Running a small business requires wearing multiple hats, from managing operations to serving customers. Amidst these responsibilities, marketing often gets overlooked or undervalued. However, investing in marketing is not just an expense—it’s an essential tool for propelling your business forward. Here are just a few of the compelling reasons why small businesses should invest in marketing and consider hiring an external marketing manager to handle the tasks, leaving you to get on with the critical areas of your business that only you do best.
The Value of Marketing for Small Businesses:
- 1. Visibility and Brand Awareness: Marketing puts your business in the spotlight. It ensures that your target audience knows who you are, what you do, and why you stand out. By consistently promoting your brand, you establish a strong presence in the minds of potential customers.
- 2. Attracting New Customers: Effective marketing strategies attract new customers who might not have otherwise discovered your business. Engaging content, compelling visuals, and strategic campaigns capture the attention of your target audience, driving them to explore your products or services.
- 3. Building Credibility: A well-crafted marketing campaign positions you as an expert in your field. When you share valuable insights and helpful information through content marketing, social media, and other platforms, you build credibility and trust with your audience.
- 4. Customer Engagement and Loyalty: Regular interaction through social media, email campaigns, and other channels keeps your existing customers engaged. This engagement leads to customer loyalty, repeat business, and even referrals as satisfied customers spread the word about your offerings.
- 5. Adapting to Change: In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, marketing keeps you adaptable. With the right strategies, you can pivot your approach to align with changing market trends and consumer preferences.
Why Hire a Marketing Manager:
Marketing professionals possess the knowledge and experience needed to create effective strategies. They stay updated on the latest industry trends, tools, and techniques, ensuring your business benefits from the most current and relevant practices.
As a business owner, your time is precious. Handing off marketing tasks to an external manager allows you to concentrate on core business operations, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. And, saves you a whole load of stress and time that you would be best focussing on other critical areas of the business.
An external marketing manager brings a fresh and unbiased perspective to your business. They can identify areas for improvement and recommend strategies you might not have considered. Sometimes it is easy to be blind to some opportunities, and you can lose the ability to look at your business from an external viewpoint. This is 100% understandable! But, a fresh pair of eyes can spot new ways to promote your business and highlight areas that may be losing you potential customers to your competitors. Oh, and you can suddenly find yourself invigorated again and excited about the new opportunities and ideas that are generated. Let’s face it, we all get a bit stagnant with our businesses at times!
Consistency is key in marketing, but being consistent when you are juggling every other possible business role going, keeping clients happy, doing the accounts, managing staff and being hands-on in all areas, not to mention trying to actually have a life outside of work too, being consistent with your marketing or social media is just highly unlikely to happen! An external marketing manager ensures that your marketing efforts are executed consistently, with measurable goals and accountability for results.
Obviously hiring a marketing manager involves an investment, but, it can be more cost-effective than attempting to manage marketing in-house. You avoid the expenses associated with hiring and training a full-time employee (plus you need someone that knows what they are doing, you don’t have time to train and manage them do you!), and you gain access to a team of experts without the overhead.
It’s a great idea hiring a marketing manager, but I have no budget…we hear you!
Investing in marketing is a decision that can yield substantial returns for your small business. It’s a powerful tool that elevates your brand, attracts customers, and builds lasting relationships. By enlisting the help of an external marketing manager, you tap into a wealth of expertise and resources, enabling you to navigate the complexities of marketing with confidence.
But, money doesn’t grow on trees does it, fear not. There is usually something that can be done with the smallest of budgets. The key is to look at the business, the opportunities and then assign your budget to where it can create the most impact.
Then, you can start investing more (even fractionally) in the next area of your plan!
Little steps can achieve great things. And, you have to start somewhere!
So whether you have a budget of £50 or £500 there will be something that can be done to move your marketing in the right direction.
EXAMPLE of a 3 month marketing plan.
Month 1: Laying the Foundation.
You may feel like research is a waste of your money as in itself it won’t generate any new revenue. But this is critical to the success of your marketing. From website content, social media posts, advertising campaigns, promotional literature and more. The information you gather here will be used time and time again. Making your ongoing marketing efforts inexplicably easier and hugely more effective… and if they aren’t going to be effective you really will waste your money. Get the foundations ready and you are in a fantastic position to reach, connect, engage and sell to your target audience.
Step 1: Keyword and Market Research
Effective marketing begins with a clear understanding of your target audience and industry trends. By investing in keyword and market research, you can identify the phrases potential customers use to find services like yours. This knowledge will help you optimise your website content and online presence to attract more relevant traffic.
Step 2: Website and Social Media Audit
Your online presence is often the first interaction customers have with your business. A website and social media audit will highlight areas for improvement, ensuring your digital platforms effectively convey your brand and offerings. This step enhances user experience and increases the likelihood of converting visitors into customers.
Month 2: Crafting Your Strategy
Step 1: Content Marketing Strategy
Now that you have a solid foundation, it’s time to build a content marketing strategy. This involves determining the type of content your target audience finds valuable, such as blog posts, videos, or infographics. Creating relevant and engaging content establishes your expertise in the field and fosters trust with potential customers.
Step 2: 90-Day Social Media Strategy
Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience. Developing a 90-day social media strategy allows you to plan and schedule posts in advance, ensuring consistent and meaningful engagement. Regular updates keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage followers to share your content, extending your reach.
Month 3: Bringing Your Strategy to Life
Step 1: Content Creation
Incorporate your content marketing strategy into action by creating a comprehensive piece of content, such as a detailed article. This main article can be broken down into smaller sections to form the basis for social media graphics, infographics, and shorter posts across various platforms.
Step 2: Social Media Channel Posts
Use the segmented content to populate your social media channels with regular posts. These posts should offer value, whether it’s sharing tips, answering common questions, or showcasing your work. Engaging content boosts your online presence, attracts new followers, and fosters a sense of community around your brand.
Real-World Example: For a Plumber
Let’s apply this three-month marketing plan to a plumber, a common small business:
Month 1:
– Keyword and market research to identify common plumbing-related search terms.
– Audit the plumbing business’s website and social media profiles for improvements.
Month 2:
– Develop a content marketing strategy focusing on plumbing tips, maintenance guides, and frequently asked questions.
– Craft a 90-day social media plan, including posts about DIY plumbing fixes, customer testimonials, and behind-the-scenes glimpses.
Month 3:
– Create a comprehensive article titled “Top 10 Plumbing Tips Every Homeowner Should Know.”
– Break down the article into social media graphics, short videos demonstrating basic plumbing fixes, and Instagram stories highlighting recent successful projects.
If your budget allows then these activities could be condensed and completed in month one. A smaller budget just means you will still reach the end of the race but at a slightly slower speed. Don’t forget, you can always pick up speed later when your budget allows!
Why Small Businesses Should Invest In Marketing
Marketing is not just an additional task; it’s a fundamental aspect of business growth. By investing even a small budget per month into marketing efforts, you can expand your reach, attract new customers, and foster loyalty among your existing clientele. Following a structured plan like the one outlined above, tailored to your business needs, can help you navigate the world of marketing efficiently and effectively. Remember, a small investment in marketing now can lead to significant gains in the future.
Interested in finding out how a marketing manager could help your business? Let’s chat…Ps. It’s free for a chat!