Unique marketing ideas for your small business

One of the biggest challenges facing any small business owner is making sure that their business is heard above the clamor of the marketplace. This is especially difficult when trying to find a marketing plan that will place your small business, in the path of your target market. It can seem nearly impossible when you are considering the traditional types of marketing. When this challenge is coupled with the restrictions of a small business marketing budget, it can make many small business owners throw up their hands in frustration. However, by focusing on the details of your marketing plan, you can often come up with unique and special ideas for marketing your company. So before you simply give up marketing your business (which can be fatal for you business), here is what you need to know about unique marketing ideas for your small business-

• Give your product the strongest guarantee in the market-This can be the ultimate way to make your product or service unique. The first step is to compare your product's guarantee, to your main competitors. Then you will need to find a niche where you can design your guarantee to be more powerful. This will give your target market the satisfaction of knowing that they are purchasing a product or service that you stand behind 100%. Your customers work hard, for their money, and will appreciate knowing that you appreciate that as well.
• Look at the details-Too often small business owners are focused on marketing their overall product. You can often find a unique way to market your small business product or service, by honing in on the details. You can increase your profits by concentrating on small details, and then structuring your marketing plan around them. And don't let your detail oriented vision stop with your product or service. Your marketing plan, itself, can also be improved by looking at the details.Improving small things like text size, color, or graphics can really make a positive difference. Making just a small change can often times tap into a new customer base.
• Make some flexible offers-If you offer a set price for your product, you could offer the people that can't afford it an optional payment plan. A great marketing strategy is to offer different payment plans, ways to purchase, and even different methods of pickup or delivery. This marketing strategy can attract customers outside of your target market, who may have thought that your product or service, was too expensive or otherwise unavailable for them.
• Offer your knowledge or consulting as a bonus product-People love to get anything free. A bonus "gift" is always a good draw, yet many small business owners cannot afford to do this. However, you can offer your knowledge or expertise, relatively inexpensively. You could offer a free 15 or 30 minute consultation. This will add value to your product or service. In addition, this can serve to educate your customer in a unique way that helps establish a relationship. Marketing experts agree that establishing a relationship with your customer is the first step in insuring that they will return to buy from your again.
• Start your own trade association-If there is not a trade association in your area, for you industry, then you can start your own. You can team up with your competition, by starting an association for your specific industry. It could lead to a profitable partnership with other small businesses. This way you can pool resources to market your products or services. With the power of several different businesses, you will be able to enlarge your target market.