Avoiding These Marketing Mistakes

Sometimes It’s All About What NOT To Do

“No matter what your product is, you are ultimately in the education business. Your customers need to be constantly educated about the many advantages of doing business with you, trained to use your products more effectively, and taught how to make never-ending improvement in their lives.” –Robert G. Allen

Every business, regardless of what it sells, is in the business of marketing. If you’re not selling your business, your business isn’t selling. And sometimes success in marketing comes in knowing what not to do. Here are five marketing mistakes to avoid this upcoming year:

1.Become distracted

Does this sound familiar? A husband, bless his soul, has an interesting approach to DIY projects around the house. First he goes shopping and buys lots of new tools. Next he sets up shop, getting tools out and prepping the area. Then he circles the project in question a few times, cocking his head from side to side in a very manly way. Then he goes and watches football for the rest of the day and those in the home spend the next few months stepping over the unfinished project.

Granted, all that preparation might be necessary, but it doesn’t accomplish the objective at hand. The same applies to marketing. You can buy countless how-to books, go to lots of seminars, and have an articulate marketing plan, but unless you act on it you will not be doing any marketing at all. Don’t let yourself get distracted. Focus on the task at hand, wave the fear aside, and market.

2. Expect your business to sell itself.

Word-of-mouth marketing can work in your favor, but the last thing you should do is sit on your haunches and expect the business to sell itself. Regardless of how fabulous your product might be, you still need to let people know what you’re selling in order to get them through your door. Allen Bostrum, author of In the Black and president of UAC, says the first principle in making your business more profitable is to remember that nothing happens until you make a sale. While positive thinking may improve your outlook, it doesn’t make for a good marketing executive. Bottom line: in order for your business to be profitable, you must market your products and services.

3. Avoid defining a target market.

Every business owner would like to think that anyone with a pulse would love their product. The truth is you can’t hit a target unless you know what it is; you may want to appeal to everyone, but for marketing to be successful you have to aim for a specific audience. Trying to fulfill everyone’s needs is impossible, but if you’ve defined a target market, it becomes much easier to anticipate those needs and promote your services. Recognize that your market can expand and evolve, but you have to start someone; define your market now.

4. Focus all your efforts on getting new clients, rather than marketing to current or previous clients

Often business owners get so wrapped up in attracting new clients that they forget how important it is to retain current and previous clients. Keeping current clients happy is key; it’s less costly than finding new clients to replace them, and they represent a significant income stream. Be sure you have excellent customer service and continually question how you can meet more of their needs; then tell them about how you can meet more of their needs.

5. Reinvent the marketing wheel

I’ve heard it said that there are really only about 10 conflicts authors write about in their novels; the key is in trying to make them sound new. Marketing works the same way; there are key strategies businesses pick and choose from. And thank heavens — you went into business because you’re good at preparing taxes, not because you want to create new and inventive marketing strategies. You don’t have to; you just have to make current marketing strategies work for you. Don’t waste time trying to come up with a promotion no one has heard of before. Pick a promotion that would appeal to your target market and make it work for your business.

UAC Can Show You Marketing Strategies that Do Work
Universal Accounting Center knows what marketing strategies do work for the small to mid-size business. For just $9.95 you can purchase the DVD “The Art and Science of Getting Clients” which shows you how to grow your business $30,000 to $125,000 per year; that’s quite a return on your investment. Don’t wait another day to learn more about what you should do in order to successfully market your business. Visit Universal Accounting Center today!