America’s SBDC Blog

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Fine-Tuning Your Small Business Value Proposition

June 29, 2012

Getting your business noticed can be challenging. To show your business stands head and shoulders above not only your smaller competitors but also the dominant players in your market, you need to differentiate yourself from the pack.

You may already be familiar with the concept of a “value proposition” — a fancy term for a short statement encapsulating why customers benefit from doing business with you. But even if you have one, it might not effectively differentiate you from your competitors or show the true value your business provides.

As a small business owner, you usually assume your value proposition should perform two key functions when it comes to the competition:

1. Show the value you provide that small competitors don’t.
2. Show the value you provide that large competitors don’t.

But, in reality, your value proposition should focus on just one thing: Showing the unique value you provide to your target customer. Period. (more…)

Why Building Actual Relationships Is Essential In Marketing Your New Product

June 18, 2012

So you’ve spent a large amount of time and money creating and launching a great new product yet you’re still eagerly waiting to generate sales. You have high volumes of targeted traffic, plenty of fancy banner ads and you’ve done everything just right. Or have you?

How could it be that launching a high quality product that’s relevant to your audience, implementing a robust online marketing effort with heaps of hits, banners & text links posted all over the place -and still it’s only half the battle?

It might seem hard to believe after investing so much effort. This is not always the case in the world of online marketing and business but truth be told if you really want to seal the deal & sell your product, you may have to be more proactive and engage in actual conversations with potential new customers and clients. That means either talking on the phone, one-on- one emails or, dare I say it, in person. (more…)

What Happens After Someone “Likes” Your Facebook Page?

June 13, 2012

Sally Field is famous for getting excited at the 1985 Academy Awards ceremony about the fact that her peers like her. And these days, that’s the reaction you may have when people choose to “Like” your business and organization’s Facebook Page. But what happens after the Like?

Yes, when it comes to Facebook, it’s important to be Liked. After people Like your Page, you need to engage them and drive them to take action. That’s how you’ll get results. How do you actually do that? Here are some tips:

1. Feature an exclusive offer. One of the best ways to see results from your Page is to frequently run special offers specifically for your Facebook fans. In fact, in a study of consumer behavior on Facebook we found that two of the top 5 reasons people Like a Page were to receive discounts and promotions, and to gain access to exclusive content. (more…)

Tips for Your Export Marketing

May 23, 2012

There’s good reason to believe what sells in America can sell elsewhere. But assuming you can market it in the same manner in a foreign country produces disappointing sales for many exporters.

Even if you’re marketing your product in an English-speaking country, buying patterns change by borders. Don’t give up on the use of your product or service abroad, but be prepared that it might not take off as quickly it did stateside. As you prepare to enter foreign markets, consider these pointers for your export marketing plan.

1. Don’t neglect the market research. Just like rolling out a product into any new market, the market research indicates a couple important factors:

· if your product or service is likely to succeed in the market

· what selling points and purchasing habits resonate with the market (more…)

24 Links to Make You Awesome at Facebook Marketing

May 11, 2012

Have you been struggling to gain some traction with your Facebook marketing? Has it come the point where no matter what you do, you still feel like you’re spinning your wheels?

Well, my friends, here’s a resource you’re really going to “Like.” Below are 24 links to posts we’ve put together to help you race down the road to Facebook marketing success. Enjoy!

1. Facebook Page vs. Profile: The Heavyweight Championship Bout

2. How to Regularly Post to Your Facebook Page (Without Annoying the $#!* Out of Your Fans)

3. Turn that Frown Upside Down: How to Make an Unhappy Fan a Happier Customer

4. Get Your Customers to Say “I Want That!” in Four Easy Steps

5. Why Isn’t Your Facebook Content as Shareable as a Super Bowl Ad?

6. When to Post to Facebook for Maximum Impact (more…)