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We all know a restaurant with a six week waiting list and queues around the block. From a marketing POV, they’re the ones that never spend a penny on advertising. They don’t have billboards or neon signs outside. They’re not the cheapest in town. No celebrity chefs work there.
So why are they successful?
Logic – and the people clamoring to get in – would tell us that it’s a combination of repeat custom and positive word of mouth.
People become repeat customers because a product and/or service is good. They may like the food, the service, the ambiance or the fact that their friends go there too – regardless, they like it.
Positive word-of-mouth also comes from people liking things. It’s made easier when those things are remarkable enough to talk about, but in order for someone to go on and spend their hard earned money on the basis of a recommendation, it had better be good one.
So, if repeat business and word-of-mouth make successful businesses AND being really good helps fuel word-of-mouth and keep customers coming back for more, then …
The best way to market a small business
is to be really good at what you do.
Unfortunately, in most people’s minds, marketing is inextricably linked to active promotion – like print advertising, AdWords, direct mail and trade shows. Plus, it not only seems obvious but also isn’t nearly as sexy as coming up with cool ads.
Therefore, the first of the perennial Four P’s (i.e. product) – and the most important point in marketing – gets overlooked.
Great advertising, clever marketing communications and brilliant PR can all help bring a product to your attention. They can’t, however, make crap products and services good.
The first and most important marketing advice? Create something that your customers will love. Do that and those same customers will do much of the rest for you.
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