| |
| |
|
Small Business Information |
|
|
|
5 Small Business Management Questions to Help Choose Marketing Programs
As small business managers, we juggle limited resources in a quest for success. To an extent, when we focus on success in one area we forego attention elsewhere. Limited money and time mean we must choose from seemingly endless -- and often conflicting -- advice and recommendations from marketing service providers; management and marketing consultants; and internal experts. This creates a dilemma. How do you choose which recommendations to embrace and which to pass by? Consultants, marketing service providers, and/or other departments within your company will eagerly give advice from their viewpoints. You will hear the benefits of focusing on "___" (fill in the blank with appropriate specialty). This is not a bad thing; it is their job to sell you on the advantages of their specialties. It is your job to probe for the downsides and tradeoffs. Different PerspectivesBack in my brand management days, it was sometimes frustrating when individual departments could not grasp The Big Picture. The graphics department and the outside ad agency wanted to focus strictly on graphical elements when other aspects of a campaign were just as critical. Manufacturing was worried about throughput and efficiency, never mind what the customer wanted. Each department was doing what it could to optimize its own function, but this did not always work in The Big Picture. A catch 22 of small business management is if all functions are "optimized," it could be to the detriment of the business. When resources are spread too thin and timelines expand, implementation suffers. In the online world the same Big Picture problems occur. Each specialist knows much about her or his own specialty, but often little about how it affects other areas. Most of the advice makes perfect sense. Toss in a dose of reality, however, and you may stretch your resources too thin if you simultaneously try for perfection in all areas. The Big PictureWhen reality hits, you find it is simply impossible to optimize all areas of your business. The obligations associated with small business management do not allow you to stop ongoing activities while trying to obtain detailed perfection. God may be in the details, but profit is in the implementation. As small business manager or "chief cook and bottle washer," it is your job to make it work by bundling the advice into a profitable implementation package. Once you accept that some areas are going to be initially less than perfect (providing you with opportunities to improve over time), the challenge is to figure out what makes sense for your business and site. When is it critical to optimize and when is less than perfect acceptable? When considering advice from a marketing consultant or other expert, ask yourself these five questions: 1) Does it solve a problem? One of the best ways to comprehend the importance of an action is to relate it to a problem. If you think strategically - first identifying your major problems, then designing solutions to solve those problems - your business is more likely to thrive. 2) What are my alternatives? There is always more than one solution to a problem. If you evaluate different approaches, you will ultimately make better decisions. 3) What are the downsides? Perfection and optimization are in the eyes of the beholder. What you see as a disadvantage may seem trivial to the specialists. Ask questions and do some research on your own to uncover the downsides. 4) Is it likely to be profitable for me? Larger companies can afford programs that smaller companies and individuals cannot. If you have to go into debt or dramatically reduce other critical activities to implement a program, your cost increases dramatically. In these cases, carefully weigh the resources required against the potential gain. 5) What happens if I do not do this? Some activities are "niceties" and some are necessities. Know the difference. If you are losing customers to other sites or businesses, for example, taking action is critical. Some activities - those you want to do but do not help solve a significant problem - can be pushed to the back burner. Incorporating The Big Picture into your decision-making is critical. When you ask yourself these five questions, you are in a better position to make the right decision. Your small business depends on it. About the AuthorBobette Kyle draws upon 12+ years of Marketing/Executive experience, Marketing MBA, and online marketing research in her writing. Bobette is proprietor of the Web Site Marketing Plan Network http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.com and author of the marketing plan and Web promotion book "How Much For Just the Spider? Strategic Website Marketing For Small Budget Business, howmuchforspider.com/TOC.htm . Copyright 2002, 2004 Bobette Kyle. All rights reserved.
MORE RESOURCES:
Small-Business - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Pressure Washing Heavy Equipment One of the best ways to make money in the pressure washer business is to power wash heavy equipment. It is not necessarily easy work and you will get quite greasy but it is steady work and there is lots of it. How to Get Started As A Government Contractor Becoming a contractor or sub-contractor for the U.S. The ABCs of Fundraising There are many little details that go into making sure your fundraising event is a successful event. The key is to have all your fundraising details laid out in front of you before you even start. Lack of Vigilance Can Harm the Bottom Line The easiest way to lift profits is to cut the fat out of costs.Cost cutting and profit increases can amount to much the same thing if handled correctly. Simple Business Tactics Are Your Key To Success In a world full of complications sometimes we overlook the simple things in life. We are so busy trying to work out our twisted problems that we miss out on the simple secrets to success. Todays Chef, Tomorrows Restaurateur -- Startup Tips by Restaurant Consultants Inc Researching information for a recent business plan, I came across an interesting number of 54,000. What is the big deal about that? Over 54,000 new restaurant business licenses were applied for in the last twelve months nationally. Work is a Four Letter Word I love work, I can watch it all day.I am not scared of work, I have been known to approach within arm's length of it on a number of occasions. Q and A: Personalized Birthday Cards from Paul Leonard Paul Leonard's BirthdayCards2Go.com paid greeting card service offers convenience when you're rushing to send birthday wishes. Measuring Your Way to Success Are you a motivational speaker who consistently gets rave reviews yet your ratio of speaking to return rate is not where you would like it to be? Perhaps you are a trainer whose delivery is complimented time and again, and yet you are only being asked by 10 to 20% of the clients you see for a repeat performance?Are you starting to think that there is something wrong with your message or delivery despite the rave reviews? Maybe you were wondering if your fee is too steep. That may be a valid concern when organizations are faced with discretionary spending, but the rule of thumb is that you are only charging too much if more than 1 in 5 people complain about it. Not Listening Can Hurt Your Small Business Most small business owners seek advisors who can help them improve their businesses. They want advice from those who have the experience and really know what they're talking about. Small Business No How - Dont Give Away the Farm You're pretty proud of yourself! After all, only four months ago you came up with the idea of opening your own business - "Jenni's Interior Design" Your friends have always said you were gifted when it came to arranging furniture and picking out colors, and you love to do it, so you decided it was time to get serious.You went to a few "Starting Your Own Business" seminars, picked out a name and registered it, had your nephew build a great website, printed up some business cards, got a second phone line, and took out an ad in the local paper - "Are Your Walls and Furniture as Stagnant as Pond Scum? You Don't Need to Break the Bank for a Fresh Look, You Just Need a Makeover!"Then you crossed your fingers and waited. Do You Need Accounting Software for Your Small Business? If you're anything like me then you dislike with a vengeance doing your accounts and taxes.So how can you make this process easier, less painful and cut your accountancy fees?Well buying an accounting software package is one way. The Triple A Way to Spark Your Companys Profits Winning small and home based businesses today must continually shake things up to stay in the game. Whether it's adding new marketing twists on existing products and services or anticipating customer wants with compatible new items you can add to your product mix, hatching new ideas and concepts is vital to a profitable company. Entrepreneur to Employer You make the decision to go into business and for some time work from home or in leased premises and your business starts to grow.Like all businesses you experience growing pains. Earn More Money in Your Small Business by Creating a PIG If you really want to earn more money with your small business than you need to strongly consider adding a P.I. The Key to Creating Total System Empowerment In this paper, I will:1. provide a framework for creating total system power at all levels and in all positions;2. Window Cleaning Business Future Challenge With Self Cleaning Glass Self-cleaning glass has been talked about a lot, with such a catchy name in his hit the headlines of not only the trade journals, but also the mass media. Does self-cleaning glass mean that all the window cleaners and small businesses across this country are doomed? No, not yet. 5 GREAT WAYS to Gain New Contacts What are the 5 best ways to gain new contacts?There are many ways to use the media to promote your business. You must ultimately decide what is best for your business. S Corporation - What Is It? For many small businesses, the "S" corporation is the business entity of choice. The "S" in S corporation refers to a tax designation. How to Start Home Based Travel Businesses Home based travel businesses are no longer the wave of the future. Home travel businesses are the hot trend right now.
|
|
|
|
|
