Why You Should Never Stop Marketing
When you're busy, it can be tempting to stop marketing your business. Marketing is typically one of the first expenses to be cut when things are slow. When you stop marketing your business because you're busy or slow, you're actually setting yourself up for future issues. Here's why you should never stop marketing your business.
Brand Awareness
Consistently communicating with your clients and potential clients creates brand awareness. Brand awareness is not just some buzz word. It can be the lifeline of your business. Think about Nike. Nike is always advertising. Between billboards, commercials and magazine ads, you hear from Nike on the regular. So, when you need new sneaks, they are probably one of the first names you think of. And let's be honest, Nike's sneakers are no different than Adidas. Sure they have different styles but at the end of the day, a sneaker is a sneaker and many of us shop by brand...which is why brand awareness is so important. The same goes in the beauty business. There are other people that do what you do. But if you're constantly communicating and keeping your brand in front of your clients and potential clients, when they need a haircut or a facial treatment, they're going to think of you over your competitor that they haven't heard from in months. Maintaining brand awareness will benefit your business whether you're busy or slow!
Why You Shouldn't Stop Marketing When You're Busy
I've heard people say they don't "do much with marketing" because they are already really busy. That's so great, but what happens if that changes? If your business suddenly drops off and you haven't been marketing, suddenly you're working from a place of panic. Instead of having a nice steady flow of clients, you're scrambling to get new people in the door. When business is slow, you may not have the financial resources to put toward marketing either. So, instead of having to hit the panic button when there's a shift, I suggest you continue marketing your business when you're busy. Marketing Does Not Equal Running Promotions "I'm too busy, I don't need to run promotions." That's fine. Marketing does not equal running promotions. There is so much more to marketing than running a promotion. Running a promotion has it's place in the marketing mix. It's great for launching a new service, filling holes in your schedule or for a quick infusion of cash. But, if you're booked and you don't want and/or need to discount your services, there are still a lot of things you can do to continue marketing your business without running a promo. When I work with a client that is booked and doesn't want to run promotions we focus as positioning them as an expert at what they do by providing knowledge, tips and showcasing their work. There are many benefits to this type of approach.
- When people perceive you as an expert, they are willing to wait for your services.
- When people perceive you as an expert, you can command higher prices.
- When you're constantly sharing information, you're staying top of mind with people.
- You're creating trust and letting people get to know you.
So, if you're busy, keep marketing! If things slow down, you'll be glad you did. When you're busy you can:
- Send a monthly email blast.
- Post regularly to your social channels sharing your knowledge and showcasing your work.
- Start blogging to help your website's SEO and then use that content on your socials.
- Engage on social. Ask your audience questions, share memes, share behind the scenes pictures, etc.
Why You Should Keep Marketing When You're Slow
When business slows down it's usually the owner's knee jerk reaction to cut expenses. Unfortunately, marketing is always one of the first to go and it shouldn't be. If you're running a big ad campaign or something that is costing you a lot, then yes, cut back if you need to. While some other marketers might say, when business is slow you should UP your ad buy, I'm a small business owner myself and I know if it's between paying your rent or running an ad, I would want you to pay your rent. But, just because you cut back doesn't mean you should stop communicating entirely. Instead, use the resources that are available to you at lower cost. Email is my favorite. I always advise my clients to build their email list. I always tell clients to invest in mediums YOU own and control. Social is great, but it's largely become a "pay to play" platform. If you want to reach the masses on social these days, you've gotta pay for an ad. If you're short on cash, this may not be an option. But, if you have an email list of customers that already know, like and trust you, you can communicate whatever you'd like, whenever you'd like with minimal cost AND your chances of converting them in to a sale are much better than a cold lead you find through a Facebook ad. You should also keep posting to your social accounts and look for ways to get out in to your community and promote your business. Create a partnership with a complimentary business that you can share referrals with. If you're Stylist, look for an Esti you can pass referrals with. Attend networking events. Follow up with clients you haven't seen in a while and leverage the clients you are seeing. If business as slowed down that means you may have some extra time on your hands. Use that time to up-sell the clients you are seeing, or provide them with a value-added service that doesn't cost you much to do. They will appreciate the extras and you'll likely create a loyal client that returns to you time and time again. And don't forget to promote your referral program! If you're doing great work and offering clients a reason to help promote you, that is a really low cost way to market your business when things are slow.Whether you are busy or slow, you should never stop marketing your business. Staying consistent with your marketing will help create consistency with your flow of clients and help you avoid major dips in business. When things are slow, it's ok to cut back, but don't stop all together. Focus on free or low cost ways to promote yourself. When things are busy, don't worry about running promotions! Just focus on consistent communication to keep a steady flow of clients coming through your door. If I can help you come up with a plan, contact me! I'd love to be a part of your marketing efforts.
