TAKING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS AND BRAND TO MARKET IN AUSTRALIA
There is some good advice in that the best advertising is someone wearing the T-Shirt you’re trying to sell. What this means is that any work you do should ideally lead to word of mouth referrals.
While our world is filled with complex social platforms and technology, humans talking to humans is still a core driver of new business and the best way to get your business out there.
Every inch should be treated like a mile until you feel like you can relax, until then you’ve got to muscle up and put in the hard yards.
This guide for starting a small business in Australia covers the marketing factor in depth. And here we look to cover some of the basics such as budgets, strategy and planning and your customers. Promoting your business and brand to your target audience to grow your customer base is a fundamental part of running a business so some knowledge here will go a long way. And if you engage a brand and marketing agency like COG Branding some understanding of the terminology and functions will ensure you know where your investments are being allocated and understand what returns should be expected.
If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
A key element with taking your business to market is the planning and strategy phases, which should be done first. They are the keys to success and intelligence for your business. Your business planning and marketing strategy should consider what you want to achieve with your advertising or promotional campaigns. Ask yourself if your strategy and plan align with your brand and your business goals and objectives.
Knowing who and where your customers are is a vital element in taking your business to market. Your targeted customers and audience should be your laser focus for the first 3 to 6 months. Trying to be everything to everyone early on can have you like a dog chasing its own tail. If you’ve been in business for a while, you should have a good understanding of who your target customers are.
Either way, your targeted customers are the people who you expect will buy most of your products or services. If you’re not sure who your target customers are, then have a look at who is currently buying your products and services. Look for ways to make sure your promotional activities are reaching them.
Taking your business to market will require some for of advertising, and deciding where to advertise is complicated and will need some serious thought. Ideally your marketing plan and business strategy should determine this up front. If you’re already in business, how do your customers normally find you? Through the internet, social media, word of mouth, flyer, advertisements in a publication, online, on radio or TV are some of the more obvious locations. Find out how your current customers find you, then target your advertisements and promotions in these areas.
When you’re ready to take your small Australian business to market, you’ll need a budget, or at least know how much you can spend on advertising and marketing. Advertising and promotions can be expensive. Pick options that will give you the best value for money, while still reaching your target customers. Remember, the cheapest option is not always the best, it’s all about the return on investment and if you are happy to get one customer at the cost of $100 or 100 customers for $1.
The best option will be whatever is most effective for your business. Some budget-friendly advertising options include flyers, posters, social media and newsletters.
Marketing Factors A Small Business Should consider before building the Brand in market
Before you start any promotion, write down your goals and objectives. You’ll then be able to track and evaluate your success after the campaign. This will help you decide whether to take this approach or to trial different promotions in the future. Then, get a good grasp of what marketing and branding actually is.
Marketing is defined as the set of tools, processes, and strategies you use to actively promote your product, service, and company. While branding is the marketing practice of actively shaping your brand. Branding is about defining who you are as a company.
It’s important to know that a brand creates and stores value, and while marketing is an expense a brand will become more valuable through marketing. Marketing is more effective when the brand expresses the value the customer gets from it, so a true value exchange from the brand is what you want, and clever marketing will facilitate this exchange
Brand Marketing explained
There are many definitions of marketing. Broadly, it involves activities that help to build your brand and business. It’s about identifying and understanding your customers, and developing products and services that meet their needs. Brand marketing requires careful planning and research – but investing time and money now will pay off in the long term.
Marketing is more than just advertising and logos, it can be across many areas of your business, including:
- how your customers are greeted on the phone
- your customer service procedures
- what your staff wear
- your email signature.
Benefits of brand marketing and how it can help your small business Succeed
Good marketing tells a story about your business and gives your customers a reason to purchase from you instead of your competitors. It helps you to look at everything in your business that could affect how your customers identify you.
Writing a marketing plan can help you define certain aspects of your business and focus on your priorities.
Marketing can help your business reach its target audience, attract new customers and ultimately increase your profit. Learn what marketing is, its benefits, and your legal obligations when marketing your products or services.
- Business marketing
Marketing can help your business reach its target customers and increase your profit. - Identify your target market
Find out how to identify your business’s target customers. - Research your market
Learn how to research your market to understand your customers and competitors. - Develop your marketing plan
A marketing plan can help you understand who your customers are, how to reach them and how to define your brand. - Market your business
Learn about the 5 Ps of marketing to give your customers what they want. - Advertise your business
Promote your product or service and reach more customers through advertising. - Tools and software to market your business
Find the right tools and software to streamline your online marketing.
Contact us at COG Branding to discuss further how to take your business to market.
