Dream Big, Think Realistic

For all of our entrepreneurial lives we have been told to dream big and think big if we ever want to be big: A word of caution – That kind of magical thinking can lead to big debt and even bigger failures. Big thinking, and even failing, in itself is not always bad, but our thinking does not need to be big; it needs to be realistic. You do not have to shoot to be Coca Cola or Facebook. You do not need a Super Bowl commercial. What you need are small ideas for the marketing most likely to help your small business hit it big. Here are a few right-sized ideas that just might fit into your budget.

Branded Boxes

If you ship a product that needs a box, you are missing out on one of the great branding opportunities. At the height of their success, Gateway Computer enjoyed a great deal of consumer goodwill just from their big, fun, well-made, highly recognizable boxes. One of the greatest subliminal messages you can send your customer is that you are a solid company with well-made products and services that they can depend on. The way you send that message is with a great package. On of the reasons there is so little buyers remorse with Apple products is that the packaging is so high-quality. Everyone just assumes the contents are as well.

A corrugated box manufacturer, like Custom Box Now, that creates custom box work can build boxes to your exact specifications, including your custom logo and artwork. These boxes will make their way across town and around the world. Only your customer knows exactly what is inside the box, but everyone gets to see who sent it. It is a great marketing idea. Perhaps that is what they mean by thinking outside the box.

T-Shirts and Coffee Mugs

You may not wear t-shirts and you may not drink coffee. But the one using these items is not the point. It is the one seeing them that matters. More to the point, it is the people seeing your business name and logo on the items that matters. Display advertising is rather expensive, and out of reach for many small businesses.

A display ad is like a billboard on the freeway. It doen’t say much. It just leaves an impression on the one who briefly glimpses it. In fact, the unit of measurement for a display ad is the number of impressions it generates. Coca Cola does not do display ads to inform you of the caloric and nutritional value of the product. They do it to remind you that they are there. They want you to see their logo more times than you see the competitor’s logo. When they do that, they win.

T-shirts and coffee mugs are great because people wear them casually, and to all kinds of places. People drink coffee in the office, and leave their mug laying about. With those products, you get big-time impressions locally, with very little outlay on your part.

Start a Company Blog

It is so easy to start a blog, you can almost accidentally do it. WordPress is an excellent free blogging platform that almost anyone can learn to use. Blogs are great for small businesses. A blog can help you establish a presence online that humanizes your business. Instead of giving out your email address, give out your blog address. This gives you a chance to connect with your potential customers in ways you can’t do very well in person.

If you are an auto mechanic. you may want to start a blog that provides useful how-to instructions and tips. No one is going to replace their own engine as a result of these tips. But they will start seeing you as an expert who cares. Blogs are great ways to drop a little knowledge and give people a reason to trust you. It is even possible to monetize these blogs. Imagine that: marketing that pays you.

When it comes to marketing your small business, dream big, but think small.