Where oh where did the time go? Here we are in 2012 with another great year of marketing ahead of us. But before we get too far down the highway, let’s take a look back at the best small business marketing articles of 2011. I’ve organized the list around the four essential spots of small business marketing. Pick a topic and dive in or plough through all 15 articles. It will take you less than 30 minutes, and I guarantee you’ll be a better marketer for it.
Thanks for your support of The Marketing Spot Blog. May you and your business have a blessed and and prosperous 2012!
[Click on the red article title for a link to the article]
Marketing Foundations
Why I Don’t Find a Niche – My Answer, and maybe yours, when someone tells you: “Why don’t you find a niche?” This was my highest ranked blog post of the year using my sophisticated rating system (see explanation below).
The Four Essential Marketing Spots Explained – A 14 minute audio clip explaining the four most important marketing functions of a small business. Early last year I was a guest on Greg Corombo’s Toolkit podcast, where he asked me to explain how the four spots work. This audio clip will explain how all the marketing disciplines work together.
The TED Advanced Video Degree in Entrepreneurship – The 10 best TED videos for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Video lectures include: Product Development, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Psychology, Brand Strategy, HR Management, Behavioral Economics, Marketing Communications, Advertising Concepts, Leadership, Operations Management.
Branding
Branding Process Explained for Small Businesses – 26 minute podcast explaining how branding works and how to brand a small business. Taken from my guest appearance on Mike Klassen’s Magalog Guy podcast.
Billboards and Brand Dilution – How your advertising can weaken your brand and cause you to lose business over time.
Taglines: When the Brand Name Doesn’t Promise – Sometimes your brand name doesn’t do the job in communicating your promise to customers. That’s where taglines come in, they fill in the brand gaps and can be your most important brand communication tool.
Customer Experience
The Potential to Differentiate – This would seem like a branding article, no? But it’s the customer experience that gives a small business the real opportunity to differentiate. This is the article that explains the why and how.
Fundamentals of Business: Customer Choice – Too many choices paralyze customers and prevent purchase decisions. This article tells you how you can reduce customer choice to get more sales.
How do you know if your customer experience is winning customers? – Is the time and money you invest in your customer’s experience working? This article gives you two ways to tell.
Conversation
My Study: When is the Best Time to Post on Facebook – This is by far the most popular article on The Marketing Spot Blog. The findings of my study may surprise you a bit. The article also includes a free down-loadable tool to help you find the best time to post on your Facebook business page.
Facebook Promotions Guidelines Translated for the Small Business Owner – A semi-humorous look at Facebook’s business page promotion guidelines. Does Facebook really even want businesses to have contests on their page? You decide after reading this article.
How to Spend 10 Minutes a Day on Social Media – The number one investment you must make in social media marketing is time. This article shows you how to do it in just 10 minutes a day. Is it really possible? You be the judge.
Promotion
Three Tips to Better Direct Mail – I’m a big fan of direct mail. Here are three ways to make it work better for your business.
Website Analytics and What You Should Measure – Website analytics let us know just how effective our website is at promoting our business. But there’s so much data to sort through. This article will help you start narrowing down the data into something you can use to gauge the effectiveness of your website.
Marketing to Generation X – I wrote a series of articles last year on how to market to the different generations, including Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Generation Z teens. But readers had the most interest in Generation X. This article summarizes the best way to market to Generation X.
How I choose the best
I use a convoluted algorithm available only to those who know the secret Marketing Spot handshake. It is a combination of popularity, engagement, and personal preference.
The Best of Past Years
2010 – The Best of The Marketing Spot
2009 – The Best of The Marketing Spot
2008 – The Best of The Marketing Spot
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