This week I’ve been at the Adobe Omniture Summit for online marketing in Salt Lake City meeting lots of smart people, one of those people is Quentin Hardy, National Editor of Forbes. Curious about small businesses, Quentin asked me what are the obstacles with helping small businesses build marketing plans. I said there were two big ones:

ONE: Getting the entrepreneur to understand that their brand is not about their product so that they will commit to a brand promise that is not quality or price or service.

TWO: Once I’ve sold them on that idea, the next big hurdle is getting clients to pull the trigger on awesomeness. Because once your left brain understands that brands are not about what you sell, but how you sell it, your right brain takes over and opens up a new world of possibilities. This is when the magic happens and awesome marketing plans are built, full of fresh ideas and out-of-the-box tactics. The problem is, once the new marketing plan full of extraordinary ideas is completed, it must be implemented. Some entrepreneurs are unable to pull the trigger on these fresh ideas.

Quentin asked me why that was, and here’s where my perception comes in. I told him that I thought that the new plan full of awesome ideas would force the entrepreneur to become someone that he or she previously had not been. It would force them to become a new business, and some people just can’t do that.

In response, Quentin offered this observation: maybe it was the potential success that was holding them back. He said that some people are afraid of growth and the success it would bring. Entrepreneurs think they want to be this bigger, more influential business, but maybe subconsciously they don’t.

What do you think? What holds a business back from awesomeness?

DISCLOSURE: Adobe sponsored my attendance at Adobe Omniture 2011

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You step out of your comfort zone and go exploring, in search of innovation and a fresh perspective on an old situation. One of my favorites is Magazine Zooming. Check out the video below.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

The Magazine Zooming Rundown

Zooming: Stretching yourself. Stimulating new ideas by exposing yourself to new information and the possibility of change. (Courtesy: Seth Godin)

The goal is to expose yourself to ideas outside of your own industry. You may be able to apply ideas from another industry and apply them to your own, creating a new synergy.

1. If you’re not feeling creative, get of the office and head for the book store.
2. From the magazine racks, choose three random magzines.
3. Choose a random article to read from each random magazine.
4. Expose yourself to new ideas.
5. How can you apply this new information to your business?

Have fun and get out of the office!

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Photo Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

We pause to give thanks for His many blessings and provisions. May God bless you, your family and your business on Thanksgiving Day, and every day.

- Jay

The fourth edition of Network Solutions® Small Business Success Index™ has been released. It’s packed with loads of insightful stats and commentary, but the thing that jumped out at me is that small businesses are struggling with marketing in a tough economy. That’s not surprising and I think there’s a cause-and-effect relationship.

Of particular interest was this quote from the report:

“For example, the critical area of marketing and innovation has experienced a drop in performance in the last six months
primarily due to businesses coming up short with creative new ideas to grow their enterprises. This provides a glimpse into how deeply small businesses are struggling, as the sector is known for its ingenuity, but small businesses appear to be running out of ideas given the economic constraints affecting them.”

Of particular note is the passage I highlighted above: “small businesses appear to be running out of ideas.” What I think is really happening is that small businesses are running out of tactics. The trend I see is that entrepreneurs are focusing on tactics to get business now, meaning immediately. Small businesses are feeling the pinch of a tough economy resulting in a desire to do something something that will get them business now. So they turn their attention to tactics, thinking that if “I try this tactic over here,” for example: social media, “I can get some business today.” Most of the time they come up empty, and jump to another tactic, hoping to find the magic formula for attracting new customers. Again, the new tactic does not work and thus the assumption from the report that “small businesses appear to be running out of ideas.” What they are really running out of is tactics to try.

Business writer and problem solver Paul Williams calls this tactic lust: the desire to solve your problems with tactics in the absence of a strategy. The cause is the tough economy. I’ve spoken with many small business owners feeling the recession pinch, and they feel the need to do something now to replace the business they’ve lost. The effect is to try something new; some new tactic that you’ve heard is a miracle marketing drug that brings customers in your door immediately. Tactic lust is flawed thinking and a road that leads to marketing frustration.

Shift Your Lust to Branding and Strategy

The cure for tactic lust is to get a strategy. But successful strategies are not created by the objective to “get more business.” Successful strategies are borne out of attention to branding. If you have built a successful brand identity, the strategy will reveal itself. The difficulty for entrepreneurs is that this takes some patience and a long-term perspective. You may feel like you don’t have enough time to work on branding. I assure you that you don’t have enough time to ignore your brand identity while you go on a tactic search. As you can see, from the Small Business Success Index™ report, you will eventually run out of ideas (tactics).

I suggest you take a step back from the tactics and the desire for instant business and spend some time on brand building. I have assembled ten branding articles into a sort-of branding mini-course: The Best in Branding. When you work on your brand, a natural strategy will evolve, and tactics will reveal themselves.

Download the PDF version of Network Solutions® Small Business Success Index™: State of Small Business Report

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Podcasting Questions Answered in this Audio Blog Post

Special Guests: Mitch Joel and Christopher Penn

What about podcasting as strategy to market your business? Podcasting can be a powerful marketing tool because it gives you an aura of authority. I produce a bi-weekly podcast that is part of my content marketing strategy and it has opened doors and given me access to industry leaders. But is it right for all businesses?

To help you sort out podcasting as a marketing strategy I enlisted two of the best at both marketing and podcasting: Mitch Joel is host and producer of the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast and Christopher Penn is co-host of the Marketing Over Coffee Podcast. Each of them answered five questions about using podcasting as a marketing strategy, I also added my commentary. The answers are in an audio Q&A format. Listen in the player below. The answers are summarized below the audio Q&A.

(Email Subscribers and feed readers click here to listen if you don’t see the audio player: What About Podcasting?)

Summary of Podcast Q&A with Mitch Joel and Christopher Penn

How viable is it for a business, and not just an internet business, but also local businesses, to use podcasting as a marketing vehicle?

CHRISTOPHER PENN: If your business is one that is both online, large reach, plus local, then it makes a whole lot of sense.

MITCH JOEL: There is no blanket answer; yes it’s good or no It’s bad. I think it depends on the business owner and what their capabilities are in terms of developing relative and interesting content.

JAY EHRET: The larger the size and scope of your customer base and potential reach, the more viable podcasting is as a marketing strategy.

If a businesses did do podcasting, how do you think that would work? What could they do?
CHRISTOPHER PENN: You have to just give people what they want. Maybe the opportunity to learn something. But you need to have a product that takes advantage of the long reach of digital.

MITCH JOEL: People get hung up on the wrong metrics and the wrong constructs of what success is. If people like your content they will download it. And that is where podcasting is effective and efficient. It allows any business to really hone in on their audience.

JE: Decide if you want to be entertaining or educational based on your business. Mostly, you want to inform and educate. Then decide if you want to do a solo-hosted podcast or have guests.

Have you, and can businesses, acquire business directly or indirectly from your podcast?

CHRISTOPHER PENN: Yes! Marketing Over Coffee has had sponsors for nearly every quarter of a four-year show. I’m now working for one of the companies that sponsors of the podcast.

MITCH JOEL: I don’t know that anything works as a direct response method, because it’s not an infomercial. You don’t podcast to be known, but to be knowable. By producing and publishing content you are present and hopefully people looking for your services will find you.

JAY EHRET: I have indirectly received business, but don’t think that you will do a podcast episode and someone will buy from you. Use podcasting as a way to create an emotional bond with listeners, making it more likely that they will become your customers.

How should a business decide whether or not to do a podcast?

CHRISTOPHER PENN: Simple: Ask people who are already your customers if they would listen to it. Email 100 of your customers. If 1 out of 100 says yes, maybe. If 10, you want to start thinking about it. If 50 you probably already should be doing it. Do you have something that lends to audio? Maybe video is better.

MITCH JOEL: The first thing is to decide who is going to be responsible for the editorial content as well as the production and voice, and making it happen. Then ask why are we podcasting, what is the goal? Don’t do it because podcasting seems to be the cool new shiny thing or the easy thing to do. Do it because it fits right into the business.

JAY EHRET: Decide whether or not you are willing to learn the necessary skills and devote the time to producing fresh content on a regular basis. Podcasting, like any other content marketing strategy, requires a time commitment.

If a business decides to start a podcast, give us your “101” beginner’s podcasting tips.

CHRISTOPHER PENN: Pick a name that people can remember and will spread by Word of mouth. It should ideally be part of your domain name. And get a good microphone, it really pays for itself quickly.

MITCH JOEL: You have to make the decision, are you going to do it cheap and cheerful (like Mitch Joel does it), or will you go the more professional way with a better setup and equipment, or go full-hog and rent a studio with high-end, high-quality content? There’s no right answer, take the time to find out which is your preference.

JAY EHRET: Practice and learn first before jumping in. Assemble your podcasting tool box and find a reliable place to host your audio files online. Use WordPress as your podcasting platform. If you’re not having fun with podcasting, don’t do it.

Mitch Joel’s Podcast: Six Pixels of Separation
Christopher Penn’s Podcast: Marketing Over Coffee
Jay Ehret’s Podcast: Power to the Small Business

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If our main goal as a business is to be different, then how come we all end up looking pretty much the same? Because really we spend more time trying to be better, rather than different. True differentiation is not about better service, more features, longer hours. It’s about creating something unexpected that changes the game. And that’s why attending trade association and industry events can be bad for your differentiation. They teach us how to be better day spas, better fitness clubs, better employment agencies, but they rarely teach us how to be different.

Competing within your industry is a trap. Going head-to-head with your competitors eliminates the possibility that you will create meaningful separation from the pack. Because trying to be better than your competition relegates you to chasing the same thing your competitor is chasing. You may or may not be better, but you will definitely be undifferentiated.

At the urging of Brand Autopsy’s John Moore, I’m reading Youngme Moon’s Different. I suggest you do, too. Moon suggests that comparison causes us to be more like our competitors, not different. We work on raising our weaknesses to reach, or exceed, our competitor’s level. For example, a typical jewelry store, offers just about everything you could want from a jewelry store. From a $60 gold heart pendant to $12,000 wedding rings, all showcased in a glass-covered, well-lit display case. Then the jewelry store’s competitor down the street decides to offer watch repair. In an effort to be well-rounded, the former jewelry store quickly adds the service. Moon says,

“…true differentiation, sustainable differentiation, is rarely a function of well-roundedness; it is typically a function of lopsidedness.”

That means truly differentiated businesses rarely look like their competitor, or their industry. Let’s use Apple as an example. If I ask you who is Apple’s competitor, you might be just as likely to say HP, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, SanDisk, Amazon, or Google. Then if I challenge you to tell me what industry Apple is in, you would probably be able to come up with four or five legitimate industries. But really, the only industry in which Apple belongs is the industry of innovation. They are lopsided in innovation.

One industry in which you will rarely find any lopsidedness is the radio station industry. Radio stations killed off any differentiation by becoming homogeneous, well-rounded radio stations. They all stick to a formula: Play a particular genre of music or become a talk station. Put wacky, controversial personalities on the air, or become “less-talk.” Play as few commercials as possible and have contests to keep people listening. It’s a formula that ensures if you’ve heard one radio station in one town, you’ve heard all radio stations in all towns.

Throw those industry formulas in the trash.

What should you do about your industry trap? Maybe this is about what you shouldn’t do. Maybe you shouldn’t think you belong to any particular industry at all. Maybe you shouldn’t think that you have any competition. How would that free up your thinking and allow you to be different?

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You can always find a conference, but it seems most conferences are industry focused. I’m participating in a couple of non-industry specific conferences this year that have a lot to offer entrepreneurs who own small businesses. But I think there should be more, and there probably are more. I just don’t know about them.

So here’s my short list of the ones I know. What can you add to the list? Please add your suggestion in the comment section below. I’m looking for non-industry specific conferences (please no private company workshops or events).

Small Biz Social Media Summit – June 4-6, Hutchinson, Kansas

Optimization Summit – September 16-17, Dallas, Texas

I’m taking a few days off from blogging (and everything else) to spend some quiet time in the Caribbean with my wife. Be back soon with more small business marketing stuff.

Photo Credit: gaminrey

One the loudest arguments in favor of social media marketing are the big numbers. Everywhere you look you see the numbers if favor of using social media. Here are some examples:

• Facebook has 400 million active users! (Source: Facebook)
• Facebook gained over 100 million users in the U.S. from January 2009 to January 2010! (Source: Inc.)
• Facebook has more than 100 million mobile users! (Source: Facebook)
• There are 55 million LinkedIn users! (Source: Mashable)
• There are 75 million Twitter user accounts! (Source: The Metric system)
• Teens spend 25% of their time on social networks! (Source: Screenwerk)

Incredible! Only the numbers mean nothing to you, and here’s why. Facebook as 400 million users…Wow! Go ahead try to reach them all. Big numbers don’t mean you should do it. For example, 99% of all Americans still watch television. That doesn’t mean you should be advertising on TV.

Don’t get blinded by the big numbers. Social media marketing is still one at a time. You don’t put up a Facebook page and today and see a 25% increase in business tomorrow. Social media marketing is just like anything else. It takes time and effort. So turn a blind eye to all the big numbers and concentrate on the ones that mean the most to you: how many people you can realistically reach through social media, and how much work you have to do to reach them.

Do you get caught up in the numbers? How much do they really mean to you?

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The Internet show about small business marketing.

Podcast Episode #47 – The Best Episodes of 2009

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2010 is the Year of Awesomeness, but 2009 wasn’t so bad. In this episode of Power to the Small Business we look forward and backward. 25 episodes, 37 guests and tons of great marketing lessons. Here are some of the best clips from the top 10 episodes of 2009.

Photo Credit: DaveBleasdale

Length: 30 minutes
Email subscribers and feed readers – If you don’t see the player, click here to listen to Power to the Small Business
You can also download the mp3 file here: Download Power to the Small Business #47 (for personal use only)

Press the play button on the Box player above and get started. Comments, questions? Please share it in the comment section below or call the audio comment line: 254-433-8529.

The Best Moments of the Best Episodes

MARKETING THAT RESONATES:

DREW MCLELLAN: “Go deeper, rather than wider. I don’t have to tell you about all 12 features on my product or service, what I want to do is focus on the one that matters most to the audience I’m talking too. Then give them examples, tell a story that allows them to grab on to that example and understand why it should matter to them.”

Listen to the episode: The State of Small Business Marketing

COMMON SENSE IN MARKETING:

LAURA RIES: “What doesn’t work in marketing is common sense. That’s the real problem, because the left-brainer is so in the belief that common sense is always right, and that’s exactly what doesn’t work in marketing.”

Listen to the episode: The War for Your Marketing Mind

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRANDING AND MARKETING:

MEGAN DUCKETT: “Marketing could simply mean selling a product, whereas branding is telling your story and developing the theme of who you are. People are more likely to buy what you’ve got, if they get who you are. “

Listen to the episode: From the Trenches

LEADERSHIP AND MARKETING:

STEVE MCKEE: “You don’t have to be a marketer by training to lead a company, but to be successful, you need to be a marketer by philosophy.”

Listen to the episode: Marketers RoundTable

BUILDING A SALES ORGANIZATION:

TOM HOPKINS: “So many companies, when they grasp the concept, that, ‘hey, be proud to tell everybody that we’re all selling.’ This mentality has to be taught. And when it’s accepted, it’s amazing how profits increase.”

Listen to the episode: The Sales-Marketing Mix

EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE:

ARI WEINZWEIG: “It’s really about small little things where people are going to do the right thing and use their brain and intelligence and insight to do what needs to be done as opposed to most places where I think people are just trained to follow the rules.”

Listen to the episode: Zingerman’s And The Customer Experience

KNOWING THE GOLDEN RULE:

JASON JENNINGS: “Don’t try to fool your customers, don’t try to fool your workers, don’t try to beat up your vendors and suppliers, don’t try to fool your shareholders, because if you do those things you’re just deceiving yourself, and either karma or some great force in the universe is going to come and bite you in the backside.”

Listen to the episode: Hit the Ground Running

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE BRANDING:

SIMON SALT: “If you’re not already a social organization…if customer service isn’t front and center of your organization, then you’re probably going to fail miserably at social media. So it has to be already part of your brand and your brand mission to put the customer first, otherwise social media is a really bad place for you to go.”

Listen to the episode: Building, Protecting, Destroying Your Online Brand

IDENTITY DICTATES STRATEGY:

STEPHEN DENNY: “99% of the companies….who are just taking those first steps, start with that positioning statement that says “We’re the best, with the most, for the least.” You have to wrestle that to the ground and say “What exactly are you? What are you willing to walk away from?” And at the end of that process, you come out with something as unique as a finger print.”

Listen to the episode: The Marketers Roundtable

LOSING CONTROL TO GET PEOPLE TALKING:

DAVID MEERMAN SCOTT: “If you have the guts to lose control of your messages, and lose control of your content, and lose control of the ways people talk about you, they will talk about you. And that’s a good think, not a bad thing.”

Listen to the episode: Creating Your Own World Wide Rave

Show Links:

Free Webinar: Branding U – Revive, Refresh, Revitalize Your Brand in 2010
Optimization Summit: Registration or Information

A complete archive of all past episodes can be found here: Power to the Small Business

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