As a full-time business owner, when it comes to creating compelling marketing campaigns for your own business, sometimes YOU’VE GOT NOTHING! You’ve seen it all, and without imitating the competition, it’s difficult to come up with new ideas to reach potential customers.

You believe in your products and services SO much that you want to grab a megaphone, go into a large crowd of people and preach it to the masses!

If you actually just considered doing the megaphone thing after you read it, YOU are my people!

Seriously, you are so fired up about growing your business, you are ready to explode, but you don’t know what to do. You know what used to work, but the market and culture have changed.

[quote align=’right’]“That’s how we’ve always done it” is the attitude that will kill a business.[/quote]Maybe it’s time to go over your marketing methods…
What is happening in your industry?
Why are old methods no longer working?
What are your competitors doing?

Choosing to imitate your biggest competitor’s marketing methods CAN work. It can change your business for the better. BUT if you are truly interested in massive growth for your business, massive action needs to take place. If this is you, keep reading.

“That’s how we’ve always done it” is the attitude that will kill a business.

Unless the demographic of your business is senior citizens, the Yellowpages will probably not reach potential clients.

Newspaper readership is at an all time low. It’s not that people aren’t reading the news, they are just consuming it in a different way—online.

Then there are small business owners who don’t market AT ALL, but I know you’re not like that, otherwise you would have stopped reading.

Here are a few actionable steps to increase your marketing effectiveness…

Use your team.

Schedule a weekly meeting to brainstorm compelling marketing ideas. DO NOT Discard any ideas. Record all ideas on paper. It’s often the craziest ideas that spark make the biggest impact. Maybe you need fresh ideas from the outside. Bring in a marketing professional to spark new ideas from a different vantage point. Their years of experience will be beneficial to the growth of your business and the returns your receive will far outweigh the cost.

Do market research.

Talk with the people who know and have used your products. What are they saying? Listen to their opinions. If you hear the same thoughts over and over, you better implement some change! The number one thing that will improve your marketing methods, is knowing your demographic.

Change.

Make a plan and take action. Pick an idea and implement it. If you see that there is a good response, throw more fuel on the fire. Most marketing is not going to change the face of your business overnight, but if you start to see increases month over month, you are probably onto something. In your weekly marketing meeting, review your current marketing and come up with ideas to make it even better.
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They look even better on the players! #starwars #force pic.twitter.com/ndbtVKoN98

— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) November 10, 2015

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The Saskatoon Blades, a local WHL hockey team, are always coming up with compelling marketing to bring out the fans. In November 2015, the team unveiled their new Star Wars themed jerseys. The timing was perfect as the release of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens was scheduled to come out the following month. Star Wars, being a brand that is recognized across the globe, caused this jersey to go viral! The special jerseys were unveiled during a Star Wars themed hockey game and auctioned off with the proceeds to benefit the Food Banks of Saskatchewan.

Who would have thought that Lucasfilms Ltd. would allow their branding on a jersey for a hockey team that comes from a small city of 250,000 people? Not me! This is the kind of marketing that changes things.

What changes will you make? What will you do with the fire that is burning inside you? I would LOVE to hear of any marketing ideas you that exploded your business. We may need to write about it in future blog posts. Comment below or send me a message.
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