(And How You Can Too!)
Have you noticed, practically above all of the other factors, almost to the point, the one main thing and recurring theme, most small business owners, service providers, and or enthusiastic start ups, all seem to have in common. Especially in their extremely humble cash flow challenged beginnings.
They all lack for readily available cash or reliable business. Have you noticed this all too common theme, as well? Or is it just me?
And often times especially if they’re attempting to market their extremely valuable,products or services online, (to any extent), they often lack, basic online marketing knowledge and skills. Would you not agree?
But whether a brand new start up, initially wants to market on or offline, if they’re trying to advertise and or successfully promote themselves, using the outrageously expensive, traditional methods. They quickly realize, their limited access to cash and or reasonable credit terms, puts a major cramp in their style, to say the least, correct?
But who says, just because your start up and or service business doesn’t have huge corporate backing, you can’t successfully compete?
So How In The World Do Semi Cash Flow Challenged Small Business Owners Manage To Successfully Compete? (Even Though They Often Start Out With Really Tiny Advertising Budgets!)
Case in point. Let’s say you own a rather small, (and let’s face it), under capitalized venture, and you offer gourmet catering services, primarily to upscale commercial businesses.
Which means, at practically the drop of a hat, you and or one of your co-owner business partners, can quickly put together an event plan, for a major corporate client, within 72 hours or less, and begin hosting one of the high end corporate style events.
Or if need be, you can also gladly cater, to the mid size corporate client, and provide a fancy catered lunch, once a week or month, to a mid level corporate client. Even if the menu includes, special considerations, like providing some vegan menu items and or, some tasty gluten free deserts as well.
However, even though positive word of mouth is the primary way you consistently land your corporate clients, you’d really like to crank up the non commercial side of your retail sales. And really start selling more, of your own private label brand, of high end gourmet coffees, teas and or lemonades etc.
You just don’t currently have any major investor money, to mount a reasonable, high end advertising and or promotional campaign. Or do you?
Savvy Entrepreneurs Don’t Have To Rely On Deep Pocket Investors To Help Them Positively Spread The Word!
Case in point. Since tons and tons of local women, many of whom love their morning cup of extremely great tasting, gourmet coffee and or tea etc.
And since your private label gourmet coffee, cocoa and or tea, constantly gets rave reviews.
Why not target other local small business owners, service providers and or start up entrepreneurs, and help them, so they in turn can help you!
Here’s one incredibly simple, underground ninja marketing strategy, which is practically waiting to jump off the shelf, while your local major competitors, continually waste tons of their extremely limited cash. Trying to mass market, as if their business,and or service is a fortune 500 type of business.
First of all, let’s say you approach an upscale hair salon and nail salon owner. And you and or one of your female associates, becomes a regular customer of theirs, in order to build a much stronger bond with them.
And you also approach an upscale, women-s clothing boutique and accessories store owner, with the following proposal. After you’ve become a regular customer of theirs.
Some Of Your Very Best lead Generation Efforts Can Literally Cost You Pennies On The Dollar!
You offer to let the store owners sample, some of your most expensive, great tasting gourmet coffee and or tea etc.Which means you’ll gladly provide a free, 10 or X pound bag of some of your very best tasting gourmet coffee.
So they can sample it, plus allow their valued employees to be exposed to it as well.
But here’s a really nice, under used marketing twist. Which won’t cost you any more money than you’re currently investing to promote/market your business/service , but will definitely help strategically get the word out, both on and offline.
Because these well respected, local, non directly competing small business owners, service providers and or start up entrepreneurs, all cater in one way or another,to your ideal, upscale female clientele, they represent an inexpensive gateway to socially get the word out, about your extremely valuable products and or services etc.
Your Well Honed Entrepreneurial Skills Can Easily Catapult You Past Your Major Competitors!
Here’s what you’ll do, on those anticipated really cold winter days, you and or one of your valued employees, will gladly volunteer to show up, with a ten pound bag of gourmet coffee,tea or cocoa, and gladly serve, both the business owner(s), their employees and their extremely valued customer base!
The gourmet beverages are free, courtesy of you, but the heart felt gesture will definitely further endear the customers to their business, correct? You better believe it!
Hopefully, if the business owner has (either) a state of the art, WordPress website and or blog, and they’re semi active on social media.
They can tweet, and post pictures of this event, on the likes of Facebook, Instagram, twitter and or Snapchat etc.
Who Says Small Business Automatically Means Small Profits?
Plus, they can video tape portions of the event, and post it to their youtube/vimeo channel, and, possibly send their opt in email/mobile subscribers, a link to the event as well, correct?
Meanwhile, at least some of those first time customers, who get exposed to your great tasting gourmet beverages, for literally pennies on the dollar, will gladly become a part of you (and or) your major competitors sales funnel, by enthusiastically becoming an opt in email subscriber.
And they either return home, and or to their jobs/ careers, and immediately begin sharing their positive experience, with co-workers, neighbors, friends, family members, spouses etc.
And they’ll gladly do so, both on and offline, correct? Oh yea. And this is just one of the many simple ways, a semi cash strapped small business owner, competes with their big buck major competitors, even though they initially start out, with really tiny ad budgets.Any questions?
Don’t Wait To Start Being Or Becoming More Pro-active With Your current Or Future Marketing Strategies Or Tactics!
P.S.Now as is customary during this part of our show.
Please share your extremely valuable comments (in the comments section below)
that you can apply to your business, product or service in the next 30 days or less!
As always, if you got any value out of this post, please share this on your favorite social media sites or tweet this.Thanks!
And if you’re currently registered on Linkedin or twitter,and you’re serious about about doing some type of power networking.Let’s get connected asap!
Extremely important note:And if by chance, you happen to know any of the lesser known podcasters, who also target,small business owners,service providers or aspiring startups
entrepreneurs etc.
And they’re pro-actively looking for potential guest speakers.Please don’t hesitate to-either- pass their name and contact information directly
to me or vice versa!Thanks!
And be sure you grab your explosive free 22 step small business marketing idea kit series,because it will help you increase your profits by as much as 25% in the next 90 days or less.
And help you master your effective communication in marketing skills.
(No matter what your particular niche market is.)It’s a $97 dollar value and it’s free!