Start your new business engines - Article by Steve Marsten

With everything happening in Gladstone over the past 18 months, there has been an increase in the number of enquiries buying or starting a business. Major projects that boost the local economy encourage confidence in people to follow their dreams and actually act on them.

As everyone knows there are scary statistics about new starts and their failures however and the big problem is that most people under capitalise their business and forget why they started in the first place. The first thing they cut back on is the marketing. I have heard people say – “we’re just going to have a quiet opening and let word of mouth work its magic”. This is what is known as “Hope Marketing”. Soon they have a quiet closing because people didn't know they existed! 

Plan the opening – it’s important. In towns the size of Gladstone – people talk. They use social media. The word will get out quickly IF you have a well planned opening event. Consider who should be there. Who should “open your business”?

Consider some pre-launch sequences to build anticipation. There should be at least 3 spread over a period of no more the 6 weeks and no less then 3 weeks. It may be a flyer; a video ad on YouTube or something physical that you give away in the main street.  The aim is to focus on the “opportunity or experience you are offering. How will your custom be “different” after the experience or the opportunity? How will they have transformed? Keep giving people value. (You can never give too much!) What will the “ownership experience” of owning your product be? Or perhaps the tasting experience? Always note that there is a special offering coming to them.

Engage people in conversation. They will engage others hence social media can be useful for this as well as your blog perhaps. Use Partners to turbo charge your marketing. Speak to your suppliers. Utilise their lists or clientèle or if you are starting Yoga Classes maybe you target someone in the Massage industry?

Planning the Launch – you need to target two sets of people - those who are your potential clients and customers and those who love to talk about new things in town. Don’t forget to invite the town dignitaries as well as the local paper. All of these will talk about your business over the next week. When you have your speech keep it relatively short and focus on WHY you are doing what you are doing then delivered to the highest standard possible. At Sothertons we work with business owners who are focussed on success.