From my experience a marketing budget is often an after thought.  The last thing entrepreneurs think about or plan for.  While it’s fine to make compromises,(all early growth stage companies usually have to) it’s where you decide to make those compromises that can affect your revenue growth.  Too often I am asked for marketing help and then reminded that there is only a shoe string budget. While there are of course always marketing tactics that cost little money they aren’t necessarily the ones that will help you grow your business the fastest.

In preparing materials for a social media 101 seminar I was looking for an example of how a local small business might be using social media to market their business.  Since I was using restaurants as a reference for how web 2.0 and social networking have changed forever the way we reach customers I decided to check out what my favorite local diner was up to.

I live in NJ and we have diners on almost every corner which makes it a very competitive landscape. I was delighted to see they had a robust web site which had a gallery of restaurants photos and menus along with providing   web visitors an opportunity to sign up for coupons, special offers, events and more.

I also saw they were supporting a local charity.  A nice way to build even better relationships with their customers and distinguish themselves from their competitors.  Afterall if the local diner restaurants are similar might I not want to patronize the one with a heart?

In a recent conversation with a small business owner I recommended that his web site needed work. My jaw dropped open when he told me he didn’t think his web site was that important and he didn’t see it driving a lot of business especially since he sells his products and services locally.  I realized after a few seconds that my mouth was open and had the presence of mind to close it and count to 10 before I said something I’d surely regret.

I did manage to get out that perhaps the reason the web site wasn’t driving prospects was because it desperately needed an overhaul. ( See my last post).  I’m finding that many entrepreneurs without marketing experience or professional advice make the mistake of not making the connection between the importance of good  marketing and sales development.

All business do an annual financial records audit but how often are you reviewing your web site?  According to Charles Fellingham, founder of QAlias prospects looking for products and services want to know 5 things:

1. What is it?
2. How does it work?
3. What will it do for me?
4. Can you prove it?
5. Who else says so?

When you are reviewing your web site, how many of these questions are answered on your homepage?  With just a few seconds to capture interest  it is obvious how important it becomes to have the responses to these questions front and center of your web site.