How are you currently promoting your small business? You need to do an analysis of what you are currently doing. If you are advertising anywhere or even what social media sites you are on. I often find that businesses will often forget that they are doing any kind of advertising or social media. You must remember that any kind of activity is communicating something to the market. So, if there is a website or social media page that you have created (especially if it is your personal account) you must now look at what you are communicating. Going through the Why or Purpose statement will help you to formulate the correct message as it will show you what your company is all about.

What is the current advertising?

Go through your current advertising and promotion and find what you are doing on:

Social media platforms

List down all the activities you are doing online and why you are doing them:

  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Email campaigns

Are there any campaigns that you are running now or newsletters to your customers? If so have a look at what messages you have been sending.

Local marketing

List down all the things you are doing within your local environment such as advertising in local papers or magazines.

Communication strategy and promotion

From your Why or Purpose statement you can set out what your key messages will be. Be clear with the message that is going to the market. These statements will be put on all your communications including website, any sales documents as well as any advertising that you may be conducting. It allows you to be confident that your message is not misconstrued. Clear and Concise.

To Do:

Now what you should be doing is going back to the list of communications that you listed before and see what you are saying. Is it communicating your Why or Purpose? If not, then you need to change them all so that they do reflect your Why or Purpose. A big mistake that a lot of businesses make is to always be communicating what their industry is communicating. You must remember that a potential customer may not know the ins and outs of your industry. So talk to the customer.

What have we learned?

  • You need to do an analysis of what your current communication is.
  • Remember that any kind of activity is communicating something to the market. So, if there is a website or social media page that you have created (especially if it is your personal account) you must now look at what you are saying.
  • Going through the Why or Purpose statement will help you to formulate the correct message as it will show you what your business is all about.