Multifaceted Marketing for Business Development and Small Business Marketing

One of the most critical elements of successful business development and marketing campaigns is the concept of using multiple vehicles to reach your potential customer. I call this multifaceted marketing. It is based on two very simple assumptions:

1. Most people resist a sales pitch, their first reaction is “No.”

2. Most people do not remember something until they have seen or heard it many (6-12) times. That includes the name of your company or product.

Your customers are overwhelmed with marketing slogans, pitches, and images. They are brain dead when it comes to being sold. They are most likely resentful of anything that takes their time from running their small or medium-sized business, and would rather ignore it than listen to it. Humans are built in a way that allows us to forget something seconds after seeing or hearing it. It may take 6 to 12 impressions for us to recognize something and often more to remember it.

Question: Would you recognize the logo of the most popular cola in the world? I guess you would if I could show it to you (it’s a trademark). It is probably the most recognized symbol in the world and has existed for more than 100 years. But, it is no coincidence that you see it wherever you look. Their parent company knows that even though they are not a new business, and even with their preeminent position in their market, they need to advertise everywhere to support their place in their memory.

Your strategic planning and marketing plan won’t resemble theirs, they spend millions on their business development and marketing, but it may contain the fundamental principles that make them successful. It can contain multi-faceted marketing, which will ensure that your business or product name reaches your potential customer in multiple ways. By doing so, you will ensure that they receive multiple impressions and will soon remember you and your products.

What does this look like? An analysis such as that performed in an intensive two-day strategic planning and critical analysis consultation, and some understanding of your business, products, and market is needed to show the business development and marketing activities that are best suited to your business, but a good diversification looks like:

1. A good website with fully implemented search engine optimization (SEO).

2. Regular press releases, articles, and other public relations.

3. A proactive email campaign

4. A proactive phone campaign

5. Online targeted advertising

6. Print advertising

7. Show attendance

This is a sample list and not all of the listed activities apply to all businesses, but you get the idea. A multifaceted and diverse group of activities maximizes the opportunity for you to reach your potential customer multiple times, beating the first ‘No’ reaction. Provide the customer with multiple impressions allowing them to build a memory of your company and product. And it gives you time to build a relationship with them, before you meet them.

Developing new businesses is not easy, but by following a few basic principles, you can maximize your return on investment in each of your business development and marketing activities. Getting started with multifaceted marketing is a good start.

Good luck and good marketing.