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Effective Marketing for Small Businesses

Knowing the people of the industry and marketing to the people of the industry, these are different things yet still the same. It’s all about talking to people but in a different way. First is knowing them and there is an interaction about who you are and what you do, and why you sell this type of equipment. Marketing is around the same but you do not know the person yet. You send out online what kind of equipment you have and what you do (what the company does). By interest the person sees it, is searching for it, or just interested for another time, and calls or emails you. Then in the conversation you talk about who you are and other useful technical advantage the equipment has. And as a specialist you can talk endlessly about it. Starting an order is different by marketing to people who you do not know yet than the people who know you already. At the end, it turns out the same. Why should you go for marketing? Well, it could be your company is a small company and you like to keep it that way. But it is necessary to have a job (and keep the job). I hope you agree with that. A customer does not always need your type of equipment and then it is a long time to wait. With marketing you can have a job and keep the job because you make a stronger business. I hear you thinking, I never do marketing, well maybe or maybe not. Are you posting sometimes successes or your pictures of your equipment on social media? Or add a short video at the field while using your equipment on LinkedIn or Facebook, just for fun? Because you enjoy the work what you do? Great that you share it, and that you like the job but that is marketing. Your friends and colleagues give likes and that’s fun. A target market is defined as a specific group of people at which a product is aimed. Many owners are so focused on growing their business and so convinced of how valuable their equipment is, that they think everyone in the industry is their prospective client.
Let me illustrate this with a little story

One day, Ava from TechWell decided she needed more clients for her equipment warehouse. At first, she thought, everyone likes my equipment. My target is everyone, so I need to broadcast an ad to everyone in the nation. I’ll buy an ad for the big game! Then everyone will be talking about my equipment. She called the TV ad people and asked, ‘How much for time on the big game?’ The big game ad exec said, ‘Only $2 million for a 30-second spot. What will you be selling?’ Ava replied, ‘I sell industrial equipment at my warehouse.’ The ad exec smiled and said, “I” have never had to use that, but I am sure you will do fine. How many spots do you want?” So, Ava realized that not everyone liked her equipment and said, ‘This target Market is too broad! Broadcasting to everyone is too expensive.” Ava began to think a little more carefully about her target market. Now she thought, “Maybe I should only focus on people who like industrial equipment. Instead of broadcasting to everyone. As luck would have it, she found an industrial platform who also had equipment on the site. She called and asked the online provider to add all her equipment on the site. Who usually buys equipment from you? the provider asked. “Most of the people who buy from me are medium size E&P companies”, replied Ava. “Where are they?” “Well, they are mostly in US”. “Why do they buy from you?” “Many of them are having trouble to find my specialized equipment that will solve the issue that they have”. “Do you think thy would ship it if your type of customer is further away?” “I don’t think so but I also have a website where they can reach me.” Ava, thought for a minute, and then it hit her.

Thus, my target market is really, medium E&P companies in US, and they need my specialised equipment when they have a problem to solve. And it is not easy to get this type of equipment! The online provider said, “We run an online industrial platform called Ballycatter. I think your message about specialized equipment for the medium E&P companies will be very effective in our industrial platform. Nanocasting to such a specific audience will save you lots of your budget and increase your conversion rate.” With that, Ava said, “This target audience is just right!” And she started marketed. Therefore, there are many ways to start a conversation and marketing targeting is a part of it.