In my thirty years of marketing, I have witnessed the transition from 20th century to 21st century marketing strategy and tactics. Strategy and tactics developed in the mid 20th century, and applied through the last quarter of the 20th century, did not work well for many owners of small businesses. The same marketing notions are being applied in today’s business environment with even less success!

My small business provides professional marketing services to small businesses, and professional and industry associations. I know that a barrier to a successful marketing program is an annual budget for marketing. Many business owners/association executive directors do not understand marketing principles and miss opportunities to develop strategy and carry out tactics all, that require little cash. Costs associated with personal time and skills development through continuing education, however, can be significant.

In Canada, marketing technology and examples of success are often framed in the strategy and tactics of large transnational corporations and large medium-sized enterprises. Statistics from banks and Statistics Canada, suggest a business landscape of entrepreneurs in need of marketing, that is under serviced by professional marketers. It can be argued that many or most cannot afford or need the exotic marketing tactics and strategy enjoyed by large corporate brands. There is a dire need of affordable, sustainable, and relevant marketing strategy and tactics for small business entrepreneurs that include micro-businesses.

The government of Canada defines a small business as one with 1–99 employees. A medium-sized business has 100-499. Large businesses have more then 500 employees. In Canada, 98.2% of all businesses have fewer than 100 employees. When you add in medium-sized businesses, the percentage rises to 99.8%. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the engine of the economy, and their success is vital to Canada’s prosperity.[1]

Something to consider

According to Innovation, Science & Economic Development Canada statistics, thousands of businesses exit the marketplace every year. Business failure statistics

show that about 96% of small businesses that enter the marketplace survive for one full year, 85% survive for three years, and 70% survive for five years (Key Small Business Statistics). Approximately 7,000 businesses go bankrupt every year in Canada. Micro-enterprises (businesses with 1 to 4 employees) have a slightly lower business failure rate than other small businesses. After five years in business, 70.4% of micro-enterprises survived compared with 66.9% of other small businesses (Ibid).[2]

What’s going on?

The statistics speak volumes about the business environment of Canada and the delivery of marketing services. Unless a marketing services business is an enterprise servicing the markets of large medium-sized enterprises and transnationals, any marketing business engaged in providing professional services is likely targeting small businesses whose owners and management have little understanding of marketing strategy and tactics, along with principles, standards and ethics. And of those small businesses, it is likely that micro-businesses with 1-4 employees would be in greatest need of marketing services.

Large medium-sized businesses are likely to have budgeted funds for marketing, staff engaged in marketing and sales, and definitely the target of most product and services suppliers. Competition for work with medium-sized businesses is aggressive, characterized by prequalification documents, open proposal competition and low-fee bidding. These and the larger transnationals tend to follow a bidding process much like that of the public sector.

Microbusinesses, which are almost half of all small businesses, are underserviced and overlooked because they tend to have few or no resources for marketing. It is micro-businesses that need some level of marketing services to survive and grow. With a premium product or service that is needed by customers/consumers, failure within two years of operation might be avoided with a little marketing. The money they have for marketing is channelled toward corporate identity material and a little promotion. Such enterprises simply cannot market their products and services using C21 and 20th century tools offered by most marketing services providers.

Many elements of marketing are changing like they have through millennia out of necessity, while the principles, standards and ethics of good marketing remain unchanged. Why are Canadian small businesses being deprived of marketing services that they can afford and apply, that would contribute to their success? Is it because they have limited time to learn relevant marketing skills or afford professional marketing services and implement strategy and tactics that work in today’s business environment? One thing is for certain, cash flow is a factor.

Introducing Mentor Partnerships for small and microbusinesses

Knowing little about marketing, the instincts of a small-business entrepreneur will begin by introducing a product or service they believe people will buy; naming the business; then creating a logo (most believing the latter to be the brand of the company). Business cards and stationery, in digital and hard copy, soon follow. A smartphone with apps for communications, is a necessity; an internet connection for email and search functions; a computer and basic software used for word processing, presentations, and managing data files; a business space; and a bank account. A marketer is rarely engaged in the beginning to lend input into a corporate name, visual identity, and apps for basic marketing activities to help sell something. Marketing is a second thought. Consequently, it may be a last reactionary thought, as the business begins to fail after the second or third year. Two microbusinesses that I started in the 80s failed because I did not market the service when there were strong sales. Marketing activities were an afterthought that came too late.

The challenge to the small-business entrepreneur, is that with few resources, they must sell something and generate a steady cash flow while attracting clients/customers. The challenges to the marketing services provider are how to attract the attention of the small business entrepreneur, convince the entrepreneur that marketing services can help sell the entrepreneur’s products or services, obtain an agreement for marketing services, and generate revenue for the marketing services business, as well as helping the small business entrepreneur sell something. To service Canada’s small business market, the business model for selling marketing services must change, as well as the level of service and means or format to be paid. And we are not talking commission percentage on sales.

Modern marketing-services providers must become skilled at evidence-based risk assessment and behavioural science. To work for a small business with expectations of revenue, requires an assessment of the risks and opportunities of the business to become successful within 24 months. In addition, the small business entrepreneur must be assessed for business acumen, sales skills, and trustworthiness. Can they sell product or service? Do they understand enough about a microbusiness to make it successful with few resources and a lot of intellectual capital? Will the entrepreneur build a trusting business relationship with the marketing services provider and nourish a long-term business relationship? Once the marketer commits, they must fully engage with the microbusiness for at least 2 years!

Investing, mentoring and “getting paid”

Many a small business or microbusiness cannot function under 20th century payment schedules that have been dragged into 21C business models. It is risky for start-ups and microbusinesses to secure bank loans and lines of credit. A microbusiness start-up, or recent start-up, may have no sources of operating revenue other than sales, personal savings, and loans from friends and family. The modern marketing services provider must be prepared to invest resources and time into a microbusiness as a

business partner and marketing strategist/tactician mentor, rather than a supplier of services. Payment within 30, 60 or 90 days may not be possible. Payment by installments with a percentage up-front may be a non-starter. By partnering, as a long-term commitment, the service provider will be paid when revenue permits and as sales grow. So, too, will the revenue stream of the service provider/partner/mentor grow, as time passes. When the microbusiness grows, the marketing service provider would remain engaged with a long-term client that is bound for success as a small business, and perhaps a medium-sized enterprise the jewel of today’s prospects for product and service suppliers. The marketing-service provider continues as a business partner of the micro/small business. And therein lies the risk to the marketing services provider entrepreneur: Is the marketing-services entrepreneur willing to part with knowledge acquired over decades of experience and education that have been monetized, in hope that return on investment (ROI) will materialize sooner than later?

Marketing services that work for today’s micro and small businesses

Anything free! There is no 10% of net revenue for a marketing budget, or even .05 of 1%. Theoretical and actual budgets for marketing enjoyed by large medium-sized businesses and transnationals do not exist for many, if not most, small businesses.  A budget for marketing, and qualified people to spend it, is but a dream for many small-business entrepreneurs. There is no excuse, however, for any entrepreneur to lay back and do nothing to promote their business. Following, are low or no-cost marketing products and technology that are accessible to small businesses to help sell a product or service. They are samples of marketing technology applications that are effective in attracting prospects and generating sales while building a brand for the enterprise.

  • Business cards and digital stationery (low cost for printing – or can design own cards and purchase card stock for as-needed printing)
  • Digital corporate logo (can find free design software online) until funds available for a “redo” by a professional marketer and graphic designer
  • Email database – entrepreneur can create using an Excel spreadsheet
  • Facebook Business Page (free)
  • LinkedIn Company Page (free). You can also pay monthly for a Premium subscription to gain access to more features and metrics to help promote your business, as well as access to free courses, as they apply to your business and needs.
  • LinkedIn personal page (free). See above LinkedIn for Premium membership option.
  • Facebook personal page (free)
  • Twitter company account (free)
  • Instagram account (free)
  • WhatsApp for WIFI messaging, phone, email database storage, and video conferencing (free)
  • Facebook Messenger for WIFI messaging and video calls (free)
  • Skype (free for conference calls with more than one person and ability to exchange files during the call)
  • WordPress Blog page to post information about products and services/industry issues (free)
  • WordPress Website (free)
  • Google My Business (free)
  • Mailchimp email marketing service for newsletters and promotions (free)
  • Online tutorials for basic knowledge on use of marketing communications technology and application of marketing tools (free)
  • Photo libraries for marketing communications (Pixabay and others – free)
  • Canva – web-based service for editing photos for posts on social media (free)
  • SurveyMonkey for client surveys and product/service feedback (free)
  • EZGIF for producing free animated files (photos and video) for posting on social media pages and sending by email (free)
  • QR codes for distributing product and service information on hard surfaces with links to archived data for mobile marketing campaigns (free)
  • Using free technology for teaching and training customers online and offline about the value of products and services to improve lifestyles/personal experience, the natural environment, and contribute to sustainable development (free and low cost)

These, among others, are the marketing technology applications that a marketing service provider can introduce in a partnership/mentorship with a micro or small business entrepreneur, should the entrepreneur elect to outsource the marketing of their business. The business would contract with the marketing services provider to use these and more, to market the small business to facilitate sales. The marketing services provider would provide their skills and knowledge as a mentor partner at industry rates for full payment when cash flow permits. The marketing services provider, as a partner, becomes an investor of the enterprise.

The professional marketer services provider

The small business entrepreneur has every right to partner with a marketer who has credentials and professional qualifications to provide services that would, for example,  help identify the customer journey, monitor it, and ultimately lead it to conversions,

also known as sales, and continue the relationship for future needs, service and purchases. Universities, colleges, and professional marketing associations are graduating credentialed marketers schooled in the latest knowledge of technology, principles, standards, and ethics. Business marketing programs must reflect the changing landscape by equipping graduates with quantitative and qualitative skills for success as an entrepreneur or marketing program manager.

Engage credentialed marketers that understand that change in delivering marketing services is upon us. The relationship being developed over two years, would also afford the client to benefit from the knowledge and skills of the marketing professional that would be an asset for many years. With a foundation of trust, the entrepreneur and marketer can forge a long-lasting relationship with mutual benefits. There is risk on both sides: The entrepreneur is taking a chance on the marketer, and the marketer is taking a risk-assessed chance on the entrepreneur with the goal of forging a long-term relationship; both are seeking a professional relationship based on trust and honesty; and both see each other as an extension of their own enterprise.

The Way

Recognize that expensive marketing techniques and big marketing budgets are rarely accessible to small businesses for many reasons, among which, are limited cash for marketing, and an entrepreneur’s time and knowledge about marketing. There is a massive underserviced business sector that is begging for marketing services. Marketers must be prepared to share risk with businesses that demonstrate good faith, and a minimal risk of achieving success in growth and revenue. That means professional marketers sharing resources, knowledge, and time with expectations of payment matched to the revenue cycles or sales success of clients. There is a new way of conducting business with small business entrepreneurs through mentor partnerships that can be both challenging and rewarding.

Footnotes:

[1] 10 things you (probably) didn’t know about Canadian SMEs, Business Development Bank of Canada, https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/business-strategy-planning/manage-business/pages/10-things-didnt-know-canadian-sme.aspx

[2] Why Small Businesses Fail and How to Avoid Failure, https://www.thebalancesmb.com/why-do-small-businesses-fail-2948582

Professional services marketer with project experience in Canada, USA, Philippines, Tanzania, China, and Armenia. Marketing experience includes strategic and tactical planning and implementation, Web presence development, integrated marketing communications, technical writing, marketing education, business development, and business marketing management.

Goal to improve skills and knowledge related to 21C technology that facilitates delivery of marketing products and services from anywhere on the planet.

Recommended Posts

Alignment between planning and execution: The leader’s role
Ethics in Marketing
Execution in business
Statement about Racism and Discrimination

No comment yet, add your voice below!

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *