Small Business MarketingEverything from Strategy to Website Hacks

Presented by Billy Grill,Rebel Marketing

What We Are Covering

Strategy Channels ResourcesApproach

This is NOT Marketing

What is Marketing?• Webster’s Definition - the activities that are involved in

making people aware of a company's products, making sure that the products are available to be bought, etc. – First Known Use, 1561

• Martin Luther – First Social Media Influencer, 1517• 72 Definitions of Marketing – By Heidi Cohen

“Communicating with clients, prospects and stakeholders to discover value and apply it to existing and new markets.” – Rebel’s Working Definition

The Secret to Marketing?• THERE IS NO SECRET!• Marketing is a process, not an event• Well thought strategy and strong execution• Data driven decisions (but follow your gut in certain

instances)• Coordinate with sales and other stakeholders• Don’t be intimidated by the terminology and new shiny

“widgets”• Current Marketing Landscape

Transactional Communication

Sender ReceiverMessage

Feedback

Noise

Noise

Model created in 1949 by Claude Elwood Shannon and Warren Weaver of Bell Laboratories

AdsContentSalesProposalsCustomer Service

AnalyticsSurveysActions

Email Stats

WebsiteSocial SEO SEM

SocialInsight

WebsiteStats

SEORank

SEMStats

Email Blog

Blog Stats

Customer Relationship Management

The Funnel

Awareness

Interest

Intent

Consideration

EvaluationPurchase

Then

Marketing

Sales

Now

Sales

Marketing

Somewhat True

Sales Should be Engaged w/ Marketing

“Content is the virtual salesperson for the long B2B buying cycle.” Rachel Balik, Sr. Manager Content Marketing, Demandbase

Growth Areas

Awareness

Interest

Intent

Consideration

Evaluation

Current Client

Current Capability

New Client

Current Capability

Current Client

New Capability

New Client

New Capability

Strategy “Plans are worthless, planning is everything” - Dwight Eisenhower

“Give me six hours to cut a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe” – Abraham Lincoln

Category Strategy

Target Market Upscale households with incomes between $65,000 and $500,000 with an emphasis on female decision makers between the ages of 30 and 55

Positioning Statement The best looking and sounding modular stereo system

Offering to customers Add one lower-priced model and two higher priced models

Price Strategy Price 10% above our closest competitor (be specific here)

Distribution Internet gift stores i.e. red envelope, Brookstone, high end catalogs i.e. Sharper Image

Sales Strategy Expand by 10% for this product line, hire a national account manager

Service Strategy Available through all major box chains

Promotion Strategy Develop a new campaign that focuses on the positioning, emphasize higher price and designer look

Marketing Research Conduct customer audit and identify new market opportunities

Any other component of your marketing plan

Marketing Theme: Fun without the Sun

Category Strategy My reason for existence: To provide pet owners within the city of Springfield a safe and fun

place for their pets. What sets my business apart from the rest: An indoor pet park and play-land

My ideal customer is: 1. Springfield professionals working in the 10 mile radius 2. 3.

What’s most important to my ideal customer when they are buying what I’m selling:

1. That their pets are safe 2. Pets can have fun in any weather 3. Exercise

What I want to accomplish this year: Lease a building Recruit customers

The top 3 things that are going to get me there:

1. Direct mail in nearby developments 2. Drop-offs in office parks 3. Open house events

How much will each program contribute to my revenue/ profitability:

1. Mail – 60% 2. Drop offs – 15% 3. Open House – 25%

What will trigger my ideal customer to think of me:

Being stuck at work and pet needs to be let out

Programs I am running to reach my goal 1. Radio advertising 2. 3.

How much money will I need to get it done? 1. $50,000

2.

Value PropositionsYou go to the hardware store to buy a drill bit, what do you really need?

If B&O Railroad thought of themselves as a transportation company instead of a railroad company would they be around today?

What is YOUR TRUE value?

What We Are Covering

Strategy Channels ResourcesApproach

Approach• Inbound vs Outbound

• Content marketing generates 3 times as many leads as traditional outbound marketing, but costs 62% less. (Demand Metric)

• 2X as many marketers say inbound delivers below average cost per lead than outbound methods. (Hubspot)

The most effective B2B content marketing tactics:75% In-Person Events66% Webinars / Webcasts65% Case Studies63% White Papers62% Videos61% Research Reports60% eNewsletters59% Blogs58% Infographics58% Online Presentations

Most effective paid advertising tactics used by content marketers:55% Search Engine Marketing48% Promoted Posts45% Content Discovery Tools45% Social Ads40% Native Ads31% Print or Other Offline Promotions29% Traditional Banner Ads(source: @CMIContent / @MarketingProfs)

Content Strategy • 3 Types of Content

• Evergreen (Longform)• Pros: Good SEO, More Read, More Linked/Shared, Reusable• Con: Longer to Make, More Resource Intense

• Medium Form (Blogs, Articles)• Pros: Good SEO, Keeps Site Updated• Cons: Too Much Isn’t Always Better

• Short Form (Reactions, News, Industry Updates)• Pros: Quick to Make, Keeps You in the Conversation• Cons: Quickly Vanishing

• What is your editorial mission?• Editorial Calendar?

“Content is King” – Bill Gates, 1996

But the Government is Different…• In a response to increased travel restrictions and cancellations of

events the Government and Civilian workforce is digesting content in new ways

For Instance:Research reports top the list of the most valuable forms of digital content for informing and educating federal decision-makers.

• Research Reports – 69%• Webinars – 68%• Case Studies – 65%• White Papers – 61%• Videos – 57%(source: Federal Content Marketing Review)

Account Based Marketing• Highly targeted marketing to specific accounts

• Clearly measurable ROI• Less waste• Highly personalized messaging

• Process• Identify target accounts and key stakeholders• Define content and messaging/personalization• Define channels• Measure feedback and adjust(Marketo)

Client Profiles• Look at your top clients• Feedback from surveys, past performance, analytics• Qualitative information from conversation• Look for similarities (technology, mission, size, budget,

etc.)• Research and develop• Adjust, rinse, repeat

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Budgeting• SBA Suggests:

• Small Business, Revenue <$5 Million = 7-8% of Revenue• Assuming Margins of 10-12%• Other considerations include competition, market niche,

forecast, etc.

• Define your goals and objectives• Implement a specific plan and campaign• Develop your budget on those activities and adjust for

unforeseen

The Right Mix

(Source: Marketo)

Word of Mouth Still MattersContent is KingDon’t Neglect OutboundPartnerships Help

Note: This is acquisition, meaning that if you are acquiring by email you are most likely spamming, like sales prospecting and cold calling

Website• Almost half of small businesses have no website• Of those that do:

• 70% of small business websites have no call to action• 93.3% of small business websites are not mobile compatible• 82% of small business websites don’t link to social media

accounts(Source: SBA)

• Back to Planning – Purpose Built Websites

SEO/SEM• Focus on user experience• Do your keyword research, but don’t overdo it• Organic vs Paid• Competitor intel is readily available, focus on your

business

Step By Step Guide to Adwords

Social Media• Yes, you should

participate• Pick Your Poison

• Ask your client base• Form content that

works for each • Pay attention to

feedback!• Automate where

possible

Email• Build Your List

• Give Something of Value• Gated Content• Be Relevant• “Free Beer”• Sidebar, Popover, Form Checkbox – Be accessible• DO NOT SPAM!

• Double Opt In if possible• As with everything…be mobile

• Stats say 55% of email is now opened on a mobile device – Litmus “Email Analytics” (March 2016)

Events and Conferences• Planning is key• Have a singular or primary message (Theme)• Train your team members• “They notice you more by your absence”…so?

• Call ahead, get demographics, historical info, numbers• Does it align with goals, budget, client profile?• Measure feedback – ROI (Return on Impression)

What We Are Covering

Strategy Channels ResourcesApproach

Strategy and Planning• Leanstack• Marketo• Hubspot

Graphics and Content • Canva• Makerbook• Hemingway

• Ubersugest• Storify• Infogram• Wordle

Website• Wix• Weebly• Wordpress• Joomla

• Drupal• Squarespace• Shopify

Social• Buffer• Hootsuite• Quicksprout

Web (General)• Quicksprout – Website analysis• GTMetrix – Speed Analysis• Woorank – Website Analysis• Buzzsumo – Content and Influencers• Spyfu – Competitor Intelligence• Cloudflare – Website Performance and Security• Sucuri – Security• StudioPress – Mobile Responsive Test

Small Business• Small Business Hub• AFRL Small Business Opportunities• Ohio SBDC• FastRope• AFLCMC Small Business Office• Industry Associations

Questions?No Questions? Great, awesome! Have a great weekend!