I was browsing INC Magazine the other day. (a GREAT biz mag, btw!)
And I came across a short feature comparing phone Vs. text (SMS) communication for customer service.
The article offered a brief intro, outlining the differences inherent to each medium. And then posed a series of questions to two small business owners — a flooring installer and a take-out pizza chain.
Each business owner was essentially asked to defend their position, giving their two cents on why one method — phone calls or texting — was better.
But in reading each successive point and counter-point, the article began to feel completely inane.
Of course, ordering a pizza is simple. Selecting toppings is as complicated as it gets. So sure, texting is fine.
But flooring is an entirely different animal. There’s likely to be any number of questions involved. Some aspects of which are bound to be highly detailed and incredibly nuanced. Communicating all this via text would be an absolute NIGHTMARE!
No offense to INC Mag. I see what they were going for –> highlighting the pros and cons of each medium.
The article’s title, however, should have been: It All DEPENDS!
Because it was clear that each business serves different needs, and in turn, their respective customers have different expectations.
It’s a LOT Like Managing Marketing Strategies + Tactics for Professional Service Businesses…
How so?
Because the mantra here should also be… It DEEEPENDS! It DEEEPENDS! It DEEEPENDS!
C’mon, chat it with me… It DEEEPENDS! It DEEEPENDS! It DEEEPENDS!
Not sure why we’re chanting?
Nearly every day, I see yet another article touting the latest “Essential [insert marketing tactic here] For Your Small Business Marketing Success” promise.
But here’s the thing. EVERY business is DIFFERENT. So, there’s no ESSENTIAL anything for EVERY business.
Because, as our mantra states… It DEEEPENDS!
Let’s chat again, just to drive home the point… It DEEEPENDS! It DEEEPENDS! It DEEEPENDS!
In Other Words, There’s No…
“Ideal Social Media Platform for [Your] Small Business”
No… “Essential Email Marketing Guide for [Your] Small Business”
No… “Winning Digital Marketing Strategy for [Your] Small Business”
No… Well… You get the picture.
This “ideal solution” claim is exemplary of a trap that ensnares all too many small businesses, commonly known as the “shiny object syndrome.”
It’s what happens when a hot and hyped new marketing tactic seduces a business owner, like you for example, with its shiny bells and whistles.
And suddenly, you’re scurrying off to implement this new marketing tactic without considering whether it will actually benefit your business.
Yet, more often than not, this “shiny new” tactic does little more than waste your time and money.
The antidote to this time + money sapping pitfall?
Start With and Stict to a SOLID Strategy!
Which means… When it comes to marketing, whether you’re starting from the ground up or considering implementing a new tactic, you absolutely must…
-Identify your goals: What do you hope to achieve? What would “success” look like for you in this scenario?
-Create a plan: How are you going to achieve your goals? And how would implementing a new tactic help you do do?
-Identify your ideal client: Who are they? What do they want? How can you help them get it? And would this new tactic help you reach them?
-Identify your core value: What problem do you solve or need do your services fulfill? How do you communicate that to your ideal client? And moreover, how does this new tactic help you accomplish this communication goal?
-Determine the best means to reach your ideal client: With a myriad marketing tactics to choose from, what’s the best avenue (or avenues) to reach your ideal client? And does this new tactic you’re considering help your cause?
-Continually evaluate your progress: If you planned properly, you defined what success in your marketing endeavors actually looks like. So, are the tactics you’re employing helping you achieve your goals? Is the new tactic you absolutely had to jump on — the “ideal solution for [insert your business here] — actually benefiting your business? And if not, how are you going to correct course?
If you’re initiating your marketing efforts with any other approach, you’re making a uuuuuuuge mistake! A miscue that’s far more likely to waste your precious time and limited budget than legitimately grow your business.
Need Help Developing a Marketing Strategy?
Determined to grow your business, but not sure where to start? If marketing isn’t necessarily in your wheelhouse, it can be tough to get rolling.
Fortunately, I can help! Whether you’re looking for a bit of general advice, or need a hand in crafting a detailed strategy, developing a plan, and implementing tactics — I got you :—)
So, let’s chat: 310.466.7893 | ryan@ryananys.com
