Fish and ponds

Whilst it is disrespectful, not to say rude, to try pointing out to a business that has been successful in trading for thirty years or so that their marketing doesn’t pass muster, it is also wrong; of course they understand about marketing as they wouldn’t have lasted this long if they hadn’t. But that is not to say that there are areas that couldn’t be improved.

One of the main issues is that there is a huge disconnect with the owner of an SME with the whole concept of marketing and advertising in particular. They’ll see the big brand budgets everywhere they look while watching television and realise that their budget just wouldn’t hack it, so it’s not for them. Of course the budget won’t hack it and no, it’s not for them. Not talking to the whole country, it isn’t.

Small fish in a big pond

The analogy in the title is that the SME is only a small fish in a big pond, and their budget wouldn’t even make a dent. What never occurs to them is perhaps to swim in a smaller pond to begin with; because as they are still the same sized fish, they appear to be much bigger in the small pond.

In practical marketing terms, it could mean something as straightforward as this: an allocated marketing budget could be made to cover an area efficiently depending on its size. Clearly, the bigger the budget, the bigger the area; the smaller the budget, the smaller the area. It is as simple as putting the point of the compass on HQ on the map, and the size of the circle should match the budget. If, as some claim, there is no budget, don’t waste your time. But be mindful that your fiercest competitor may well have a budget, and may well have read this.

Marketing and advertising is not just for the corporates; they don’t own it and don’t forget, they were an SME once. Logically then, they must have started off small - in a smaller pond, if you will – and told more and more potential customers how good they were as they grew. Then they migrated to ever bigger ponds. Easy, isn’t it? Give us a call.