What are some common marketing mistakes that small businesses make?

As someone who has spent over 15 years in digital marketing and nearly two decades in small business, both as an entrepreneur and serving other entrepreneurs, the number one thing I see is lack of clarity on target audience. Because they don't know their target audience, they don't know what problems they solve. And because they don't know what problems they solve or for who, they aren't sure what their unique positioning is and everything they create just gets lost in the chaos of the internet. So yes, of course they need a strategy, but before they can build a strategy, then need to conduct audience research to learn who their audience is and isn't. Everything should be about their audience, not them.

I've worked with enough SMBs to encounter this often. I'd recommend either starting with a Brand specialist or working with an agency that includes Brand as part of their package. Marketers take the information from that strategy to implement and manage a campaign. Many people feel that a Marketing company should know whom to target and how to position their offer based on experience. Still, even for businesses with the same offer, it can be drastically different.

I have worked with 100+ small business owners & almost 65% of them were making these marketing mistakes :- - pumping 1000s of money without understanding which marketing channel would work best & supports the vision + mission. - Product, pricing, sales & branding is not aligned with the marketing - No clear cut objective - what do you want to achieve? Enhance your presence? Drive engagement or convert customers to generate more revenue? - Initiating marketing without understanding the target audience & what do they seek. - Marketing the product features more than the benefits & emotions that the product can fulfill. - Not assessing results on a periodical basis - not adapting to the changing environment - 0 innovation in approach.

As a business consultant, I've identified that many SMBs have their goals and value proposition laid out, but fail to define who their ideal customer is. The reason this is so important is that different marketing channels yield different types of customers. For example, in my business, performing search engine optimization or using Google Ads yields a more transactional relationship, typically bringing a smaller fee. On the other hand, direct marketing and referral relationships yield more robust client relationships. Without defining who your ideal customer is, it's nearly impossible to know if your marketing strategy aligns with your business goals!

One of the most common mistakes I've seen SBMs make is trying to be everywhere all at once.?While it's understandable that a brand needs to expand its reach, being present on every platform may not always be practical or effective, especially if it doesn't align with the overall strategy. Identifying the most active channels for your audience and focusing on those platforms is crucial to maximizing reach and growing a loyal community. This will help allocate resources more effectively and create a more targeted marketing strategy that resonates with the target audience.

Did you know that 10-20% of LinkedIn ads traffic will check out your Company Page? The only reason to do that is that they want to see if you're credible and help influence them to take the next steps with the company. Your website authority score, how user/conversion friendly the site is, your company page, etc. all establish your trust and credibility. If the website isn't great and there are no posts or followers on a company page, but your competitor's site is modern and the company page has activity, it's almost a no-brainer whom the prospect would rather spend their time with.

En los 80 o 90...si no estabas en las páginas amarillas, no existías. Hoy si no estás en Internet.... nadie te encuentra ni el GPS. Ni estás en el mapa. Ni se sabe que existes. Y si estás en internet en modo equivocado. SIN OPTIMIZACIONES..... todas las necesarias como el Seo, o la optimización para dispositivos móviles. (Simplemente no estas) Y la gente si te consigue puede que no te entienda o no te vea bien.... Se sale y busca otro que destaque en internet más que Ud. ?A poco las calificaciones de Amazon, eBay, AliExpress no son lo que hace que un producto se venda?..... ?Sabía que tener una reputación real online marca toda la diferencia?

Your website is your digital storefront. Beyond just aesthetics, ensure it's optimized for mobile, SEO, and fast loading times. Additionally, maintain consistent branding across social media platforms and actively engage with followers through relevant, timely content to build trust and authority.

Measuring your marketing results helps you see whether you're spending time in the right areas, and on the right platforms. If you're active here on LinkedIn, take advantage of the analytics they provide and use a spreadsheet to track the engagement on your posts. You can also monitor your Social Selling Index to see how well you're connecting with the right people for your business, and engaging others with insightful comments. Seeing the numbers in black and white over time helps you to course correct where needed.

Muchos de mis clientes, dicen, hacer publicidad, pero no da resultados. Cuando le pregunto como midió y cuando tiempo midió los resultados, me dicen, que no midieron los resultados porque no pueden estar detrás de eso siempre... tienen que trabajar. ?Pudiera un Mecánico hacer su propio Marketing? O el de marketing pudiera hacer de mecánico? Cierto que el mecánico puede hacerse su marketing, puede aprender y hacer de marketer.... y mientras lo hace.... quién repara los autos o asesora a sus clientes? Es solo un ejemplo: Que el marketing no son solo técnicas. Es seguimiento...y mucha estrategia. ?Sabían que un gran % negocios o empresas....no tienen un POSTVENTA y ni siquiera saben las opiniones de sus clientes? Las conoce Ud?

To truly understand your marketing’s effectiveness, set up systems that track the performance of every campaign. Google Analytics, CRM systems, and social media insights can show what’s working and what isn’t. Adjust your approach based on the metrics—continual optimization is key to long-term success. You need to know the "what" to figure out the "now what".

There's a LOT of competition in the marketplace, and if you don't have an incredibly unique offer, you must differentiate yourself. Figure out what makes you unique from your competitors and then drive that point home in your marketing/advertising.

It's vital across all business aspects to pinpoint what sets you apart from competitors. If you and your team struggle to articulate this differentiation clearly and promptly, slicing through the competitive marketing noise becomes a challenge. Identifying and refining your unique value proposition is crucial; once achieved, your marketing should zero in on highlighting these distinct qualities. Focusing on your unique aspects with a 'less is more' approach can significantly enhance your market presence and appeal. This strategy ensures your marketing resonates more effectively with your target audience, leveraging your uniqueness as a key strength.

The challenge I see not in a lack of differentiation, but in a lack of brand development, overall. As the term "brand" has been overused for the last four years, many have inaccurately stripped down to merely a logo and a website. Unfortunately, for those people, it's more than that. When we fail to accurate engage in brand development--identifying our operations, offer, targets, messaging, creative and overall identity--we leave the marketing nothing to land on or build from. For us, brand development is one way that we mitigate and eliminate hustle, stress and burnout. Because without it, many companies find themselves trying to attract anyone and effectively attracting NO ONE.

Mito o Verdad? ?Pero qué es un diferenciador? ?Un valor agregado? ?Algo que hace solo UD...de un único modo? A menos que tenga una patente registrada de su diferenciador. .... Su diferenciador puede no durar mucho. ?Y qué me dice del que lo copia? ?Es su diferenciador válido en un mercado tan competitivo? ?Qué hace que un cliente lo acepte a Ud. y no a su competidor? Realmente existe un diferenciador de marcas? Si. Lo hay, y es, casi única para cada quien, y si tiene una fórmula de protegerla, mejor, pero lo que más hace diferente su empresa o marca, de otras, es que le da Ud diferente a sus clientes... Su único verdadero diferenciador irrepetible: Es la Manera especial de como Ud sirve a otros....es su toque personal.

Standing out in a crowded market means knowing what makes your business special. Work on building a unique story around your product or service. Highlight your differentiators in your messaging, visuals, and customer experience. Consistently communicating your unique value will make your brand more memorable.

Ignoring customer feedback can result in missed opportunities and dissatisfied clients, as seen in a bakery that lost business by not offering gluten-free options. Customer feedback is essential for making informed decisions and improving offerings, like a coffee shop that saw increased satisfaction after implementing a suggestion box. Surveys, social media interactions, and CRM tools are valuable for actively listening to customers and adjusting marketing strategies accordingly. Incorporating customer input into marketing efforts can help build stronger relationships and loyalty among target audiences. Listening to customers is crucial for small businesses to stay competitive, adapt to market trends, and drive long-term success.

Your customers are a goldmine of insights. Use their feedback to refine product features and improve customer service. Engage them directly through social media or email surveys, and make changes based on their input. Show them that their voices influence the business, building loyalty and trust.

Growth comes from experimentation. Try out new platforms, content formats, and messaging. Use A/B testing for everything from email subject lines to website design. Regular experimentation helps discover what resonates with your audience while encouraging innovation and keeping your marketing fresh.

Marketing IS testing and trying different ideas and tactics to see what resonates with your audience. If you start marketing campaigns thinking you'll only try it for a couple of months and if you don't get Y results from X, you're setting yourself up for failure. Marketing should be seen as an investment and not an expense. You need to keep figuring out what grabs the interest of your prospects and ultimately gets them to convert.

One common marketing mistake that see in the laundry industry, is improper geographic targeting in their digital ads. For example, when running Facebook and Instagram ads, businesses often neglect to set a specific service area. This results in their ads being shown to people outside their service radius, leading to wasted ad spend. An example I saw the other week was when a laundry service from another state offered me a discount for the first order and I was clearly out of their service area. This wastes their marketing budget and could also create a poor interaction with that person and their brand. Hope this helps! ??????