| Why are you in business? Or better yet, why are you | | | | isn't important. Nor am I suggesting you can't do it. I am |
| offering a service or product? There is only one | | | | stating your purpose in marketing is to grow revenue |
| answer to this question. You are in business to make | | | | and earn yourself a profit first foremost and always. |
| money. There are a lot of other good reasons but this | | | | Large companies have enormous marketing budgets. |
| is the main one. | | | | They can afford television commercials, radio spots, |
| When you run a business you have two main duties. | | | | magazine ads, newspaper ads, direct mail, and like |
| The first duty is to market i.e. get customers. Your | | | | such. Think about all the commercials you have seen |
| second duty is to offer your service or product. Most | | | | or heard in the last week. How much do you think |
| people have no problem offering their service or | | | | those commercials cost? What companies are running |
| product. The problem is marketing. | | | | ads? The big boys are running ads, not Ma & Pa |
| What is marketing? Don't bother getting a dictionary. | | | | grocery. I am not saying that you will never resort to |
| Marketing is getting customers to buy. The purpose of | | | | certain types of medium to advertise. I am saying that |
| marketing is to grow revenue and earn you a profit. | | | | there are other alternatives that are targeted not |
| You should avoid any marketing activity that does not | | | | scatter shot. |
| result in more customers and sales. | | | | Now one thing you should have in common with the |
| You must apply yourself to turn this mistake around. | | | | big boys is a marketing budget. I am not going to tell |
| First free your mind of what you regard as marketing. | | | | you that marketing is free. And I am not going to |
| People have a tendency to follow the examples they | | | | dictate an exact amount. I will suggest that you spend |
| see. What I am saying is not to emulate what you see | | | | as little money as possible. |
| around you. | | | | More importantly, every dollar you spend should pay |
| It is best that you not market like large companies. | | | | for itself. In a nutshell every dollar spent on marketing |
| Large companies market for a number of reasons, | | | | should grow revenue and earn you a profit. |
| most of which you can not afford. Large companies | | | | Failing to understand the true purpose of marketing will |
| advertise to brand their name. I am not saying branding | | | | cause you to be desperate for customers. |