Winning the Recognition War
3
tactics to help small businesses get noticed
One of
the keys to success in business, be it on line or off
line, is getting noticed. With consumers being bombarded
with hundreds of advertising messages each day from
large companies, a few small ads put together on a small
business budget aren’t likely to make much of an
impact. To win the recognition war, you need to attack
where your larger competition is weak. Here are 3
tactics that small businesses can use to gain
recognition over their larger counterparts:
Be
involved: If you sell a service to small businesses,
then go where your customers go by joining local small
businesses clubs or moderating an online business
discussion group. If
you own a retail store or on-line outlet for NASCAR
collectibles, then join your local chapter of the NASCAR
fan club. Through direct involvement with your potential
customers you will gain respect amongst your target
customer group and you will establish yourself as an
expert in their eyes. Large corporations are notoriously
poor at community/customer involvement activities. By
having a more personal relationship with your clients
you can gain free recognition for your business.
Sell
Yourself: The late Dave Thomas of Wendy’s
Restaurants was a fixture on TV commercials for years.
Although Dave was the pitchman for Wendy’s, customers
knew that they would not meet Dave down at their local
fast food outlet. Small businesses are different. You
can answer your e-mail personally, or meet with
potential clients one-on-one in your retail store. In
your advertising and publicity efforts, you should sell
this as a feature of your business. You are an expert in
your field, and customers can communicate directly with
you to learn more about your products or services. The
personal touch is often lost in today’s world of
mega-corporations and e-commerce. Use your small size to
your advantage by making “you” a key selling feature
of your business.
Publicize:
Advertising is expensive, and larger companies can
afford it. That puts your small business at a
disadvantage. However, the world of publicity (sometimes
called “PR” or “Public Relations”) is a more
level playing field. If your business is doing something
interesting or has recently achieved a newsworthy
milestone (i.e. 10 years in business, 1st
local company to sell a particular product), let the
media know through a news release. The media likes to
tell stories about smaller companies that are achieving
success, as opposed to large corporations. Use this to
your advantage and get the media on your side by
providing them with an interesting news item or story
idea about your business. A news story about your
business is worth 10 of your competitor’s full-page
ads, since articles and news items carry much more
credibility with consumers than advertising does.
The war for recognition can be
won, but it’s up to you to get your small business
involved in the tactics that will lead to victory.
Through direct involvement, a focus on yourself as the
“star” of your business, and attention to the power
of the media, your small business can topple your larger
competitors.
