Small Business Marketing Guide - DIY (do-it-yourself) BRAND MARKETING STRATEGIES to HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS

I’ve owned my own business. I’ve helped launch and manage two successful dot-coms (Netflix and CNET).  And I currently work for HP (which is ranked #9 in the most recent Fortune 500 listing). So I’ve seen my share of marketing and brand-building efforts — both good and bad.

Here’s one marketing secret I want to share: You don’t need a dime in your marketing budget to successfully launch and build your brand. You simply need the right resources, a bit of time and the commitment to learn, improve, and share.

Free DIY Marketing Resources

The adoption and acceptance of social media is very good news for small business owners. The quality of marketing expertise that’s available via blogs, communities and online conversations is staggering and could cost you thousands of dollars were you to actually pay for it out of pocket (I did when I had a business).  But why would you, if you can get the same expertise for free (or at incredibly affordable rates)?

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If you want to develop a solid brand strategy, there are some things you have to do first.  I want to challenge you to focus on these two elements before you even get started with graphic design.  Before you get started on your website or meet with your website guy, you must wrestle with these elements.  And before you start thinking of all the different concepts for a new logo, wait.  To be honest with you, if you can’t answer these questions, you’re not ready to do anything else.  It’s like sitting down with an interior designer to talk about the color of your drapes before you’ve ever met with an architect.

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Lots of small business owners are intimidated by the thought of marketing their businesses. The buzzwords and flash associated with “marketing” often make embarking on a do-it-yourself marketing effort seem daunting. But don’t let that fear distract you from the goal of educating your customers and potential customers about your business.

In your day-to-day business, you focus on what your customers need and how you can provide them with that.  That is what your marketing should focus on, too. Too many marketing messages focus on the company rather than the customer. So as you craft your marketing strategy and materials, keep the customer top of mind.

Here are some great tips that will help you take that customer-driven attitude and translating it into marketing:

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There are few more useful books for understanding sales and marketing than Influence—Science and Practice (Allyn & Bacon, 2000) by Robert Cialdini. In this book, he outlines the six key principles of influencing people. As you build your brand, keep them in mind:

1. Reciprocation. When you receive something from someone, all but the most socially inept feel an obligation to give something back. This isn’t limited to gifts and goods; it also includes treatment. If someone treats you with kindness, you are likely to treat them back in the same way. Example: Charities giving gifts when asking for donations.
2. Scarcity. When people perceive something as popular and in short supply, they will seize the opportunity to possess it. This explains the potency of limited time and limited quantity offers when there’s little reason for limits of either. Example: the “limited” number of people could sign up for Google’s Gmail.
3. Authority. You can persuade people if they perceive you as having knowledge and credibility about a subject. This effect includes not only celebrity endorsements but the reliance of people in a social circle to believe the group’s “experts.” Example: I know this is ridiculous, but Dennis Haysbert is effective at selling Allstate Insurance because he’s The Man in “The Unit.”
4. Commitment. If you can get someone to commit to an order or request, she is likely to go through with the commitment. This is especially true if you sign a pledge document or publicly declare your intentions. Example: Signing a petition to support a cause.
5. Liking. The more people know you and like you, the more likely you can influence them. While people you dislike may bludgeon you into doing something, it’s certainly not “influence” in the way that we’re discussing it. Example: my daughter asking me for anything anytime anywhere.
6. Consensus. If everyone around you is buying a product, you’ll be more likely to buy it, too. Doesn’t food taste better at restaurants with long lines? In many instances, saving time and thinking is a benefit of following the wisdom of the crowd. Example: the lines of people waiting to get a new model iPhone.

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Here’s some eye candy to get you thinking about branding ~ feel free to click any of the images above to find out more!

The first thing that comes to mind when i think of Branding and Identity are these three questions…
1) Who are you?
2) Who do you want to be?
3) Why are you special?

And then take that, mix it all together, and be consistent and unapologetic about it. Because ultimately your Identity (be it as a brand or a person or an entity or a product) is who you are!

That being said ~ from a visual perspective ~ what i deal with as far as branding and identity on a day to day basis beyond the usual (business cards, etc) are things  like… email signatures, twitter/aim avatars, favicons, etc ~ all those little details on your websites and in your pocket. THIS is where the consistency begins to be key. Don’t let the details slide ~ inconsistent branding with a different logo, or a different version of your logo all over your site, materials, business cards, press releases, etc ~ is just confusing and messy and doesn’t reflect well! So take a peek at the growing list after the jump ~ and i’d love to hear more that you think of as well!

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