Finding The Right Marketing Mix...

[Kevin Dervin]

What is the right mix of marketing tools for your small business?

It's common for small business owners to question what marketing tactics they should use. What marketing tools are going to give you the best bang for your buck?

Small business owners and independent professionals are bound to get plenty of advice on the matter. Those in your network of contacts with tell you all about...

... the marketing approaches they've tried in the past.

... the marketing approaches other businesses that they know have tried.

... the marketing approaches others have told them to try.

... the marketing approaches they've read about on the Internet.

So you try a little bit of this and try a little bit of that. But, what's the right mix of marketing tools for your small business?

The right mix of marketing tactics is the mix that is producing consistent results for your business. You have to be careful about implementing a bunch of marketing tools and tactics because someone else told you to give them a try.

One of the real marketing challenges small business owners face is being regular and consistent with their marketing efforts. When you're getting marketing advice and ideas from so many different directions, it can lead to more of an episodic approach to marketing. You try one thing and if it doesn't seem to be working, then you try another... and then another.

Finding the right mix of marketing tactics becomes and easier task when you've addressed some of the marketing fundamentals. A little analysis and planning goes a long way in clarifying the specific marketing approaches you should pursue for your business.

Clearly identifying your target market, the challenges they're facing, and the solutions they're looking for leads to answers. You'll better understand where you can reach your target and how they prefer to get their information.

Then you can focus on testing messages and marketing tools in order to find the right marketing mix for your small business.

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[Kevin Dervin]

Hi Chris!

Thanks for the feedback. I know a lot of businesses have seen this shift from very little online to lots of it. And there are still others wondering or maybe trying to figure out how to get something going online.

So my question to you is...

"Have the fundamentals of what makes marketing work for you changed? Or would you say it's really more the medium that's changed?"

See it's been my contention that the core, fundamental principles of great marketing will keep on working even as they mediums continue to evolve and change.

Thanks again for joining the discussion Chris.

All my Best!
Kevin

[Chris Dowell]

Great post Kevin. In twenty years of being self-employed, my marketing mix has drastically changed. Twenty years ago, my marketing mix included very little of online marketing. Now online marketing is about 85% of my marketing mix.