How to reach your small business customers

You've got a killer idea for your small business. You've created a great new product or service, set up operations, raised sufficient money to get out of the gate. But where are the customers? It's time to pay attention to marketing.

During Small Business Week, I'm devoted to helping you "Make This Your Year to Grow." Whatever industry you're in, whatever the price or quality of your offerings, you need well-conceived, and consistently executed, marketing to grow your business.

The marketing message

Before you begin marketing, first clarify your company's core message. That's what you want customers to remember about you. It might even express a bit of your company's personality.

Marketing vehicles

Marketing guru Peter Shankman says effective advertising is all about knowing your specific customers and tailoring your activities to their desires.

"It's like asking which is better — an orange or an apple. It depends on what you like," said Shankman, a globe-trotting marketing and customer service consultant. "The best way to find out about where to advertise is to know your audience — where they are online, what kind of communication they prefer — Twitter, text, email."

The challenge? There are so many marketing vehicles and only a limited amount of money. The main marketing vehicles include:

• Print media: newspapers, magazines

• Broadcast media: radio, TV

• Online: website, SEO and SEM, daily deals, mobile marketing

• Social media marketing: blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest

• Print collateral: business cards, brochures, fliers

• Face-to-face: networking, trade shows, public relations

• Signage: vehicles, buildings, billboards

• Other: in-store marketing, advertising specialties, product placement

Whichever marketing vehicle you choose, remember, repetition is key. You must be seen repeatedly, with the same message, for your marketing to make an impact.

Word-of-mouth marketing

Ask most longtime small business owners which is their most effective marketing technique, and they'll say "word of mouth." Nothing beats having satisfied customers tell their friends about you.

But most small business owners overestimate their word-of-mouth efforts. "Eighty percent of small business owners think they're doing well in customer service and word-of-mouth marketing, but only 8% of their customers think the same thing," said Shankman.

To get satisfied customers to refer customers to you and post positive comments on review sites, you need a marketing plan and a way to keep your name in front of them. Consider developing a loyalty program — even something as simple as a punch-card — to keep them coming back.

At the core of word-of-mouth marketing is providing a great experience for your customer. "I try to teach companies that it's not about spending $10 mllion in advertising," said Shankman. "Stop chasing the likes (on social media) and start doing things that are likable."

Online marketing

A few years ago, the hottest thing in small business marketing was SEM, search engine marketing. The goal was to get found — either through paid ads or organic search — just when a prospect was searching for your type of product or service.

Though the buzz around SEM has subsided, it's still one of the most effective ways for small companies to get found when a prospect is ready to make a purchase. It's also easy. Unlike social media marketing, which requires constant updates, you can choose a few key messages and keywords (experimenting for a while to determine which are most effective) and run your ad with little day-to-day involvement.

Social media marketing

Today, social media marketing is the sexy option for small business marketing. Social media offers a highly targeted way to reach prospects in a timely and cost-effective manner.

When Julie and Paul Shenkman opened Sam's Chowder House in Palo Alto, Calif., they were able to post pictures and notices of their seafood promotions in the Facebook feeds of people who lived within a few miles of their new restaurant, ate out frequently, and loved seafood. And they could do it with just a few clicks on a keyboard, in just a few minutes.

Social media is the 21st century form of word-of-mouth. When happy customers post comments or pics on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, they spread the word to their friends and do the marketing for you.

Don't forget LinkedIn, especially if yours is a business-to-business company. If you're targeting a specific industry, get active in LinkedIn groups serving that industry. Post useful information — not spam or sales pitches — frequently to become well known.

Print collateral

While social media is sexy, and advertising is easy, there's still tremendous power in printed materials.

Start with your business card. It may be your smallest marketing vehicle, but it's also your most important. Make sure it includes all necessary contact info, including your social media handles. Add one brief line expressing your core message. Carry your business card with you at ALL times.

Other key print collateral includes brochures, sales sheets, catalogs, rack cards and flyers.

Do-it-now action items

1. Work on defining or refining your core message. Does it clearly convey what you do and your competitive advantage?

2. Evaluate the most effective marketing vehicles for your business. Download my free worksheet, "Marketing Vehicles Comparison Chart."

3. Examine your business card. Does it convey the right feeling for your company? Provide accurate information? Include your social media handles? If not, order a new one.

4. Identify a LinkedIn group to join that reaches your target market and participate in a discussion

5. If you sell a product or have a physical location, pull out your phone, take a picture of it, post it on Facebook, and boost the post to your target market.

Small Business Week with Rhonda Abrams:

• Monday: Finding a niche. How to make your business distinct from your competitors.

• Tuesday: Business planning. How to be strategic and create a roadmap for success.

• Today: Marketing. How to get more customers through your door.

• Thursday: Building your team. You can't grow alone.

• Friday: Going mobile and to the cloud. How to run your business from anywhere.

Every day this week, you'll get:

• A five-step "do-it-now action checklist" so you can start growing immediately.

• An article focusing on the topic area with practical, real-world advice.

• A free downloadable worksheet.

Join the conversation: I'm posting on social media. Use the hashtag #yeartogrow and follow along on Twitter (@USATODAYMoney and @RhondaAbrams) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/USATODAY and www.Facebook.com/RhondaAbramsSmallBusiness).

Engage with me: On Thursday I'll host a Facebook chat at 2 p.m. ET to answer your specific concerns and to discuss small business growth and issues in more detail.

Rhonda Abrams is a globally recognized small business expert and president of PlanningShop, a publishing company specializing in business planning. Register for Abrams' free business tips newsletter at www.PlanningShop.com and follow her on Twitter @RhondaAbrams and www.Facebook.com/RhondaAbrams.