Marketing and the Mom-and-Pop Business

Even for the smallest business, getting professional help can return satisfying results.

Mom-and-Pop businesses are a staple of every hometown, and there are a lot of reasons to do business with them: There is location, the personal service as well as the (generally) excellent customer service. I fully support local business, but we all know it takes a lot more than these three factors to thrive. For many local businesses, they still rely heavily on a referral-based model: Marketing tends to be a concept more than a reality; a debt rather than an investment. Why don't more Mom-and-Pops utilize the services of marketing professionals? Well, let's talk about it.

Why do Mom-and-Pops avoid marketing?

I've heard it all: "I can't afford that" or "what would I need a marketing professional for" and let's not forget the classic, "we already have a logo" reply. Mom-and-Pops sometimes view 'marketing' as 'graphic design'. On the local level, much of the readily available (and affordable) help with advertising falls to graphic designers or local ad agencies. To a company struggling to get jobs booked and completed, pay employees, manage the books and handle phone calls and budgets, running an ad is all the marketing they can handle. But this isn't the only reason small businesses don't engage in marketing.

Money:

Marketing is perceived to be expensive and something only corporations with big budgets do. This is not true but it is the perception, and we all know perception is reality.

Blind Faith:

Some small business owners believe their product or service is so good, it sells itself. The upside? The business owner genuinely believes in their brand - that's a good thing (and for marketing professionals, an owner who's invested in their brand is just the type of client we love). The downside? Almost everything else. This mindset has probably killed more businesses than taxes, competition or economic downturns. If you expect marketing to just 'happen', you are in for a long wait.

Overwhelming Choice:

Businesses are inundated daily with calls and emails from SEO companies, digital marketers and ad agencies. There is Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and Twitch. There are trade publications, sales presentations, brochures and websites. It's no wonder so many small business owners get overwhelmed and avoid pursuing a meaningful marketing strategy.

Referrals, Referrals, Referrals:

Finally, and perhaps most importantly: A big reason so many Mom-and-Pops decide not to seek the help of a marketing professional is the reliance on referrals. The referral model has long served local business well and is still an effective methodology. But because of the heavy influence of social media, that model has changed and I'm not seeing much evidence that local businesses are effectively dealing with this reality. Referrals used to come from word of mouth, a friend talking to another friend. It was cultural, it was personal and it worked. Yes, it took a while for the model to bear fruit but in general, you stayed in business and grew incrementally so long as you were doing good work. Today a faceless, digital audience makes judgements about your brand. You can be reviewed by people who know nothing about you or your business. You can even be reviewed by computer software in some cases.

Some may argue this is simply an expansion of the existing model and there is now 'more opportunity than ever'. But that ignores the very real problem of referrals competing against negative content in an environment where you have limited control - if any. So, something that used to be a pretty dependable way to bring in new business now climbs uphill to be effective. It's all very frustrating, but there is help.

Why Mom-and-Pops should engage a marketing professional.

Simply put; marketing works. Every major brand you know - you likely know because of marketing. The car you own? Marketing. Your favorite restaurant? Marketing. Your clothes? Marketing. A brand doesn't grow in a vacuum and your business won't either.

"But we run ads?"

Yes, you run ads, and that's good. Where are you running them and why? How frequently does this happen? What is your messaging, your demographic? Is there a call to action, a call to interest or even a number to call? A marketing professional will know to ask these (and other) questions to position you for success.

"We have a Facebook page"

Social media is important, no one disputes this. "Consumers are 71% more likely to make a purchase based on social media referrals" (Hubspot). But what are you doing on Facebook? How often are you posting? Are you allied with any community pages or groups? What content are you posting? Do you boost posts or run ads? Again, these are just a few questions a marketing professional will ask to help dial in the most effective use of your social media.

"We did our own website"

More often than not, it shows. This is not a knock on the design capabilities of landscapers and real estate agents but it's safe to say it's not their area of expertise. Consider this: "38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive"…"48% of people cited a website's design as the number one factor in deciding the credibility of a business." (Blue Corona). And this is just the tip of the iceberg for websites: Messaging, Content, SEO, video, analytics and device compatibility are just a few areas of concern that can be barriers to sales if not considered correctly.

"We can't afford it"

Yes you can. But you have to invite a marketing professional into your world to find out. A good marketer will learn enough about you and your business to provide you a consultation that considers all of the things you are worried about and clears all of the barriers that have been keeping you from engaging a meaningful marketing plan. A good marketer will understand your budgetary limitations and craft a solution that works. You are already spending money to get the word out, so spend it through someone that knows how to make those dollars perform consistently.

Search Alignable for a marketing professional

Here on Alignable and there are many reputable marketing firms that can help you achieve your business goals. The forums are filled with local businesses - just like yours - asking professional marketers for their input. And the marketing community is there offering sound advice, some solutions and occasionally an embarrassingly obvious sales pitch (give 'em a break, they are marketers). The point is, here on Alignable, you can find a local professional that can take money you are already spending and make it work for you. Marketing is not a debt, it's an investment. And with the right professional, it's a win.