The 10 Natural Marketing Advantages of Small Business

As this year comes to an end, thought this was worth sharing. All the best for the new year! I’m going to be looking for you at our upcoming events! Check out the 2009 calendar listed on our website – http://www.madisoncountychamber.com

The 10 Natural Marketing Advantages of Small Business
by John Jantsch, NRF Smart Brief
As companies large and small wrestle with the realities of a challenging economy, this the perfect time to be a small business.
Small businesses possess certain natural advantages in economic downturns that make them much more flexible and able to survive and thrive in slow markets. 2009 will be the year of the small business. The market is hungry to connect with companies and products that are more personal and real.
In recognition of this coming trends, here are natural competitive advantages that will give small businesses the opportunity to thrive in the coming year.
1. Focus – In order to survive, most small businesses must adopt a narrow market focus. In doing so, a premium reputation can be developed for serving that narrow market.
2. Reach – Small business owners are so close to their markets they can experience what their market experiences. They can deliver CEO-level experience to any size client. Who better than a small business that can connect with a client better a 25-year veteran and author of two books on the industry or to a 20-something whiz kid from McKenzie?
3. Nurture – Small businesses can grow with customer needs. Often, they can create products and services that address highly personalized requests at a moment’s notice.
4. Surprise – The best small businesses understand the value of surprising their clients from time to time. A simple interrupt in the system can become a system for a small business.
5. Transform – Small businesses can obtain new data from a market, or even a client or two, and dramatically change their business model to align with a new opportunity.
6. Partner – Smart small businesses create networks of strategic partners and address the needs of their clients with the best and brightest every time. And, this includes chamber memberships and civic clubs!
7. Automate – The proper use of technology allows small businesses to put up big shop follow-up, service and prospecting without the overhead. Plus, they can outsource the boring work.
8. Educate – Lacking big ad budget, small businesses must educate their prospects before they can make any ground selling them. This trust building process makes selling unnecessary and delivers the ideal client relationships.
9. Meaning – Small business is personal. Markets are hungry for businesses that allow them to connect to something beyond the products and services. Small businesses can deliver a story that has meaning.
10. Play – Why does someone start a business anyway – To get more life, to develop a passion, to get free? It doesn’t really matter that freedom comes with an 80 hour work week. Passion and purpose are sexy and contagious.