Is Marketing Your Business Really That Hard?

[Sean Adams]

If you have a plan, nothing is as hard as it seemed before you actually took the time to create a plan.

First of all, keep in mind that "Advertising" and "Marketing" are not one in the same - advertising is actually a part of the marketing process.

Now if you ask 20 professional marketers what marketing means, you will probably get 20 different answers. As far as the lawn care and landscaping industry, I have broken it down over the years so it is a little easier for business owners to understand exactly how this works.

First, what is "included" in the marketing process? Here is a list that I have always worked by, but certainly you are free to add to it:

1.) Branding

2.) Positioning

3.) Traditional Advertising

4.) Internet Advertising

5.) Public Relations / Community Involvement

6.) Networking

7.) Market Research

8.) Sales Strategy

9.) Customer Support

10.) Damage Control / Reputation Management

Sounds pretty fancy and complicated, huh? Not really, not at all, actually. Think about each of 10 features of marketing listed above - they all work together.

Now keep in mind, marketing should never be something you do on a whim or do without a plan.

1.) What are your goals you want to accomplish with your marketing? Write them down.

2.) How will you use and construct each of the 10 items listed above to accomplish your goals? Write them down.

3.) What is your marketing budget? How much are you able to spend on all of these efforts?

4.) Execute your plan - many business owners get started with a full head of steam and then stop or quit because the season gets started or they get discouraged.

5.) Analyze the results. Where are you getting results? What aspect of your marketing is not working?

6.) Don't stop learning, experimenting and trying new things.

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