1. Brand
1.1. A brand is much more than a logo.
1.1.1. It encompasses everything people see, hear, think and feel about your business.
1.2. Invest up-front in developing a brand that stands out from the crowd.
1.2.1. It’ll save you money and heartache in the long run.
2. Plan & Budget
2.1. Getting a plan that will support you for years to come is essential to keep you on track.
2.1.1. It doesn’t:
2.1.1.1. need to be as thick as War and Peace!
2.1.2. It does:
2.1.2.1. need to be written down
2.1.2.2. clearly communicated to your team
2.1.2.3. acted on day by day
2.1.2.3.1. even when business is booming.
3. Product or Service
3.1. Advertising your business has no point if the customers don’t want, value or love what you have to offer.
3.2. Make sure you do your research and listen to your customers before sending your product out to the market.
4. Marketing Materials
4.1. Marketing material can speak volumes about your business
4.2. e.g.
4.2.1. business card
4.2.2. sales brochure
4.2.3. sales letters
4.2.4. website
4.2.5. signage
4.2.6. uniforms
4.2.7. car decal
4.3. Make sure they look professional and appealing at all times.
5. "Elevator" Pitch
5.1. In the course of marketing your business you’ll get asked thousands of times ‘What do you do?’
5.1.1. Don’t make the mistake of boring the poor person who asked the question.
5.2. Make sure you have a fun, interesting and memorable pitch ready at all times
5.2.1. and be able to deliver it in the time it takes to travel a few floors in an elevator.
6. Website
6.1. Your website must attract attention and give value to those who visit.
6.2. Use it as a tool to retain and keep in touch with existing customers as well as for enticing new customers.
6.3. The online world can be very scary to many small-business owners, but, if you don’t embrace it, you may find yourself out of business.
7. Database
7.1. The backbone of all good marketing is about building a solid database of past, present and future customers (prospects)
7.1.1. so you can keep in touch and communicate regularly via e-newsletters, emails and phone.