Marketing - Dun and Bradstreet Small Business

Following is a wealth of information on small business marketing from building a brand to managing a direct mail campaign and growing sales.

Top 5 B2B selling secrets	19 January, 2011
The fundamental difference between B2B and B2C selling is that business decisions usually involve more dollars. To give your sales team every opportunity to close a sale there are a wide range of strategies businesses can use in B2B selling. We've selected the top 5 used in the B2B space.

The key to profitability lies within your existing customer base	07 December, 2010
In today's competitive environment businesses must be aware that their most vital asset is their existing customer base. Protecting and maintaining strong relationships with these key customers should be a critical component in your sales and marketing strategy because it represents the key driver of future profitability and it is a reliable source of sustainable growth.

Tapping into new revenue from existing customers	01 December, 2010
Successful executives know that happy customers have a significant positive impact on a business' bottom line. Many businesses fail to effectively nurture, cultivate and service their clients. As a consequence, a significant number of firms fail to build the long-term, loyal relationships that drive profitability.

Understanding the small business owner
Successful B2B marketers know that a one - fits all approach is ineffective at delivering results. Accordingly understanding the person, business or group you want to reach is of paramount importance.

Marketing basics
To succeed, entrepreneurs must attract and retain a growing base of satisfied customers. Marketing programs, though widely varied, are all aimed at convincing people to try out or keep using particular products or services. Business owners should carefully plan their marketing strategies and performance to keep their market presence strong.

10 common marketing mistakes to avoid
A good marketing plan can help launch a new business or grow an existing one. Make sure, however, to pay attention to common marketing mistakes. Avoid these 10 marketing mistakes as you market your goods or services.

Direct Mail - not dead by any stretch
In the digital age it is a common perception that direct marketing efforts should be concentrated towards the online and mobile world. Australians might be going online more and more but despite this, direct mail continues to maintain a vital position in the marketing world.

Email and text marketing

Advertising budgets for many SMEs are a tricky issue. Managing your spending and still getting a good return on investment is a difficult balancing act. Print, radio and online ads can deliver fantastic results, however the price of purchasing advertising space can be prohibitive to many SMEs. Therefore, if you simply want to deliver a straightforward message to your customers in a relatively inexpensive way then a direct marketing campaign is well worth considering, especially if you harness the power of email and text messages.

Identify your competitive advantage
In order to prosper in an overcrowded environment, you need to market your business' competitive advantage. However, identifying this competitive advantage may not be as easy as it seems. To help you determine what your advantage is take some time to consider what your business does better than anyone else.

What does your logo say about your business?
Much of marketing is concerned with a company's image, both on an individual product level and for the corporation as a whole. Every company and every branded product or service needs a logo for this purpose.

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