Small Business Owners have B.O

The problem is getting worse.

I have been on the small business circuit for over 14 years now and the B.O is just getting out of control.

What's sad is that it's being encouraged and becoming fashionable to have as much B.O s possible.

For me it has got out of control.

B.O is a simple thing and and can easily get out of control.

Brand Obsession

There I've voiced it, written it and even said it out loud as I typed.

The whole world wants to be a brand, a personal brand.

I get it some extent and blame Tom Peters for his piece of work from 1997, The Brand Called You.

A great book and of its time but i think most of the ideas just don't travel.

We are no longer corporate America and wanting to stand out is a fantastic ideal and goal, we all want to be recognised.

If everyone stands out then nobody does.

Personal Branding

The rise of this expertise is frightening. It requires zero training and is practiced by every Tom Dick and Harry claiming to make massive differences to businesses and individuals.

I question this.

My thinking is that it's become the Emperor's New Clothes of marketing.

Lip service is given the exponents and much wasted podcast minutes are dedicated to Derek and Marjorie discussing how others should and can be Derek and Marjorie!

In my view people don't buy people, they may have done but now people buy into people long before they buy from them.

That's a different ball game.

if the people buy people were true then Mother Teresa* could have sold machine guns because her brand values, not her business offerings were the focus.

I didn't read anywhere that Apple, the most over quoted brand reference, grew due to the personal brand built by Steve Jobs or that Microsoft was so successful due to the authenticness and brand standing of Bill Gates.

* No disrespect intended by using Mother Teresa as an example before I get lambasted for being uncaring.

Business Delivery

It's the solution we deliver not the messenger of the solution that should be the focus.

If my solution out solves a competitors offering then however nice I am over them is inconsequential.

Small business remain small in my view because they are focused on the theory of marketing not the application of business principles. far too much time wasted talking and debating and not enough delivering solutions that matter.

There, I've just lost a ton of followers.

As Peter Drucker once said, "The purpose of business is to create and keep customers.

The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him/her and sells itself."

Lets get Personal

I have been involved in and with marketing for nearly all of my working life.

I ran a wine bar in Covent Garden in the 1980's which was essentially marketing. Marketing the experience and venue by making it the place to go to.

I worked in Advertising Agencies and built a reputation for delivering a different form of information department. I took the department to the people who wanted it.

Marketing in action, taking the solution to customers.

Previously Information was a Library, the Carlsberg Complaints Department where no one came to, a last refuge for account directors and creatives.

2023 is Marketing

Personally feel that the next big thing will be personalisation.

Digital and social media have huge benefits but many a drawback.

It's not a silver bullet and sadly it is portrayed as such and content a panacea for marketing.

As was once said by an agency head, bullshit delivered at the speed of light is still bullshit.

Social Media isn't social if activity isn't translated into conversations.

Humans

The trend across digital has been to talk about humanising selling and marketing.

Ironic to be writing, avoided using talking there, about this from a keyboard.

Why are we in need of a change? Sadly digital delivers metrics not money for many a business owner.

Ohh, that sounded harsh.

In reality most business owners only need around a dozen good clients, more than this and that business will be struggling to deliver.

Personalisation will deliver these faster than a chuck it at the wall and lets see what sticks approach.

Getting more personal helps to prequalify prospects and in my experience charge higher fees.

Its about delivering higher value.

Brand experience is enhanced by going personal, you get better feedback and give a far more bespoke solution.

Less friction in being able to adjust and adapt solutions, you get to hear fast when you mess up and do well.

Training is 1-2-1 what ever you think about one to many and the benefits of a digital package.

Attention Marketing

Could be wrong but this year ahead looks like a tough one and the clamber for attention online will get busier and noiser.

More hyperbole around credentials and expertise along with get clients quick claims will be the norm.

Personal marketing will get better results but it will be effort based not a question of emailing a ton of people or scheduling posts like there is no tomorrow.

How will you be getting personal in 2023?

Another Year Gone

2022 was like a very good walk, loads to see, met some good people, energising and over far too quickly.

Enjoy yourself while you are still in the pink

The years go by, as quickly as a wink

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, its later than you think...

Reminded me of this old song by Guy Lombardo which has some great lines.

Next year for sure, you'll see the world, you'll really get around

But how far can you travel when you're six feet underground?

Everyone has a sneaky resolution or two and mine is simple.

Get around more and see more of the world and stop trying to be too busy.

It's a small plan but a good one for 2023.

As is this.

Writing a Blog, a brain dump of what I am thinking on a semi regular basis.

As much as I love my Linkedin stuff and the associated marketing work my plan is to spend more time writing as well as watercolouring.

We shall see how this works out.

It is later than I think and arrived at the point of knowing what I want to do very late in the game.

Time to play.

Time to live the 60:40:20 lifestyle I have been talking about for too long.

When all is said and done, more gets said than ever done or started.

2023 is a start.

Happy New Year for 2023