SME MARKETING
3 Ways You Can Beat The Odds And Achieve Massive Success
By Valerie Ambetsa Siganga
In March last year , one of the biggest challenges that my partner and I were facing as SME owners was how to scale effectively . In the BTL marketing industry , key defining factors of success were large offices , a substantial team to prove capacity , and significant cash in the bank . We were well on our way towards ticking these boxes , and then , boom , the pandemic hit .
After three months of discussing the ‘ new normal ’ without really understanding what that was , we decided to pivot . As astute entrepreneurs , we were careful with our earnings and had enough in the bank to carry us through for several months . Before we ran out of funds , we took drastic action and chose to scale back to the absolute minimum to stay in business .
One year later , and our most significant shift is in mindset . Today , our discussions revolve around making the best use of existing resources , both for ourselves and our clients . We are more cost and valuesensitive , and our passion for results is our core driver . So , moving forward , here are some ideas on how an SME owner can define their new path .
Grow Your Business
Significant job losses across industries have led to many skilled professionals seeking employment opportunities . This can be a blessing for an SME seeking to scale and grow . Now is the time to define how you can take advantage of on-demand independent professionals to drive business growth . Rather than increasing your wage bill by hiring a seasoned professional full-time , decide to work with a skilled professional on a project basis .
In our line of business , this has been exceptionally fulfilling and led to longterm partnerships that exceed both our internal and client expectations . As a boutique marketing agency , we work with high-impact and respected professionals who fully commit to achieving results .
This has made it possible to grow our business and expand our service offering . The secret to making this work is to pay your partners what they are worth .
Knowledge Sharing
This is turning into an entire industry , and marketing has been quick to uptake . However , in defining the path for the future , it is essential to take this to the next level . Many people use knowledgesharing opportunities to promote their products , such as working with a chef to drive an FMCG ingredient using social media ‘ how to ’ cooking videos .
As a marketer , you have a unique opportunity to monetize your marketing knowledge by interacting with eager potential clients who may not have the resources to engage you full time . Create marketing challenges , courses , video series , and e-books available by paying a premium . The benefit of this is that you create an income stream that requires minimal effort . Furthermore , you advertise your capabilities to the world , a brilliant way of getting leads that can be converted for future business .
Go Deep or Go Home
The future of marketing is deeper rather than wider . Instead of seeking engagement with many clients for shortterm projects , focus on creating long-term plans . This will enable you to make risk assessments to pivot the ups and downs of the pandemic successfully . You can control your opportunities rather than waiting for them to fall in your lap .
This also calls for clients to be willing to share their long-term goals . As a marketer , you can be strategic in defining how these goals can be met and measured . With a long-term plan , it becomes easier to capitalize on short moments when the market is open to promotions and activities .
As an SME marketer , your current experience may be a drop in business defined by clients reducing their budgets and being careful about activating during Covid . As you seek to drive your business growth in the future , seek opportunities to immerse yourself into your client ' s business . Rather than being someone they hire for the job , behave as though you are a business partner so that the stakes for success are higher .
Valerie Ambetsa Siganga is the Growth Strategist at Pink Africa Marketing , a Marketing Agency that helps businesses grow . You can commune with her via email at : Valerie @ pinkafricamarketing . com
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