Avoiding Common Marketing Mistakes for First Time Business Owners

Avoiding Common Marketing Mistakes for First Time Business Owners

common marketing mistakes made by first time business owners

When you are just starting a business there are many things to think about, your product, prices, production, sales. Marketing is one of the fundamental aspects of your business, as it encompasses so much, and much of the rest of your business depends on it.

Without adequate marketing, no matter how good your product is, ‘you ain’t going nowhere. I can’t give you exact advice to follow, as I do not know your exact situation, but I can give some fundamental advice. Of course, you can find many books on this subject written in much more depth, research these topics, as we all know, reading is fundamental.

This nlog show mistake small businesses tend to make, read more.

 

  • Not making a written marketing plan or budget 

If you do not plan what you are going to do, you are going to get lost very very quickly. A common mistake made by business owners who are just starting is assuming that they can just muddle along and go with the punches. This often results, especially in marketing, in a lot of work being done with no useful results. If you do not make and write down a marketing plan you are unlikely to have a consistent approach to marketing your product. And we like consistency.

For a more in-depth look at marketing plans check out https://byter.com/2021/06/14/how-to-make-a-marketing-plan-2/

 

  • Targeting the wrong audience

This can be an interesting problem, most small businesses either have a really specific niche audience or have a very vague one. For example, a cake-making business is aiming for anyone who wants a cake in your area, then there may be a very specific niche business that makes skateboards exclusively for one subculture. Common marketing mistakes niche marketing makes i targeting your audience much easier, but if you are selling a more generic product, you have to think about this.

 

  • Not differentiating your product or service

This, like the previous mistake,  can be a bit difficult if you are selling generic items,  but it is even more vital. If you are selling a generic item then differentiation is vital to your sales strategy, Of course, if you are selling a unique product you will be different to start with. Lastly, if you are lucky, and you have found your unique selling point, but you do not communicate this efficiently to your audience, then you have failed. 

 

They say comparison is the thief of joy, and they do have a point, but as a business owner, if you do not compare yourself to others in your industry, it will not end well. It can be dispiriting to compare yourself to already established companies, it can make you feel inadequate, but, it can also be incredibly useful. These already established companies have already done a lot of work for you, they have already made mistakes for you, all you have to do is learn from them. Comparing yourself will also help you figure out how to differentiate yourself. It will also give you ideas on how to engage with your target audience and community  

 

  • Not having a website/ home page/ landing page 

This mistake is often done by companies that use social media a lot, they will have an Instagram, a Facebook or Twitter, but will not have a website. This website should serve as a landing page for all customers. It should have all the professional vital information about your company, such as location, opening times, mission statement, products, etc. This landing page is not only useful for information gathering but it also makes your company seem more legitimate to your audience. Like how a brick and mortar store makes your company look more legitimate 

 

There is nothing more embarrassing than setting up social media but then bombing because you have absolutely no understanding of the culture of the people you are trying to engage with. Not investing time in understanding our social media, can at best result in a dead account, at worst result in your brand getting seriously damaged. You can’t understand social media by reading about it, you have to spend time on it and watch how other people do it.

 

These mistakes seem pretty obvious, and you probably thought I know all of this, but you would be surprised how many people ignore the basics. You are never too good to not do the fundamentals.

Don’t forget your fundament! Good luck with your small business

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