This report was put together by LeadPages and Infusion Soft. They surveyed a number of their clients, and they have quality clients who happen to be on the cutting edge of online marketing.
When they talk about what they are going to do, that is what is working. You can get the report by clicking here.
This will have all the details and everything you need to know about small business marketing and the trends of 2016.
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The shorter summary of what can be found in that report is –they came up with 2 results — what average businesses are going to do in marketing in 2016 and what above average companies are going to do.
We are talking today about average. Average is quite often being polite. Now, let me explain. Now, above average are the really good ones — so be sure and download that free report because it is a very interesting read.
Marketing With Intention
In 2016, the average small business owner will market with the intention of conveying information, building awareness, or driving sales.
That’s lovely. However, the above average marketer will be looking for something else. In other words, just telling people information is not enough.
Just giving them info is not enough. You need to give them results.
Fortunately, I was very pleased to know that what I am doing this year complies with it.
Effective Marketing Efforts
The average marketer has no idea if their marketing efforts are even effective. Is that you? That is in actual fact, most everyone — except the above average and top marketers.
Generally, most have no way of measuring — no analytics, numbers etc. so they have no clue what is working and what isn’t.
When I attend conferences and someone asks, “How many people get a lot of business by word of mouth?” usually everyone puts their hand up.
Then when they ask, “How many of you have a system for that?”, suddenly, all the hands drop down. In other words, they just think they are getting it by word of mouth.
They are just guessing. They have no clue and that is not good.
Your Business Website
Average people maintain a business website that functions as a digital billboard or brochure. Now, you know that I have been telling you this forever.
A brochure website is rubbish. It doesn’t do anything. You might as well send them something in the mail. They will visit and when they are done they will leave.
When they get ready to buy something, they are going to look for information again and they are going to come across one of your competitors website using the information they read on yours and your competitor will get the business and not you.
They had a better one that captures leads.
Digital Ads
Average people start taking the first steps into digital advertising. We are talking ads on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Google Adwords.
Now, all of these things you could lose your shirt on. A friend of mine recently called me to say, “I just found out I am being billed by Facebook every month way over what I thought I was being billed”.
They did not realize that the Facebook email account was one that she doesn’t really monitor, and all those emails with the statements for the ads went to an un-monitored email address.
Now this is a really common thing and it would be very easy to do if you don’t know what you are doing. Smart people create a system and stick with it.
We do really well on Facebook ads.
Social Media
Average people post more on social media but spend very little time thinking about other kinds of marketing content that might get them leads.
In other words, you share share share and like like like — how is that going for you? How are you tracking it? You don’t know, do you?
If you are doing this, then you may be average. But don’t you worry. We can show you how to step up to the above average side.
It’s really not that hard. You just need something to follow.
Email Marketing
Average people do some kind of email marketing, but handle it all from their own email client rather than an appropriate email marketing service provider.
Now, what they are saying there is, for instance, my fire protection business is FireProtectionOnline.co.uk, so if we sent all of our marketing messages through Google Apps (which is what we use there) it will cause you to look spammy.
Don’t do that. It has to comply with regulations It has to be monitored and it has to be effective. Use an email service provider like Aweber or MailChimp. You can even use InfusionSoft.
Contact Database
They operate without a formal or reliable contact database for their leads. Again — your email service provider is the perfect way to gather your leads.
They keep all of that together for you automatically so you don’t have to mess with it.
Software Applications
The average marketer depends on 1 or 2 familiar software applications for all their marketing operations.
How old are they? How effective are they? Have you updated them in a while? Have you tested new ones?
You have got to be aware of these things.
No Real Plan
They handle their marketing in house letting constraints on their own time and knowledge determine which channels to use.
Now, what this means is that there is no real plan. Now, if you are handling it in house — then that is fantastic.
But, you need to combine it with a plan and a strategy, so that it is not a time suck.
You have better things to do. You should be working on building your business and setting up a system and then letting it run.
This is great stuff.
Drive Time Podcast
Today is Thursday, which means it is time for a drive time podcast. Today’s podcast recommendation is The Everyday MBA Success Tips.
Now — today I am not going to give you any info about it. I want to challenge you to go look for it. Google it and you will find it.
It is good. I recommend it. Listen to it while you are doing chores, commuting to work, over lunch, anytime.
I will be back tomorrow with the weekend challenge. I will see you then.
