What is marketing?


You business is quieter than usual and you're wondering what you need to do to get more customers. Now and again you hear someone say you may need to look into marketing to promote your business or products and now you're wondering.

What is marketing?

Marketing is essentially a way of communicating to potential customers what your business offers. In return, this allows small businesses to reach out to potential consumers (target audience) that you have created a product or service just for them. For example, a new small business specialises in tailored dresses, suits and wants to let people know of their personalised service. This small business may design, print and distribute flyers in the local area (traditional marketing), exhibit at events or create a Facebook advert (digital marketing) to advertise/promote their services exist.

Today we separate marketing into two areas; traditional marketing (direct mail, flyers and billboard advertising) and digital marketing as long known as new media, online marketing or internet marketing (email marketing, PPC or Social Media advertising). Just see it this way, any way you have to use technology like mobiles, tablets and laptop it's digital marketing. And everything else is traditional marketing.

Traditional Marketing &amp;&nbsp;Digital Marketing  Photo credit:&nbsp;www.seriouslysimplemarketing.com

Traditional Marketing & Digital Marketing
Photo credit: www.seriouslysimplemarketing.com

Why is marketing important for my small business?

Small business research shows businesses who utilise marketing, those business increase sales.

  • As mentioned above, you want to create awareness of your business, product, service or your new offering.
  • You may want to reach your target audience to increase sales.
  • You can also use marketing when you have customers already for instance, you may have a list of emails, which you can use to do see marketing as a way of nurturing and building loyal relationships. 

When should I be marketing?

In this day and age marketing is a must if you're starting a business, not-for-profit charity or anything you intend to make some money. Whether you're in the public or private sector as long as you want people to know about you or your product, it's time to start marketing.

  • I would highly recommend using marketing if you're thinking of launching a new product launch or even going through a rebrand.
  • If you want to keep your current consumers informed about your business because you believe in building long-term relationships, which leads to the loyal fan base.
  • If you're a business-to-business services provider you may have created a new blog content or industry insight to share, after all, you want to show people and potential customers you're an expert no.1 in your field. 

Where can I start marketing my small business effectively?

Go where you're target audience is (potential customers). If you don't know where they are, find out do some research. Try to think like them, try to understand them. For example, if your gut tells you they are using social media do some research to find out what platform they use the most. Try not to use the easiest method of communication or the one you think will give you quick return, but after researching, whichever one you believe you will be able to reach your audience.  To help you further with figuring it out, check out social media statistics at a glance.

How do I market my small business?

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