Who Has Time for Marketing?

Who has time for marketing? I know I don’t. Seems strange that a marketing professional should say that, but I don’t. Running a business is hard work and as a small business owner, it is natural that we spend the majority of our time delivering projects and services to get the ￡￡ in, so we can eat, pay the bills etc.

As a small business owner, you wear many hats. From managing finances to overseeing operations, your daily tasks seem endless. Amid this whirlwind, marketing often falls by the wayside, dismissed as a non-essential activity. But the question is: who has time for marketing? The more pertinent question might be: who can afford not to market?

Let's break marketing down into a few simple steps…

1. Know your audience.
2. Deliver on your promise.
3. Know your reach.

Know Your Audience.

This is critical - you need to know who your products and services are appealing to. This might be bound by geography, lifestyle, product, price, competition but you need to understand your customers and what drives them to make decisions. Every day, potential customers are searching for the solutions you offer. Without a robust marketing strategy, these opportunities slip through your fingers. Marketing helps you connect with the right audience at the right time. Knowing your audience can drive your advertising, messaging and pricing strategy.

When you know your audience, you should be able to understand trends, what do they like doing? What makes their life easier? How is technology changing their habits?

There are plenty of training shoes out there for under ￡10 a pair but there are also plenty of training shoes in the market for over ￡500 a pair. Knowing your audience will help you decide which pair you are selling, which channels to use, what language to use and who you are competing against.

Deliver on Your Promise.

Keeping customers is cheaper and more effective than gaining new customers. It’s pretty simple really, deliver on your promise. Going back to thinking about expensive training shoes , as a customer you would be pretty upset if your ￡850 Balenciaga’s fell apart after being worn a couple of times. If your brand and price point scream “premium” be premium. Train your staff, listen to your customers. Also helps to know who else is offering the same solution as you - see “know your audience” above!

Creating a good, no sorry, an exceptional customer experience will ensure that you have a high rate of return business. Offer something that only needs one customer transaction, well delivering on your promise will ensure your business is referred on to other potential customers. Think of every step your customers need to take to do business with you - then eliminate them.

Know Your Reach.

Measure, talk, ask questions - how did you find us? How was it for you? What could we do better?

It took Apple 1000’s of project hours to get the packaging on their products right, creating something that is part of the overall customer experience.

Which channels work best for you? Do you REALLY need to be on all the social media platforms? Would simple “how to” videos solve a lot of customer pain points for you?

How Do You “Make Time for Marketing?”

1. Prioritise and Plan

Create a marketing plan that outlines your goals, target audience, and strategies. Break down tasks into manageable steps and prioritise them within your daily routine. Allocate specific times for marketing activities, ensuring they become an integral part of your schedule.

2. Leverage Technology

Utilise marketing automation tools to streamline your efforts. Email marketing platforms, social media schedulers, and CRM systems can save time and improve efficiency. These tools help you maintain a consistent online presence without consuming all your time.

3. Outsource

If time is a significant constraint, consider outsourcing your marketing efforts. Hiring a digital marketing consultant or agency can provide expertise and free up your time to focus on other aspects of your business. This investment often pays off in increased visibility and revenue.

Don’t know where to start? Try a marketing audit or talk to me about a monthly mentoring scheme. Every month I can give you a very manageable list of marketing “to-do’s” and kick you up the backside when you don’t do them. Think of it like a little marketing demon sitting on your shoulder, checking in every now and then to make sure you make time for marketing.

If you would like to discuss anything further or if you have comments on this article, please get in touch.