Catch More Customers with a Marketing Array

It is all too common for small business owners to operate without a marketing plan.  We all know we should have a plan (that’s what the experts tell us) but it always seems to get put off in favor of the more urgent (but less important) demands of the business.  As a result, marketing tends to be limited to just a few things that are supposed to suffice in telling the world about your business and attracting customers.  Ironically, the biggest complaint among small business owners is that there are not enough leads, and thus not enough customers to achieve the level of success we desire.

I like to think of a good marketing plan in terms of an “array”.  It’s not enough to have 2 or 3 marketing tactics at work in your business (the norm for many).  Think instead of having 8 to 12 tactics arrayed to attract customers and compel them to check out your business.

I live near Lake Michigan, and the fishery on this great body of water is fantastic.  The charter boat captains know all about arrays and their importance in attracting fish.  It is common for them to have 8 to 12 lines in the water at any one time.  Some of the lures are set deep using downriggers.  Some are set at medium depth and some at the surface.  Some are immediately behind and under the boat, while others are trolled far out to the side using planer boards.  They use different lures with different colors.  Some are primarily for attracting the big trout and salmon, and others for triggering the bite.  But the point is that their array is multifaceted, and set out to attract the most fish to please the most clients aboard their boat.

Think of your marketing plan as an array.  You need a variety of tactics.  Some are physical, like brochures, ads, or articles.  Some are virtual, like your website, blog, or social media.  And some are personal, like networking or the cultivation of referral sources.  Your choice of tactics (your lure) will depend on what you know about your target customer, and what will trigger them to “bite” on your array.  But you will catch more with a multi-faceted approach to your marketing, so create an array and watch your business grow.

What Should You Expect in a Business Coach

For many business owners the concept of a business coach may seem attractive to help accelerate the performance and success of the business.  But in seeking a coach, what attributes should you look for?  What should you expect from a coach?  There may be a variety of opinions on this, but here is a list of qualities that the best coaches should strive to fulfill.  What others can you add?

• Interest in pushing you toward your goals.
• Acceptance of your vision for your business.
• Real suggestions or options related to your challenges.
• Ability to teach you new skills.
• Someone you can rely on and confide in.
• Confidentiality.
• Consistently nudge you forward. Make progress!
• Keep you accountable to your own goals and commitments.
• Help connect you with other professional resources.
• Present new ideas or considerations.
• Accessibility. Someone you can reach when needed.
• Knowledge and experience with a wide variety of businesses.
• Knowledge and experience in the various functions of a business.
• Ability to motivate you to reach higher.
• Can produce a return on your coaching investment.
• Helps you create new habits, or systems in your business.
• Gives you a new way of thinking about your business.

The Joy of Business

You might be doing a double-take on the title of this blog if you are a small business owner.  For most, the stress, work hours, and financial reward don’t seem to fit within the definition of “joy”.  If you find yourself spending large amounts of time dealing with employee conflict, quality issues or even getting your financials squared away, you may not be feeling the joy.

As a business coach and small business owner myself, I can relate.  But I can also tell you that as a business gets more “systematized”, the problems start to melt away, the rewards go up, and the business becomes joyful.  It is oh so gratifying when the efforts to build a well-run business start to pay off.

The idea of systematizing a business may seem understandable on a conceptual level, but what are these systems anyway?  Well, in simple terms, they are anything that the business does, or needs to do consistently that become like habits in the business such that they are duplicable by anyone performing those systems.  Here are just a few systems that are crucial in most businesses:

·        A tactical marketing plan that consistently generates leads you can turn into customers.

·        A set of Key Performance Indicators that act as a “dashboard” that helps you drive your business.

·        A team building strategy that keeps your employees aligned with the direction of the company and eliminates conflict.

·        A business efficiency strategy that improves profitability and builds a mindset of continuous improvement.

·        A financial recordkeeping system that accurately records the activities of the business and reflects its value.

Naturally, there are others, but the point is that the old adage of working ON your business, means building these kinds of systems or habits into the day-to-day operations such that the stress and worry start to disappear, while the financial and personal gratification rewards rise.  When that happens, a real sense of joy (and pride) takes over, and we become even more motivated to make our business better yet.

The greatest joy as a coach is the sharing of that great feeling with clients who experience the benefits of a systematized business.  It takes time, but helping business owners work ON their business is a journey worth taking in order to reach the joy of business!