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The Best, Least Expensive Marketing

Research A Small Business Can Do

By Hamilton Wallace

When sales slow down small business owners generally put their

marketing hat on, try a new idea or two and hope for the best.

I've been a small business marketing consultant for more than

two decades and have come into businesses after owners have

searched for answers to their marketing questions. When the

subject of doing some marketing research comes up, they usually

dismiss it as too expensive and/or of questionable value. And,

actually, for most small businesses, I'd agree.

But there is a type of marketing research you can do that I've

seen work time and time again: talking to your customers. Let's

call it "homework" and not marketing research--that'll make it a

bit easier for you to consider doing.

You probably have several ideas regarding what needs to be done

to crank sales back up. However, you don't have the time or

money to try everything. Doing some homework first will help

point you in the right direction.

"Homework" in this case is going out and talking with your

customers, and in some cases, prospects. My experience is that

when an owner starts to feel like his or her sales should be

higher but aren't sure how to change things, their marketing is

starting to wear out. But which part?!

That is, their marketing is falling out of sync with their

target market. When's the last time you changed your

positioning? Message? Distribution channel? If it's been a while

for any or all of those elements, your marketing may be aimed at

where your customers were, not where they now are.

How to do your homework? Sit down either in person or on the

telephone and ask your customers questions. About them. Don't

ask how you can sell more to them. Ask about them. Remember,

they don't care about you, they care about them. In doing so you

will get clues to how you can be of more service to them and, as

a result, how you can sell more to them.

Ask:

* What's going on in their market, with their customers? What

kind of pressures or opportunities are they faced with?

* What are they doing about all that? What are their plans or

focus for this year? Downsizing? On a growth spurt?

* Is anything happening specifically around how they use your

product or service?

* How can a vendor like you help them right now?

* What criteria did they use when selecting you as their vendor?

* How would they expect to hear or learn about a new vendor such

as you?

* What is important to them, right now, about your product or

service?

* How would they suggest you let more people like them know

about your company?

Best case, your customers will tell you how to change your

current marketing approach. Worst case, they will give you clues

that will suggest what changes can be made. Ask. Listen. You

will be pleasantly surprised with what you learn and the changes

you can make.

About the author:

Hamilton Wallace is a small business marketing consultant. He is

an expert in direct response marketing, including sponsored

search, SEO, direct mail, message and story, and in creating

simplified, effective marketing solutions for small businesses.

http://www.SmallBusinessMarketingConsultant.com

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