Written by: Annette Densham, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Marketing is like fishing. There are a few things you should know before you get in your boat if you want to come back with a successful haul. Here are a few points that might save you from making the same mistakes a lot of small business owners make.
1. You have to use the right bait.
Other fisherpeople who are catching fish are usually the best guide as to what bait to use, but they may not want to share their fishing secrets with you if you are fishing in their pond. Armchair fisher people will tell you that worms will do, because they once caught a fish using a worm. Do your research. Don’t take someone’s word for it unless you can see that what they are using is working effectively. Find out what your particular type of fish likes to eat, then go after them.
2. Get to know their habits.
Once you have the right bait, you could get in your boat and start fishing or you could find out what time of day they prefer to eat. It's no good starting at mid-day if they eat at 5 am. Your customers are probably flat out on Monday morning answering emails that came on over the weekend. The delete button is probably being used a fair bit. I would suggest that Mondays are probably not good days to send emails, but I could be wrong. You better check.
3. Change with the seasons
Some fish swim upstream to spawn at certain times of the year, and a good fisherperson will respect that and leave them to do their thing, because he knows there will be more next year. Your customers have seasons too. It’s probably harder to sell bathers in winter and ski suits in summer, so try to go with what your customers need this season. Most families are feeling the pinch after Christmas, and when school goes back there isn’t much money left in the coffers after holidays, new school books, uniforms etc. You probably won't run off your feet with customers in February, but it might be a good time to do some marketing. Then again, I could be wrong. Do your research.
4. Check the weather before you go
Like boy scouts, good fisherpeople are prepared for any eventuality. They will have their rain gear, or a wide brimmed hat and sunscreen at the ready. They will know if there is a storm on the way. The fisherperson may need to move to a new area if the fish aren’t biting where he is now. If your customers aren’t biting it could be because of the area you have chosen to market in. Have there been lay-offs at factories or big businesses closing down? That will affect your sales. Be prepared to move to a new area. If the customers are spending less, you may need to offer a cheaper alternative that they can afford until things pick up.
5. Throw out a net
Sometimes fishing is done with a net. This takes a little longer to organize but the returns can be so much greater. A marketing funnel is like a net. It uses many ways to attract a customer’s attention, and gradually moves them down the funnel to buying your product.
As with anything we do in our businesses, having the right tools and approach is what will determine our success. The most successful businesses are the ones that invest in learning and growing… and implementing what they’ve learnt.
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Annette Densham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Multi-award-winning PR specialist Annette Densham is considered the go-to for all things business storytelling, award submission writing, and assisting business leaders in establishing themselves as authorities in their field. She has shared her insights into storytelling, media, and business across Australia, UK, and the US speaking for Professional Speakers Association, Stevie Awards, Queensland Government, and many more. Three times winner of the Grand Stevie Award for Women in Business, gold Stevie International Business Award, and a finalist in Australian Small Business Champion awards, Annette audaciously challenges anyone in small business to cast aside modesty, embrace their genius and share their stories.
