clients loyal and prospects interested. It also provides you with multiple ways to deepen your relationship over time.

4. Focus on the small things

It’s often the smallest things make the biggest difference. This is true of your marketing too. A sales mentor once introduced me the concept of TNTs: the ‘Tiny Noticeable Things’ you do that show your customers that you value them. TNTs can be very small and simple, but very powerful!

Take this example. My daughters always ask to go to the same restaurant. Why? Because, while I get a chocolate with my coffee everywhere we eat, only one restaurant thinks to give them a chocolate each too! Such a tiny detail, but it makes them feel special.

5. Create Value-Adding Partnerships

Partnering with other companies can be a highly effective marketing strategy for small business owners. It keeps costs low, allows you to cross-refer each other’s services and it’s fun!

Look for partners with the same values as you, and who offer complementary services of benefit to your ideal clients.

Now you understand your marketing advantage, I want to share one disadvantage. With limited resources, marketing can become overwhelming. To avoid this, remember that the best marketing is simple, but significant.  Focus on two or three meaningful strategies that you enjoy and enhance the client experience, and you’ll soon have a clients lining up to work with you.

About the Author:

Melitta Campbell is an award-winning business coach who is passionate about helping service businesses to master their marketing so they can have a bigger impact on the world. Melitta also the best-selling author of A Shy Girl’s Guide to Networking, and hosts the Driven Female Entrepreneur podcast.