Q. What are your biggest questions about creating content for your business that helps you to market to prospective clients?
Hi all,
I'm writing a marketing book for entrepreneurs, and I'd appreciate your help. To make the book relevant to real business owners who run real businesses, I'd like to know what your biggest questions are about creating content. This could mean marketing/advertising materials, using social networking, blogs or Websites, or even your own sales letters, etc. If you've got ideas for creating relevant content, feel free to give me your tips too - and in either case, feel free to include your name, business name and Website or blog url - and I'll include them in the book. (Or if you'd rather remain anonymous, just tell me that too!)
Warmly,
Cheryl Antier
Area of Expertise: Marketing
5 answers | Asked on 03/23/10 by:
Cheryl Antier
, United States
Answers
Venkata Vadlamani
Austin, TX, United States
What is your definition of "real business owners who run real businesses". I would like to understand this phrase before I can contribute to the thought! On a personal note: Most all individuals have a dreams or hopes..and many would like to make it a reality. However its the nature of transactions within the said engagement that might differentiate between hobbies or business. And entrepreneurs most often then not, struggle to identify with the definition. So to say, when does an entrepreneur become a real business owner.
Posted on 04/05/10
Cheryl Antier
, United States
Good question. I guess my definition of a real business owner who runs a real business is someone who is actually in business (has the appropriate business license, and other necessary paperwork), and who has products or services for sale and is selling them. I don't think part time or full time has anything to do with it.
Posted on 04/05/10
Neal Isaacs
Garner, NC, United States
Hello Cheryl,
I'm not sure I understand your question or your desired book topic either, but I'm going to take a stab at it and assume by content you are asking what type of strategy and direction to take a marketing campaign.
When I started and began to grow my business I was never sure exactly how much to spend on marketing. I was amazed that a decent advert in the yellow pages could easily cost as much as my rent every month, and I had heard some stats such as 5% of gross. I could have used some more direction on what amount is neccessary and which avenues to follow. z
For instance, as I continued to invest in paper adverts I eventually realized that channeling to electronic media such as google pay per click where better investments. Of course every business will be different, but I could have used a road map to start with. Something like: Start with 50% online costs, 25% radio, 15% mailers, and 10% yard signage. Measure response and adjust. Perhaps such ratios are unrealistic with the different types of businesses out there. Nonetheless it wasn't until I started taking classes for my MBA that I realized that expenditures on marketing shouldn't be so much a percentage of income but probably the opposite; spend more on marketing when sales are down to bring sales in!
For what it's worth, in the end I found that word of mouth and a consistent weekly email marketing campaign with Constant Contact worked well for my business. In addition, Constant Contact provides some great features so that you can see which content you're clients looked at/clicked on so you can fine tune your campaign. In addition, an interactive forum including trivia and coupon dispersal was quite effective. Lastly, small hamburger/hotdog cookouts at my retail store to thank customers for there business about twice a year made a big difference, not to mention increased sales.
Hope this helps!
Neal Isaacs
Posted on 04/11/10
Alfreda Jones-Moore
Cerritos, CA, United States
I'm a little confused as well. How can you right a book about something for people you really have no idea about what they need? Or am I misunderstanding your question.
Posted on 04/15/10
Cathleen Jones
Independence, MO, United States
I have bee in business for just over a year now. Lots of lessons learned! I own a recycled clothing boutique in Kansas City, Missouri called White Clover http://www.whitecloverkc.com. Facebook ads, Craigslist and Constant Contact have been my bread & butter. When your starting out understanding what techniques works for you can be trial & error the first year, so I started using marketing initially so I wouldn't blow my cash flow too soon!:) As time went on I added other methods. But thus far the internet has been a powerhouse for my business. One problen I am faced with now, is how I can step away more so that I can enable faster growth. Expansion is scary, costly and takes time-never enough time BUT bottom line is if I want to improve my profit how can I do this successfully without having it suffer since I won't be behind the wheel as much!
Posted on 07/13/10
