Products and Services - Product strategies may
include concentrating on a narrow product line, developing a highly
specialized product or service, or providing a product-service
package containing unusually high-quality service.
Promotion - Promotion strategies include
advertising and direct customer interaction. Good salesmanship is
essential for small businesses because of their limited ability to
spend on advertising. Good telephone book advertising is also
important. Direct mail is an effective, low-cost medium available to
small business.
Price - The right price is crucial for maximizing
total revenue. Generally, higher prices mean lower volume and
vice-versa; however, small businesses can often command higher
prices because of their personalized service.
Distribution - The manufacturer and wholesaler must
decide how to distribute their products. Working through established
distributors or manufacturers' agents generally is easiest for small
manufacturers. Small retailers should consider cost and traffic flow
in site selection, especially since advertising and rent can be
reciprocal: A low-cost, low-traffic location means spending more on
advertising to build traffic.
The nature of the product or service is also important in siting
decisions. If purchases are based largely on impulse, then high
traffic and visibility are critical. On the other hand, location is
less a concern for products or services that customers are willing to
go out of their way to find. The recent availability of highly
segmented mailing lists, purchased from list brokers, magazines, or
other companies, has enabled certain small businesses to operate from
any location yet serve national or international markets.
Marketing Performance
After implementing a marketing program, entrepreneurs must evaluate
its performance. Every program should have performance standards to
compare with actual results. Researching industry norms and past
performance will help to develop appropriate standards.
Entrepreneurs should audit their company's performance at least
quarterly. The key questions are:
1. Is the company doing all it can to be customer-oriented?
2. Do employees ensure the customers are satisfied and leave wanting
to come back?
3. Is it easy for the customer to find what he or she wants at a
competitive price?
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