About this website
This site is a very recent redesign and expansion of my previous site, and it is still a work in progress. Content is being brought in from several databases, and new content is being developed, so you can expect this site to be evolving quickly.
While the primary focus of this site will be on advertising and marketing as they relate to small businesses, there is more to life than business. To the extent that one broadens one’s field-of-view, the areas we do focus on become more meaningful. In addition, compartmentalized thinking, which business people are prone to (and often encouraged to do) is the enemy of creative thinking—and there is no greater need for creativity then there is in marketing communications and advertising.
Consequently, information and thoughts, seemingly irrelevant to the the primary focus will also be offered, if for no other reason than diversion. I think that with your input this can be a informative site for small businesses. I will be interested in your opinions and suggestions.
Definition note: Through usage and misusage several frequently used business terms relating to marketing and advertising have become confused and over-lapping. Properly speaking “Marketing” denotes all business activities related to bringing a product to market and selling it. The product could be a physical object, a service, or an idea. Classically, marketing is subdivided into the “marketing mix,” the so called 4P’s of marketing—Product, Place, Price, and Promotion—with the fourth P, Promotion, representing all “Marketing Communications” that the marketeer may use in the marketplace, and which include advertising, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion. “Advertising” usually denotes the mass distribution of a marketing communications message through a media such as publications, broadcast, the Internet, etc. In popular usage, these terms have come to mean more or less the same thing, so I will be using them somewhat interchangeably.
Why focus on small business marketing and advertising?
Focusing on small business marketing begs the question, “What distinguishes ‘small business’ marketing, –advertising, –design, or –website development from the same activities for ‘medium-size’ or ‘large businesses?’”
If one looks at the scale of marketing communications and advertising (the sheer dollars spent), it is evident that large businesses spent considerably more than small businesses. And if one looks at the scope of marketing communications and advertising (the type and number of communication channels used) large business reach their markets in multiple ways and through multiple media.
But these may be distinctions without a difference because (1) smaller businesses are usually trying to reach smaller markets through media appropriate to those markets, (2) smaller businesses tend to have a narrower line of product offerings than large business, and (3) smaller business have a more limited capacity to meet demand.
There are, however, ways in which small and large businesses “tend” to differ when it comes to marketing and advertising.
Commitment to Marketing Effort—large businesses understand the vital importance of today’s marketing communications to tomorrow’s business, and they make these communications a priority. Small businesses tend to view marketing communications as secondary in importance, or as a quick fix for sagging sales.
Commitment to Quality—large businesses understand that quality (in concept, design, message, and media) is essential to successful marketing communications, and especially their image and brand. Smaller businesses often do not appreciate the negative impression that a shoddy brochure, a poorly designed ad, or ill-conceived website can have on the reception of their message and their image, and they often settle for substandard quality in the interest of saving money.
How Advertising and Communications are Produced—large businesses look at a variety of inputs before they create their communications. They look at the market as a group and as individuals, they look at their products strengths and weaknesses, they look at the competition and many other factors before they start crafting their message and begin the creative process. Small businesses tend to cut directly to the creative process, choosing the first approach that strikes their fancy. Consequently, they often end up advertising to themselves, rather than their audience.
Out-Sourcing as Needed—large companies tend to focus their resources on their core business, and when they do not have the specialized knowledge, talent, or capabilities to perform essential tasks in-house, they outsource as a matter of sound business practice. Advertising and other market communications are frequently outsourced because these activities can rarely be done efficiently and effectively in-house. Small businesses tend to take the opposite approach, doing everything they can in-house, even if this means not doing it well.
Comment to Follow-Through—large businesses understand that marketing communications and advertising are cumulative and do not work over-night. Thus, they commit their marketing dollars according to long-term objectives, and they don’t change directions unless there is good reason. Small businesses tend to advertise sporadically and inconsistently, thus diluting the cumulative effect of their advertising.
And there is one final difference:
Large businesses attempt to measure their advertising and to insist on a return on their investment in marketing dollars. If there is no return, or if the return does not meet expectations, they modify their approach, but they do not quit advertising. On the other hand, well over 90% of small business advertising fails to produce any return-on-investment whatsoever.
So, can small businesses create effective marketing communications and advertising?
The answer is a resounding yes! Most can. They just have to approach their marketing communications as large businesses have learned to approach theirs—with, of course, the appropriate adjustments to their markets and budgets. Here is an example”
Right now, as I am writing, I am struck by a prime example of successful small business advertising. It is close to noon and I am getting hungry, and, out of the blue, the name “The Lion’s Tap” popped into my mind. The Lion’s Tap is a small restaurant specializing in hamburgers, like dozen’s of others in the Twin Cities where I live—well, actually, not so much like the others because The Lion’s Tap is known all over the midwest and has won numerous awards, including being named one to the top 500 restaurants in the US. Of course, they have great food, but much of their success is due to their advertising. They have incessantly run their small coupon ad in local newspapers for years and years, and they didn’t quit, even when business was good. They also run billboard ads and sell promotional items online, including their own seasoning. And, if you want to see a very well-thought-out and well-designed website go to http://www.lionstap.com. Even though there are 4 hamburger restaurants within a mile of my home, I thought first of The Lion’s Tap. If they weren’t a 30 minute drive from where I am now, I’d already be in my car.
Note the large, high-quality photo that immediately engages the viewer. No fuzzy, amateur photo for these folks!
The Lion’s Tap is a clear example of how one small business in a market can surpass the competition through well-crafted advertising and persistence. Your small business can communicate effectively as well.
This site can help.
As this site develops, you will find a wealth of information on small business, small business marketing, and advertising. You will find articles on theory and practice, creating effective communications, media and how to use it, and stories about how other small businesses were successful.
You can also find assistance with your advertising in the form of creative concepts, planning, design and production, and consultation at very reasonable rates.
