5 Ways Small Businesses Get Their Marketing Tactics Wrong

With all of the marketing resources out there in the big business world, it shouldn’t be a difficult thing to get right, however, a small business owner or anybody who is in charge of a company with many moving parts can find themselves misinformed about marketing in many ways. Let’s show you some approaches where you could fall foul of your marketing and what you can do about them. 

Going In Without a Plan

Amazingly, many businesses don’t communicate what their strategies are in their heads. Communication is the most crucial component of any part of the business, from motivation to marketing. Therefore it is vital to have a plan. 

A marketing plan covers a number of crucial components, for example, your budgets, your metrics, analytics, and your target audience. There are many external resources that can help such as the Aperitif digital marketing agency but we have to remember that a plan is something we should develop because we need to have a specific vision for the future. 

Not Understanding the Right Tools

The right tools in marketing are invaluable. When we look at the variety of tools out there we can believe that perfect promotion is only one click away. But you will need to address what your individual goals are, only then can you utilise the right tools. One of the most crucial tools in business is analytics. Marketing analytics will help you to understand the efficacy of your campaign and will ensure that you can recognise key performance indicators (KPIs). 

KPIs come in many different forms, for example, traffic or conversion rates. To ensure that things are progressing effectively, you must take the time to assess if you are setting in the right direction. It’s amazing how many companies put something in place but don’t actually bother to check if they are doing it right until the marketing campaign has ventured dangerously off course. 

Targeting the Wrong Market

Businesses that are just starting out need to develop a buyer persona. When you have a clear vision of the type of person that will purchase your product or service you’ve got a better understanding of what it takes to appeal to them. Many businesses make the cardinal sin of targeting a broad market or target the wrong types of people, for example, those that either can’t afford the services or just aren’t interested. 

The best thing you can do as a new business would be to look at your closest competitor. Your competitors are either someone who offers a similar type of service or some company that is going to be your direct competition in your industry, and both can give you insight into who you should be promoting your products for. 

Ignoring Your Competitors

The biggest mistake many new businesses make is being incredibly insular in their approach. Focusing inwards is effective to an extent because you are investing back into the company and ensuring you are diligent in turning your organisation into a unique entity. However, when you ignore the competition you are not getting insight into what things are working. 

The best way to look at your competitors is to spy on their external communications, such as their social media platform and their website. The most effective tool you can use is a SWOT analysis. When you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you will understand yourself better and also ensure that you can beat the competition. 

You Do Not Focus on Brand Awareness

To promote yourself effectively you have to understand thyself. Many business owners focus on marketing activities that are at the bottom of the funnel, like purchases, they do not focus enough on developing their brand, which establishes credibility and, more importantly, trust. 

Brand awareness is not just about your iconography but it’s your PR, how you work with influencers, and also how you engage with customers on social media. 

Every time you post on social media this is the perfect opportunity to develop your brand voice and inform your ideal customer that you can meet their needs. 

Marketing is is a tool that will help your business develop a better future and this is why you don’t just put all your efforts into one component, but realise that marketing is an entity with many moving parts. There are many ways that businesses can get marketing wrong, but in order to get it right, it comes from a modicum of understanding yourself and your customers, but also utilising which tools can turn the ship around.