Do You Want To Remain A "Small" Business?

It is a sad acknowledgement that despite the Moose’s endeavours to explain to small business that good marketing is an investment, that it needn't cost a fortune and that it will give an edge over the competition, it would appear that as far as small business is concerned, it often falls on stony ground. Curse me for a fool! It’s obvious when you take a step back and look at it: Those organisations that want to grow, do marketing, and those that think they have all the answers themselves stay small. Let me elaborate.

If you are a builder, you may be at the top of your game; know all the new products available for sustainable, green living and won prizes for laying perfectly aligned bricks. Well done; you’ll be pleased to know that your author struggles to mix a decent mortar. You’re good, because you work hard, you take pride in what you do and your reputation brings you enough work to earn a good living. What do you need marketing for? If you are a builder, then for your more ambitious projects, I’ll warrant you will have been beaten to the punch by one of ‘The Big Boys’. Annoying, isn't it? They haven’t won awards for laying perfectly aligned bricks like you; how come they get the business?

Personally, I think Coca-Cola is revolting, but their global sales are staggering. There are probably many refreshing drinks out there that I will never have the pleasure of trying simply because not only have I never heard of them, but they haven’t the scale to reach me even if I had. How did Coca-Cola do it then? Hmm: I wonder… You can probably see where this is going.

I was told not to bother with the small to medium market as you could earn far more for the same amount of effort in talking to the corporates. And in a way, that’s right, but not for the immediately obvious commercial reasons. Big businesses get marketing. They are talking to you every night on the telly. They do the same as you read your newspaper, or look at a news website. You hear about them on the radio on your drive to work. And that, Mr Small Business, is why they are corporates and you’re not. If you think that this is a gauntlet to be picked up, brilliant; we’ve finally got through. If not Big Red Moose, then at least pick a marketing organisation – good luck on that – that has your best interest at heart and stick to what you do best, and let the marketers do what they do best.