Surrounded with world-renowned brands such as Amazon, Apple, Procter & Gamble and Netflix, we tend to forget there are over 28 million small businesses in America that create two-thirds of all new jobs.
Small brands are edgy, attuned and preferred. That seems to be a common sentiment right now. But there is nothing to suggest that any of this makes it easy to win as a small brand today.
Some years ago, an Australian takeout pizza place used the Internet in an attempt to boost sales. Traffic was slow. Hardly anyone visited the site. The need for an increase in traffic was urgent. If traditional online media planning had been used, banners and links would have been purchased and the URL added to the shop’s phone-book entry. It might even have invested in some traditional ads.
Any organization that intends to thrive must begin by gaining a profound understanding of its customers.
Originally published in Maine Today… Q. Many of us throw branding, marketing and advertising into the same bucket. Can you help us sort out the differences?
