Effective Marketing Strategies

Small, non-franchise business owners require business marketing strategies that work and that are cost effective. In the case of the franchise owner, most marketing ploys come from corporate headquarters and are already pre-packaged and pre-approved. They are also, in many cases, very expensive and "cookie cutter" in composition. To do anything outside those approved parameters could constitute a legal violation and even raise the possibility of losing the franchise altogether. With rising costs in every sector of commerce life, it becomes a necessity for the independent owner to not only be an expert in the area of chosen service, but now be at least savvy if not a guru in the ever changing world of effective marketing strategies.

How does the owner of a small, newly established coffee shop for instance, a lifelong dream that finally comes to fruition, market the best coffee and pastries in town? With competition from the big players' shadows perpetually hanging over this new, tiny but feisty player in the game, what sort of advertising will make a big entry splash into the local coffee shop market to drive initial customers into the store? In this owner's case, the wise decision was made early in the development stage to reserve a sizable amount of first year expense outlay for what is hoped to be effective marketing strategies. The advertising plan must be within budget and in order to be so must be produced by the owner. While this owner's marketing plan will be a drop in the proverbial ocean in comparison to a large conglomerate's business marketing strategies that must change with every new challenge from competitors, many of the same principles remain identical.

First and foremost, effective marketing strategies are solidly relationship focused. This small business owner decided early on that every effort would be made to personalize every customer's visit. In this case, meeting each new customer meant a smile and an introduction of his name, which in turn led to a name given back. A list was made of all names and a corresponding physical description which was memorized in the evening of the same day while it was still fresh. Instead of being just a face in long lines at the monster coffee franchises, a name greeting for most customers became a trademark for this owner. In large corporations, relationship building has become the foundation for business marketing strategies also. One can remember the television ad from 15 years ago where a manager in a large corporation admits to losing customers because all business was being conducted by fax, and subsequently passes out airline tickets to all sales staff to go and meet with those former customers face to face to reestablish those lost relationships.

Experts in the field of 21st century marketing emphatically insist that effective marketing strategies include a mix of media offerings to be optimally successful in driving new business. In large corporations, these media offerings would include internet advertising, emails, pod casting, print media, event occurrences and broadcast ads. But in each case, if the marketing is not personalized, effectiveness is cut by up to 66%. Generic ads, global emails or internet promotions that all potential customers receive are generally discarded quickly or never opened. According to some sources, when personalized information is used seven times in a print or internet communication, effectiveness in response increases three fold.

A fundamental error that small business owners make in formulating business marketing strategies is to omit setting specific goals for evaluating the effectiveness of publicity campaigns. Often a nebulous, dreamy vision of a lobby full of anxious customers with fists full of dollars to spend quickly and repeatedly is the only thought in mind. Goals must be specific and measurable in order to gain a sense of real success or failure. A measurable goal for promotional campaigns can then be shared by all employees, making it a truly collective effort. It is a business axiom that when goals are shared, understood and accepted by all in an organization, as well as a mission statement, a higher degree of success will follow.

In the case of the coffee shop owner who is about to open for the first time, the demand to have business marketing strategies that are truly effectual and economical are centered around a media mix that would be cost effective with a keen eye on remembering that relationships are key to success. The owner began several weeks before opening to visit all the businesses in a half mile radius with free samples of coffee in tow and coupons for baked goods and other products. In addition, the handshake and procuring of names was already in place, making for a warm welcome on opening day. To add to the media mix, the marketing budget allowed the purchase of a software program that would reproduce the owner's exact handwriting, allowing for attractive invitations to be sent to hundreds of residents with a half-mile radius of the store's location. Finally, roads were dotted with ground sign posters in several directions to announce the store's opening. The owner had accomplished a media mix of personal production.

Effective marketing strategies begin with common sense. "Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge;but he that hateth reproof is brutish." (Proverbs 12:1) The question must be asked repeatedly, "What does personal knowledge teach?" The media approaches that are most effective with family and friends are the approaches that will be effectual for grabbing the heart of targeted customers. In addition, maintaining good customer data is essential in understanding habits, preferences and trends.