1. business and industrial

How to
market your
small business
By Kasia Gospos
~
Best Marketing & PR
tips for
entrepreneurs
By Kasia Gospos
This e-book is licensed under a creative commons attribution.
About this e-book
We know that small business has usually little to no advertising budget and every
cent counts when making crucial decisions about the future of your business.
Here at Leaders in Heels we selected the best advice from our expert contributors to
quickly grow your brand awareness, get new clients and generate more sales.
Awarded “The #1 Top Site for Women Entrepreneurs to Love in 2013”Leaders in
Heels is a leading Australian online publication for successful women in business.
The magazine publishes advice and tips on start-ups, growing profitable businesses,
PR, marketing and personal branding. A forum for like-minded women to connect, it
offers opportunities to network, learn from other women and be inspired.
Kasia Gospos,
Founder and Publisher of Leaders in Heels
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www.leadersinheels.com
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Contents
Three simple steps to getting your first 10 clients – by Abbie Widin ......................................... 4
Nine steps to get your name in the media spotlight – by Felicity Grey ..................................... 6
Are you scared of communicating? – by Colette Lowe .............................................................. 10
Seven things I’ve learned from Blogging – by Dina Ross .......................................................... 12
Three PR tactics to boost your sales – by Felicity Grey ............................................................ 14
Ten tips for giving a great TV interview – by Cecelia Haddad ................................................. 16
Six tips to ensure your website is pulling its weight – by Cindy Parker .................................. 19
Eight easy steps to get more value for your advertising $$ - by Cindy Parker........................ 21
Five expert tips to branding your small business - by Jane Toohey ......................................... 23
Nine tips for creating a marketing plan that will actually work – by Marissa Brown ............ 26
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About Leaders in Heels ................................................................................................................ 28
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Three simple steps to getting your first
10 clients – by Abbie Widin
When you start a new business, you need to find someone to buy from you, often pronto. Finding these
clients can be hard. You might not have a great idea of your target market. You might not have a great deal
of money to spend advertising, and even if you did, you’re probably not sure if that’s the best way to reach
your first clients. You might not even know what’s the right message to be sending them.
Here are some incredibly valuable tips on how to go about reaching your first 10 clients.
1. Uncover Your Niche.
Your niche is the intersection of who you are trying to help, the problem that they have, and the solution
that you provide for that problem.
Let’s say you’re a stylist, you don’t want to say that you help women choose a new style for themselves.
executives who want a promotion. They know that they need to dress for the next level. They’re willing to
invest in this service. But they are often too busy to go through the shops and browse (especially if they
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generalist, they won’t pay specialist fees. Instead, you might want to consider working with women
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You’ll find some people are interested, but you’ll need to talk to a lot of people, and because you’re a
have kids!). A good sense-check for your niche is to ask if it is marketable, is it lucrative and do you like
working with these people?
2. Talk To Your Niche.
Until you have built up a brand that is large enough to be found, your business marketing is you.
•
Network – Once you’ve figured out who’s in your niche, go and find them. Networking is not about
swapping cards and wondering why they haven’t called. Networking is about finding those people who are
interested in what you do, and asking if it makes sense for you to call them the next day to make a time to
properly connect.
•
Start speaking – Speaking is a great way to gain celebrity and credibility. If you are in front of an
audience, you are immediately the person who others look up to. Learn how to invite members of the
audience to connect with you for further work.
•
Find referral partners – If you are an events photographer, then you want to start to create great
professional relationships with wedding planners, corporate events planners, council festival planners and
hotels with function rooms. Call some people in your area, introduce yourself, and see if you can make a
time to share information about each other.
•
Start writing – Depending on your field, writing is a great way to get known. If you’re a financial planner
or a mortgage broker, your potential clients (in almost any niche), are going to be looking online for more
information, such as tips and tricks, the secrets that banks don’t share etc. You can write on your own blog,
but on-line magazines and other blog are even better for getting brand new traffic.
•
Ask for referrals. If you’ve had even one client, then don’t forget to ask if they know anyone who they
can refer to you. And you may even decide to take a couple of pro-bono clients in the first month to hone
your systems and generate referrals that way.
•
Social media – LinkedIn is great for professional clients. Facebook is good for consumer products and
services like restaurants. Pinterest is great for design and fashion. SlideShare is good for consultants.
Adwords is good for services that people search for online. Invest in learning how to use these effectively,
because it is easy to waste a lot of time and/or money, and don’t expect to get your first client from here in
the first week.
•
Obviously, you can also ask your friends, neighbours and family. If you’ve started your business as an
income-producing activity, don’t expect that they will expect to pay full price.
3. Stay in touch.
Almost any business has the potential to generate life-time sales from their clients. The problems that need
to be solved once, often need to be solved again. And there are always creative ways to bundle your
products and services to solve additional problems for your clients.
Abbie Widin
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business, through in-depth work on their marketing, time and team www.oneextrazero.com.
5
Abbie’s coaching business, One Extra Zero, helps women business owners make more money with their
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Nine steps to get your name in the
media spotlight – by Felicity Grey
Who doesn’t want their name or that of their product or service in the media? While some people shy away
from the spotlight most business owners know it is part of the deal when it comes to running a successful
business.
However, many business owners tend to have a somewhat skewed view of how the media works. Many
have worked with PR companies in the past or even had a go at DIY PR with mixed results or their efforts
and investment have delivered next to nil. This is hard to stomach and understandably they feel burnt or
disenchanted with the whole process.
So for those business owners who don’t want to give up and are ready to commit the time and effort, here
are my nine steps to give yourself the best chance of getting your name in the media spotlight.
1. Know the news and what makes it
Before you are the news you need to know a bit about what makes news. Journalists are looking for
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newsworthy content. They want the scoop and they want it yesterday.
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They’re pretty tired of wading through volumes of content and often they need a magnifying glass to find
the newsworthiness. For this reason most media releases end up in the bin. Your news needs to be new,
timely, and local or present a novelty, consequence or conflict. You may have a human-interest story, but
this too needs to present interesting content people actually want to read about.
Take a long, hard look at your product, service and the story you want to tell. Does it have any of these
characteristics yet?
2. Read
If you don’t read then it’s time to start. If you have a particular publication in mind for your story make sure
you read the publication and the work of the journalist you want to approach.
The more targeted your angle when you present your story, the better your chances of being published. By
reading a wide variety of publications you will increase your knowledge and understanding of how stories
are written and where you and your product or service might fit.
Reading will give you so many ideas for angles, journalist contacts and stories. So, read, read and read.
Subscribe to blogs; digital media outlets and whatever else you can lay your hands on and set aside
designated time to skim through content. Twitter is helpful for busy people because you can simply follow
those you and your business are interested in and receive updates allowing you to decide when and what
to read.
3. Have a plan
Rather than plunging head first in to the media newsrooms consider forming a broader PR or Marketing
Communications plan if you haven’t already.
Keep all your communications ideas and activities in the one place and make sure they leverage one
another.
There’s no point re-inventing the wheel and keeping media relations as a silo. PR is public relations – the
way and manner in which you relate to your publics – so this includes public speaking, events, meetings,
media,marketing communication, social media – the list is endless.
Fit them all together in a well thought-out plan and I guarantee you will find new ways and ideas for
boosting your media exposure.
4. Pretend you’re the journalist
Journalists and editors are busy people. If you want an idea of what their day is like, click here to read a
day in the life of the Sydney Morning Herald.
I’ve lost count of the number of business people that have said to me “but what we’re announcing has
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Want the truthful answer? They probably don’t know about your story – even though you just sent it to
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never been done before. It is news. These journalists are lucky to have this – why don’t they care?”
them.
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Editors and journalists receive hundreds of emails and phone calls every day, all from businesses who
want their story told. Many have spent time developing an angle and many haven’t. Imagine you’re the
journalist and your inbox is flooded with potential stories. You need to look through these while the phone
rings hot from PR practitioners and business owners following up their email. Your editor is on your case
about your upcoming stories, you have interviews to conduct and stories to write and deadlines to meet.
Pretend you’re the journalist and you will better develop your story angle and probably interact with the
journalist better too.
5. Avoid media releases
I’m going to say it. I think media releases are daggy.
Of course, there remains a place for the good old media release but I find I achieve better results with a
targeted, meaningful “pitch” email.
A media release is great if you have a large media target list and an announcement that applies to a wide
variety of media publications. Chances are however, most of the time, you will have a story that is relevant
to select journalists and your angle on that story will vary dependent on the publication and journalist you
are pitching to.
Also, put your journalist hat on for a moment and consider receiving a media release along with hundreds
of others. Journalists want first dibs at the news, so is this really a way to get them onside?
Avoid the media release when you can.
6. Develop a story
A story should be rich in content and provide a beginning, middle and an end. A story is never written by
any journalist simply stating “X product is really good because…”
A story should entwine your key messages with those your readers want and need to hear. It should if
possible be relevant to what’s currently happening in the news.
Rather than simply talking about yourself, your product and what you want, consider framing your story to
be about the benefits of your product to the end user and provide interesting facts that may not be directly
related to your product or service but that support your argument.
Make sure you do some research and use quotes and opinions by people that can support your position.
Have a think outside the square, how can you involve other people in your story?
7. Write a winning pitch
Ditch the media release and write a pitch directly to an individual journalist. Keep it short and sharp i.e. a
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for their readership, listeners or audience.
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paragraph at best, and directly write to the journalist with information they will find
8. Stick to the truth
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Don’t ever embellish or make up facts. Journalists are clever and they will see through it.
9. Follow-up
Remember when I said a lot of content goes straight to the bin? Make sure you follow-up your media
release or your pitch email. Call the journalist you sent it to and ask if they received it. Often you’ll need to
send it again. Ask them when a good time to call might be and follow-up to discuss it. If you receive a no,
ask why. It might be your angle wasn’t quite right and needs tweaking or it might be a similar story was
already covered. Take the opportunity to build a relationship and ask them what they would like to receive
from you.
All the best with your media efforts; follow these steps and you will be well on your way to building your
media profile.
Felicity Grey
Felicity Grey is founder and Managing Director of The Theory Crew – PR and Marketing Communications
helping SMEs unlock ideas, drive results and unleash potential. Theory Crew has DIY PR products to help
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businesses achieve their PR goals. Visit www.theorycrew.com.au
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Are you scared of communicating? – by
Colette Lowe
Have you ever experienced that unfathomable fear when you’re presented with the prospect of
communicating what it is you do? Some of us are more modest than others and let’s face it, some people
just love to talk about themselves, but when you are in the business of providing a service or a product,
talking about yourself should be a top priority.
“ when you are in the business of providing a service or a product, talking
about yourself should be a top priority
In the PR world this is termed as ‘engaging your audience’. Public relations has a very specific role here;
for any business seeking to maintain the interest of its customers, or when seeking new customers,
communicating is essential.
I recently experienced trepidation to communicate from a company associated with the care sector. There
were two issues; firstly they felt they didn’t have to communicate because they never had, and secondly if
they did communicate it could invite negative media interest.
If you are faced with this response, or indeed have that view yourself just take a moment to think about
what is more important: Controlling what is said about you – or not. Only you can create wider awareness
and understanding about what it is you do and with my tips you’ll find the confidence and clarity to do just
that.
Be transparent
The first step is to control what is said about you. This isn’t about crafting PR sales fluff, this should
honestly and openly reflect who you are – be transparent. You could choose to engage your local media
with corporate news concerning recent appointments, expansion plans and investments. Similarly, you
could engage your customers directly through holding open days or creating informative newsletters.
Whichever route you choose, you are allowing potential and continuing customers to build the trust and
faith they look for when developing a relationship with you.
Be positive
Be positive about what you do, people are always interested to hear about what it is you do, it’s just how it’s
presented that’s the key. Stay away from negativity, no one likes to be presented with doom and gloom.
their life. This is the true face of what it is you do, communicate it, let the press know and share the human
aspect of your business.
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received a fabulous testimonial about how your product has helped someone or impacted positively on
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Share what is good about your business; share it through the third party – the customer. Maybe you have
Share the enthusiasm and energy you have for your business. You can’t expect your customers to be
enthusiastic or energetic about your business if you don’t lead by example. If you pride yourself on
providing an exceptional service, tell people about it. If you go above and beyond to ensure your staff
benefit from continuous professional development, tell people about it. It is your values, commitments and
dedication to your business that people want to learn about. If they don’t know how can they share it?
You may think no one is interested in what you do but like any social situation we always enjoy the
company of those people who have something interesting to say. Be one of those people and allow people
to get to know you and like you.
Colette Lowe
Founder and owner of Chew PR, Colette has worked in PR for over 15 years. She has seen both sides and
worked for consultancy and in-house teams providing her with an insight not many see. Colette will be
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contributing to the Public Relations section.
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Seven things I’ve learned from Blogging
– by Dina Ross
I recently began a book blog, BOOKS NOW! (www.dinaross.com.au) because even though I had blogged
for clients, created PR campaigns on Facebook and produced corporate podcasts, I had very little personal
experience of social media. (I’m also passionate about books, so I thought I’d jump into the conversation).
And I’ve learned a huge amount. I’ve discovered that my professional experience can influence and assist
my personal one – and vice-versa. Here’s just a few things I’ve found out on my blogging journey:
1. You wouldn’t launch a PR campaign without a plan, so don’t blog without one.
My first few blog posts were reviews and musings chosen at random because I was anxious to dip my toe
into blogging waters. The result?
I started to panic I wouldn’t have enough content to fill
forthcoming weeks. I realised very quickly that I needed to plan my schedules month by month so I could
read ahead, organise interviews and contact publishers, so I would have a regular drip feed of material. My
plan encompassed my rationale for blogging, the style I’d adopt, the audience I wanted to reach and how I
would reach them. I gave myself a timeline for achieving my objectives, to help keep me focused.
“don’t blog without a plan
2. PR campaigns need an individual voice and so do blogs
PR campaigns succeed when they have something interesting and original to say and do so compellingly.
There has to be an underlying story to every campaign, it’s not just spin. Flog a dead horse, you’ll still be
left with a dead horse. Blogs too, need that ‘numero uno’ quality. There are some really wonderful blogs out
there and some absolutely terrible ones. The best offer a fresh take on a subject, and the blogger has an
individuality that makes the reader take notice.
3. Less is more
Some of the best PR campaigns I’ve ever been involved with were really simple: a News poll survey and
accompanying media release yielded hundreds of clippings for a grateful client; another client’s interview in
just one highly-respected magazine snowballed into requests for media appearances all over the world.
Similarly, blog posts can be snappy and still pack a punch. And today’s shorter attention spans also need
to be taken into account.
learning to incorporate more visuals into my blog. Huge slabs of text aren’t reader-friendly and I turn away
from blogs that are tightly packed and written in small font that makes my eyes glaze. You want your
consumers or readers to switch on, not switch off!
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In PR, they always say that a photo in a newspaper or a TV clip is better value than column inches. I’m
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4. Pictures are worth a thousand words and a clear-lay out wins friends
5. Feel what they feel – build the empathy
Now that I’m blogging myself, I can understand how anxious clients get when they look over material I’ve
written: it’s their baby down on that page, in that flyer, in that campaign, something they’ve taken years to
develop and nurture and grow. I’m my blog’s sole client now, so I choose my words carefully – I don’t want
to be misinterpreted or misunderstood. I also want my words to reach out to my audience and to build a
sense of community.
“I also want my words to reach out to my audience and to build a sense of
community
6. Keep researching
I always tell PR clients that our campaigns will be regularly evaluated and re-evaluated to ensure we’re on
track. Campaigns need to be flexible, along the way messages may be refined or re-tested, new
information may come to light necessitating a strategy rethink. With blogs too, research is your best friend.
What are other similar blogs doing well, what can you learn from them so you can make yours even better?
7. Give it time
PR campaigns don’t yield results overnight. Good PR is an investment, in time as well as money. It can be
months before the first indications of success come through, whether you’re measuring column inches,
consumer behaviour patterns, reputation management or audience reach. Building a blog community
happens by word of mouth. My readership is still small, but it’s growing week by week and more and more
people are following me. My blog is a salutary exercise in patience, but it also makes me realise how
stressed my clients get waiting for results. Just as I’ve learned to share every success with them
immediately, so I pat myself on the back every time someone likes a new post, or subscribes to the blog.
Every post is another step closer to achieving the goals I have set out for Books Now!
Dina Ross
Dina Ross is Public Relations Director at Evergreen Advertising & Marketing in Melbourne, Australia,
specialists in communicating to the 50+ market. A PR and crisis communications expert, she has held
senior editorial postions at BBC UK and The Age , headed her own award-winning PR consultancy and is
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the author of "Surviving the Media Jungle", a guide to PR. Melbourne, Australia.
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Three PR tactics to boost your sales – by
Felicity Grey
Wikipedia defines Public Relations as ‘the practice of managing the flow of communication between an
individual or organisation and the public’.
In 2013, it’s time to take a deep look at your audience. Who are they and what do they need from you?
How are you going to solve their problems this year? If you can articulate a concise answer to the last
question, you’re best placed to embark on PR in 2013.
So what are the top three PR tactics you should use in 2013 to boost your sales? Here are some simple
but effective tips:
1.
Think before you email
The more you can put yourself directly in front of your client and customers, the better your chances at
establishing a genuine relationship, trust and sales. Make time to meet people face to face and genuinely
listen to what they have to say. PR is about two-way communication. Don’t tell them what you want them to
know or hear. Listen to their problem and then respond with a solution. This is PR Rule Number One and
often forgotten when we can all so easily revert to email. Face-to-face is always the best way to build a
relationship and a good relationship is the best way to generate sales.
2.
‘One-to-many’
Public speaking presents a great fear for many but it’s possibly one of the best ways to build your profile
and speak to your target audience at large. This year, investigate potential speaking opportunities or even
create your own. If you take a look at all the successful entrepreneurs of the world, they all have one thing
in common – they all speak publicly and share their story, their tips and their advice. Do the same and you
will instantly increase your brand exposure, demonstrate how you solve problems and pick up a few new
clients or customers along the way.
3.
Get on-line savvy
The fact that you’re reading this means you are already familiar with blogs and online news but how far
have you come in implementing an online profile for yourself or your business? It may feel overwhelming or
too
time
consuming
to
contemplate
but
developing
your
own
blend
of
traditional
and
online marketing communications and PR activities will help you boost your reach, and increase your
audience. So, start with a PR plan and conduct a review of your target audience. Where do they go online
potential partner organisations, blogs, content marketing, online advertising, media relations, online
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videos, social media – the list of possibilities is endless – then deduct those that don’t apply to you.
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and what do they want and need? How can you deliver answers and results? Look at your website,
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Your implementation plan will allow you to use some methods as a starting point and you can gradually
introduce new channels, as you feel ready. Once you’re up and running, learn how to make clever use of
your content. For instance, if you speak at a seminar, film it and use it for your e-newsletter, website and
promote it via your social media channels. There are so many ways to decrease the time spent and make
best use of the information you prepare so you don’t reinvent the wheel each time – this is in next month’s
post!
I hope these simple tips give you a good starting point for your PR efforts this year.
Felicity Grey
Felicity Grey is founder and Managing Director of The Theory Crew – PR and Marketing Communications
helping SMEs unlock ideas, drive results and unleash potential. Theory Crew has DIY PR products to help
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businesses achieve their PR goals. Visit www.theorycrew.com.au
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Ten tips for giving a great TV interview –
by Cecelia Haddad
Television interviews are an effective way to create awareness about your brand, manage a crisis and put
a human face to your company name. The internet is brimming with examples of failed interviews, and
even the media is quick to poke fun at on-air faux pas, proving that television can be one of the most
challenging interview scenarios to master, even for the pros. Media training helps you to develop the skills
you need to give a great interview, and these are my top ten tips to ensure your small-screen debut is a
hit…
1.
Know Your Objectives
Before you start diving enthusiastically into the world of lights and cameras, consider whether doing a TV
programs to appear on.
2.
Do Your Homework
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goals clearly written out and keep them in mind when forming your key messages and selecting the right
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interview will actually help achieve your objectives, and if so how can you measure its success? Have your
Do your research into the program, its target audience and the background of the reporter. Finding out the
angle or perspective the reporter is planning to approach the interview with is essential to being prepared
for the kinds of questions they’re going to ask. It will also help you decide if this interview opportunity is
really right for you – not all publicity is necessarily good publicity.
3.
Speak Their Language
Be aware of the show’s audience and tailor your messages to speak to that audience. Are they busy
parents getting the family ready in the morning, or business owners keeping an eye on the stock market?
Whoever is listening, speak in a way that relates to them and their interests. Avoid using industry jargon
and too many fact and figures, and be ready with at least one quotable grab that will stick in people’s minds
and be repeated in the media.
4.
Build Key Messages
Begin to build your key messages and work on techniques to convey those messages in a cohesive,
effective way. What are the main points you really want to get across? How will you respond to tough
questions? Compile a comprehensive list of potential questions – from the questions you really want to be
asked right down to down to the ones you really don’t want to be asked. The journalist will have done their
research thoroughly, so be prepared for absolutely anything.
5.
Mind Your Body Language
The words we say are important but they only count for about 7% of our communication. A massive 55% of
our communication comes from our body language, and 38% from our vocal tone and expression. The
main areas to be aware of are posture, eye contact, and hand gestures. Some key points to remember:

Keep an open posture; avoid looking “hunched over” and other closed-off poses.

Lean forward and keep good eye contact with the interviewer to show you are engaged.

Movements should be minimal and natural. Use hand gestures to complement your words without
over-gesticulating.

Be mindful of fidgeting or moving around in the seat too much, as this will distract the viewer.

Relax. Being on television can be a daunting experience even for the most confident speakers, but
the best way to make a good impression on the viewers is to appear as if you do it all time. The trick
is to fake it till you make it.
6.
Be “On-Air” from the Start
Be in interview-mode from the get-go. That means being professional, punctual and polite at all times. Be
mindful of any recording equipment in the room as it could be switched on before and after the actual
interview. Basically, if you don’t want something to appear on the news, then keep it to yourself.
7.
Accentuate the Positive
wouldn’t say that…” as this puts your message in a more positive frame of mind with the audience. Be
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enthusiastic and passionate about your topic and speak as though you’re truly interested in what you’re
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Try using affirmative statements such as “I believe that…” instead of negatively charged statements like “I
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saying – TV is a monotone-free zone! If the topic is serious or sombre, speak in a neutral tone but remain
relaxed and engaging rather than tense and uneasy.
8.
Keep Calm and Carry On
We’ve all heard the stories of interviews gone wrong – the reporter throws a question you weren’t prepared
for, or suddenly takes an accusatory position or argument. The best way to handle a curveball is with grace
and positivity. Never mirror aggression or negativity, no matter how frustrated you may feel, maintain a
neutral and patient manner, and draw everything back to your key messages. If you’re not 100% sure
about something, don’t speculate or say “no comment.” Say you don’t know at this time and offer to get
back to interviewer with more information later, and follow through on that.
9.
Monitor Your Feedback
Monitor public reaction while the story is on air and after. Keep your eye on all your social media pages as
well as online mentions of your company or the interview. If the feedback is mostly positive, this gives you
the opportunity to start re-tweeting and thanking the public for all their support. It also means you can
engage your public in a discussion of your message while the topic is still fresh in people’s minds. If
feedback is negative, have your public relations team monitor the issues now and respond promptly and
appropriately – don’t wait for an overflow of bad press to build up overnight.
10. Give thanks to the Journalist
If the story was good, be sure to follow up with a note or phone call to the journalist to say thank you. Not
only will the journalist appreciate it, they will also be more likely to remember you and can become a
valuable contact for future press coverage.
Cecelia Haddad
With over 20 years’ experience in public relations, Cecelia Haddad has seen both sides of the interview
process. She has trained both high profile personalities and media relations beginners to successfully
navigate their way through some tough interviews. Visit www.marketingelements.com.au and
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www.mediaelements.com.au.
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Six tips to ensure your website is pulling
its weight – by Cindy Parker
Your business website may be a potential client’s first impression of your business. If promoted correctly,
thousands of potential and existing clients would have already formed an impression of your business
before they pick up the phone or walk through the door. Your company website is another member of your
sales team, is the information on your website convincing these potential clients that your business is right
for them. The solution to converting those looking at your website into clients could be a lot easier than you
think.
“One, often overlooked, aspect of your website could be letting the whole
side down.
Many websites are weighed down with too much text and are hard to navigate. Most people switch off if
they bombarded by a page of text or it is hard to find the information they want easily. It is best to have
your services filed under navigational tabs such as about us, products, contact etc.
Much of the text contained in websites focuses on the features of the product or service and not the
benefits. This includes generic terms such as “quality”, “economical”, “professional” etc. While you want
your clients to understand that your product or service is produced with love, care and quality, it’s a claim
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that most clients see as a “given” and not a point of difference from your competitors.
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Here are 6 tips to maximise the benefits of your website

Treat your website as another member of your team. Each day, your team answer many client
questions. What are the most common questions they receive? Ensure your team provide you with a
list of common client questions and check that your website answers these

Your text should be punchy, interesting and speak directly to your clients. It must tell them what the
benefits of your businesses product/service and clearly highlight the benefits of the services offered
and the products available.

Make it even easier for clients to contact you by having a contact link on each page of your website.

Updated and benefit focused text will help gain clients interest. However, your website still needs to
work hard to get them to contact you. Add a “hook” or incentive for clients to call – 10% off a
product/service if they mention the website.
A web-site promotion will also help you monitor the
number of leads generated.

Update your website regularly so that existing clients are induced to click-on and see what’s
new. Upload monthly specials or news items to entice clients to click on to their website regularly.

Include your website address on all of your business letterhead, e-mails and promotional
material. Clients aren’t going to visit if they don’t know it exists.
By including all the advantages of the services you offer, offering incentive to contact and making it as easy
as possible for prospects to contact you, your website will become a more effective member of your team.
Cindy Parker
Cindy Parker combines 18 years of marketing experience with a Bachelor of Business to help
small/medium business owners maximise their profit. Cindy has worked in the Marketing departments of
medical, IT, financial services and beauty industries for both Australian and multinational companies.
Four P’s Marketing Solutions assists small business with easy and cost effective marketing activities
including website text that converts to sales, PR activities, powerful promotions, plus logical and easy to
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implement marketing advice. www.fourps.com.au
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Eight easy steps to get more value for
your advertising $$ - by Cindy Parker
Many small business owners take a shotgun approach to advertising hoping they will hit their target. This
approach can waste time and money. The new year is definitely the time to re-think your advertising
strategy.
“ Many small business owners take a shotgun approach to advertising
hoping they will hit their target. This approach can waste time and money
Get the most bang for your advertising buck by following these 8 easy steps:
1. Reach your target market
To ensure your advertising campaign is effective, you need to speak with the right people. Start by
reviewing the demographics of your current client base. If you are already successful in one geographic
region, age group or industry then look at maximising the exposure to other potential customers in that
same group. Find out which publications or websites target these people and look at advertising there.
2. You need more than one advertisement
An advertising strategy is a plan that you commit to for the long term. Advertising results are not always
instant. It is best to advertise in the same medium repetitively, rather than placing ad-hoc advertisements
here, there and everywhere. It generally takes 3 exposures to your same advertisement before a potential
client will respond. By advertising on a regular basis, it shows that you are committed to finding new
clients, and the next time you advertise, they may be in a position to respond.
3. Have a call to action
To gain instant results from your advertising campaign, include a discount or special offer. An expiry date
helps motivate customers to act straight away.
4. Negotiate for editorial coverage
If you commit to regular advertisements with a publication, ask for editorial coverage. A third person
editorial provides your product or service with credibility. Your editorial should be written to look like a
regular article. It must be newsworthy or include some professional tips, news or trends that re-enforce the
5. Make it professional
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customer needs your product or service or has a problem, you’re the first person they think of.
21
message of your advertisement. The aim is to build your reputation as an expert in your industry. When a
When designing your advertisement seek professional advice. Many publications have a graphic design
department that will be able to assist you. Ensure that any logos or photos you are using are of the right
resolution. Include all relevant contact details in the advertisement such as your web address and phone
number.
6. Check and double check
It is your responsibility to ensure the details in your advertisement are right. Ensure that phone numbers,
web address, dates, prices and details are correct. Have someone else in your business proofread the ad.
7. Be prepared!
Hopefully your campaign is a success and you are rushed off your feet with new enquiries. Before the
advertisement goes to print, ensure that any products or services advertised are in stock and available.
8. Measure the outcomes
Question every new client on where they heard about you. This will enable you to work out which
advertising campaigns have worked and which haven’t. This information helps you accurately allocate
funds for future advertising budgets to ensure maximum return
Now that your advertising strategy is in place – get ready for the phone to ring.
Cindy Parker combines 18 years of marketing experience with a Bachelor of Business degree to help
small/medium business owners maximise their profit. Cindy has worked in the Marketing Departments of
medical, IT, financial services and beauty industries for both Australian and Multinational companies.
Four P’s Marketing Solutions assists small business with easy and cost effective marketing activities
including website text that converts to sales, PR activities, powerful promotions, plus logical and easy to
Page
22
implement marketing advice.
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Five expert tips to branding your small
business - by Jane Toohey
All too often do we see new businesses with huge potential prematurely fold despite significant levels of
financial and emotional investment. It is not always obvious to business owners why their ventures have
indeed failed, but amid the cluster of factors that can contribute to their demise, poor branding notoriously
emerges as one of the most harmful villains.
The effective branding of a business is a critical element to its survival, because without it, the firm merely
blends in the saturated and ordinary competitor landscape. The power of branding may not be obvious to
the untrained eye, but it is the shrewd business folk who realise that aligning their product or service with a
distinct and unique identity can be what separates them from the wolf pack.
In effectively branding your small business, there are five key tips, which can help to propel you to into
advantageous territory and give you the competitive edge.
1. Understand your target market
In order to reach specific customers and satisfy their unique needs, entrepreneurs must identify those
people and understand their every want, desire and motivation. It is not enough to simply target the general
population, as this will result in your business not resonating strongly with the specific people who are
interested in what you have to offer. That is why it is extremely important to find out everything about the
customers you intend to pursue as you must cater directly to their wants, needs and values. You have to
understand how to “speak into their listening”, and build relationship by tailoring the brand experience.
The Perfect Potion is company that really understands their target market. They have gone as far as to
define the ideal client at the “Green Goddess”. Every employee knows how to identify the Green Goddess
when she walks through the door and knows exactly how to sell to her.
2.Define your unique proposition
Your point of difference, what distinguishes your offer from that of competitors, is your promise to the
market. In order to effectively connect with customers, your business needs to cut through the advertising
clutter and assert your brand’s uniqueness. After all, it is how your business is unique to your competitors
that what will give you the advantage. But make sure your offering is something your target market want,
that the competitors are not delivering on. Customers need a reason to select you, therefore it is essential
that you demonstrate what benefit is derived from your product or service that is different to the others and
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A great USP from Fedex “delivered next day or your money back”
23
will satisfy a need in them.
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3. Develop a name that expresses your core values, is memorable and is distinctly different from
the competition
Finding a relevant, unique and memorable name is essential when branding your business. The business
name and accompanying positioning statement, should express the identity and communicate the
personality of the business. It’s a bad idea to name the business directly after the service you provide, for
example, ‘Garden Maintenance’ or ‘Computer Repairs’, as this lacks originality and does little to set you
apart from the competition. It’s vital that your name is memorable and demonstrates the uniqueness of your
product or service, as this will leave the door open to future business development opportunities and assist
brand recall in new markets.
A great name for a new brand was when 7-Eleven launched at the time it was the first store to open on
extended hours 7am to 11pm.
4.
Develop an identity that visually expresses the brand essence
Your identity should be demonstrated through elements of the business such as the name, logo, business
cards, newsletters, website design, email signoffs, interior décor, signage, typefaces and other business
related collateral. If you’re going for a sexy, young and vibrant image, you must ensure that what you
express visually is consistent. It’s important to maintain visual continuity and across all facets of the
business so consumers can accurately perceive what it is you’re about. As the average consumer is
exposed to between 3000-5000 advertisements per day, it is critical that the marketing strategy you
implement has a consistent message, which reflects the essence of our brand and communicates your
point of difference.
Have a look at evolution of the National Bank of Australia or the launch of Lorna Jane.
5.
Develop a positioning statement to sit with the identity that expresses your unique proposition
to your target market.
A well crafted positioning statement establishes the direction of your business; it says what you do and who
you do it for and builds on your unique proposition to the market. Your positioning statement should be
active and generate a positive emotional response in the minds of your target market.. It should avoid
being too broad, as overgeneralised positioning statements will fail to engage your target audience. This
error can be particularly fatal for small businesses establishing themselves within a particular niche market
or in an industry saturated by strong competition.
Remember strong brands rest on compelling and distinctive emotional connections with their
customers.
Consider Jeans West promise to the market “Jeans West simply fits best!”
Jane Toohey
develop business. She is highly creative and can develop ideas that cut through the media clutter. She
currently operates as an outsourced strategic director for a number of companies and works closely with
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been a business owner herself, she brings commercial savvy to any situation and the ability to drive and
24
Jane Toohey is a non-executive company director, and a strategic sales & marketing consultant. Having
various business partners to deliver professional integrated solutions to a variety of national clients and
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25
lead effective marketing teams to generate results. She currently sits on the board of GIVIT.
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
Nine tips for creating a marketing plan
that will actually work – by Marissa
Brown
One of my passions is creating practical marketing plans that actually work, won’t take hours to read and
most
importantly,
are
an
integral
tool
in
the
day-to-day
running
of
a
business.
Here are my top nine tips for business owners to make marketing planning as easy as possible:
1. Don’t jump the gun.
It’s tempting to skip straight to the fun marketing activities and forget about setting the strategy. Take the
time to set your direction from the get go and you will reap the rewards down the track.
2. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Customers buy from businesses that have specific expertise in
their industry, not Jacks of all trades. Stick to targeting markets where you can be the best.
3. Know what it is you offer. Come up with one to two sentences that clearly define why you do what you
do, how you do it and what you do. (Here’s a great website on the value of starting with ‘why’.)
4. What do your customers think? It’s surprising how many business owners start setting a strategic
direction without considering feedback – both positive and negative – from current customers. It can
provide invaluable insight into what you’re doing well and where you can improve.
5. Bite size is the right size. Break up your plan into small, actionable steps. Set yourself one marketing
task each day and you’ll feel less overwhelmed.
6. Stay on track. Enlist a colleague, your partner or a friend to check in on your progress and keep you
accountable. Book regular check-ins to go through what you’ve achieved, what’s coming up and what’s
challenging you.
7. Celebrate your successes. Don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back when you achieve a goal in
your plan – no matter how small. Celebrating the wins will keep you motivated and focused on the big
picture.
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Treat mistakes as opportunities for improvement.
26
8. Hindsight is 20-20. Build into your plan reviews (at least quarterly) to reflect, reassess and refocus.
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9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Finally, even the most successful businesspeople ask for help.
Recognise the things you’re good at, and if marketing isn’t one of them, ask for help.
Marissa Brown
Marissa is Head of Brand + Customer at McCormicks Consulting. She helps businesses to break into new
markets, increase client engagement and boost profitability through creating practical, common sense
strategies that get results.
An experienced business development, brand and client engagement professional, Marissa has worked in
a variety of senior management roles in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Her experience spans the
law, accounting, IT and health industries as well as industry associations.
With a keen focus on ROI, Marissa isn’t afraid to break tradition in order to reenergise a brand and get a
business to where it wants to go. She can skilfully combine traditional and digital media to build profile and
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ultimately, boost revenue.
www.leadersinheels.com, e: [email protected]
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details included. Copyright will remain with us, and all the material in this document is subject to copyright.
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