Small Business 911 – Target Marketing

My definition of a successful business is – a business that provides a vehicle for the business owner to express in the world what makes them happy.  It expresses their unique gifts and talents, and provides the means to create the lifestyle they long for in their heart and soul.

As a business owner, one of the most critical factors in building a successful business is making sure the right people, your ideal customers, know what you have to offer.  So, one of the first questions you need to answer is, who is your ideal client?   Taking the time to answer this question can make the difference between a struggling and a thriving business. 

Here are five competitive advantages you will have by taking the time to determine who your ideal clients are and how you can best reach them. 

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Marketing 411 – Tweeting Doctors…

Since social media came on the scene, it’s much easier to keep in touch with family and friends.  It’s like a family reunion online!  Suddenly we’re getting messages, pictures, and even videos from people we haven’t heard from in years.  But powerful social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Linkedin are not just for fun and entertainment.  They have become an important part of businesses’ marketing strategies.

This was reported in The Stockton Record newspaper (www.recordnet.com) recently:

In the waiting room, the patient’s family members circled a Blackberry.  About every 15 minutes, Dr. Carlos of Miami Plastic Surgery gave them a few keystrokes of information about how the patient was doing.

“M is asleep,” one of Wolf’s nurses typed at 9:13 am on June 3.  “We will start surgery soon.”

Less than an hour later, the nose job was complete.

“Beautiful,” the nurse typed.  “She’s going to love it.”

This is just one example of how doctors around the country are beginning to use social media tools as a way to keep in touch with families and reduce the fear factor of surgeries.

Social media is still in its infancy stages, and will continue growing as more people and businesses dream up ways to use it in their lives and professions.   Just imagine getting daily tweets and/or quick direct Facebook status updates from your contractor, plumber, realtor, attorney, CPA, etc., etc.   In the current economic climate, social media can easily be used as a way to communicate more closely with your clients - and set your business apart from the competition.

How can social media be used in your business?  Be sure and stay tuned as the NAMC presents social media experts teaching you the ins and outs about Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, YouTube, and more in 2010!