You probably started your business because you had an idea for a product or service. An idea based on your own experience of client challenges in your sector. In the early stages you might have got some growth just by selling – phoning people up and going to see them. Your passion and energy won their acceptance.

But achieving continuous growth means you need to scale this process to get in front of many more prospects, create more relationships and build a reputation in the market. First, you will probably hire sales people, but they are expensive and results are slow.

Marketing, on the other hand, can unlock your business’s potential.

Most CEOs of small businesses know that marketing is central to their success, but also most agree that a lot of marketing budget is wasted. This waste can hold back companies from making investments and committing to the marketing process. 

When you are spending your own cash, you will be asking yourself some pretty pointed questions:

1. How can I be sure my money will achieve anything?

2. What kind of marketing will work for me?

3. How do I assess marketing before I spend money on it (and to doublecheck after)?

It’s uncomfortable, so here are a few practical tips and thoughts on how to avoid the worst errors and waste:

1. Think both long and short-term

Studies now show conclusively that any brand or business needs to invest to build its brand image consistently over time as well as to achieve immediate leads. The former isn’t a ‘luxury’, because it helps your short-term promotional work perform better.

2. Marketing is not just about logic and information

You sell to humans – and humans are, first and foremost, emotional. They buy from people they know and like. Your marketing has to push the emotional buttons before anyone will be bothered to read about your product. A good read for this is the great book HumanizingB2B – The new truth in marketing that will transform your brand and your sales.

3. You are the worst person to assess your own marketing

Remember, you look at all your own marketing communications through your lens, NOT your customer’s. You won’t see where your message has holes, where your copy is confusing or where your lovingly written benefits are largely meaningless to prospects. 

You have to do the work to get the outside world’s perspective. First, talk to customers. Understanding them is the first requirement of great marketing. What are their pain points, in their own language? Initially just ask your current customers why they first bought from you and what value they get from your product. Really listen too – it may not be what you assumed. Second, get feedback from as many objective arms-length sources as you can.

4. Make marketing a key internal priority

Don’t think one agency or consultant can do it all for you. For one thing, they are unlikely to have all the skills you seek, and for another this is going to be central to your growth, not just an add-on. Arguably, all your company is worth in the market is the sum total of your marketing outcomes. So, your true business value is based on this.

5. Spend enough to be competitive

The trouble with small budget work is that if you are outspent by competitors, you may waste it all. Your first job is to be noticed. There is likely to be a “cost to play” in your market, so be willing to meet that minimum requirement

6. Be brave

A good marketing idea can double or triple your effectiveness. If you stand out with something new and interesting to say, you can make clients stop and take notice. B2B marketing tends to be a sea of “bland”, consider what marketing you yourself pay attention to and ask why that may be?

7. As the CEO/owner you are in fact the marketing director, whether you like it or not 

Make it a key goal to learn the basics of marketing in your industry and the fundamentals of the tools available, even if you hire a smart young person to do the day to day. It’s not rocket science, but there is a logical consistent process to use. There is lots of help out there.

Marketing is how you scale your original success, driven by your own ideas, personality and energy into work that can reach far more people. It’s the face of your business, the reason people buy from you, and it can be very rewarding and surprisingly good fun. So, try to enjoy this part of your business life.