SMEs must always focus on their clients’ point of view, he adds. “They are not buying your image, they are buying the results and value of your product or service.
Bristol, UK July 17, 2009 — Research reveals that small firms are bringing their branding in-house to keep costs down. More than two thirds (69 per cent) of small-business owners in the UK are considering bringing the branding of their business in-house to help with cost savings and boost sales, according to new research commissioned by software specialist, Corel.
The findings are echoed across Europe. The majority of small firms in France are also considering doing their own branding — with 77 per cent of small businesses in France and 84 per cent in Germany planning to cut costs in this way.
But experts warn that branding is central to the success of any venture and cost cutting can be damaging. “Your clients will always judge you first-hand on how you present yourself,” says Andrew Ludlam, director of Maverick Marketing Consultancy and expert contributor to Marketing Donut, the dedicated marketing advice website aimed at SMEs.
“So if your overall look is cheap then the odds are, that is how you will be perceived,” he adds. “First impressions always count in business, so to this end, it is never a good idea to save money on branding.”
In all, the research reveals that 64 per cent of small firms say they are concerned about cutting costs and are looking for new solutions to help with this. At the same time, the vast majority of SMEs — 88 per cent — say that they recognise the importance of good branding. The main reason that small businesses use an external supplier at present is because they don’t have the right solutions internally (43 per cent).
For those firms that do their own marketing, it is vital to ensure that branding delivers real results, says Ludlam. “The essential ingredients of any branding strategy, especially for SMEs, is to be clear about the outcomes: do not fall into the trap of simply creating ‘awareness’, this is never enough, and especially with a limited marketing budget. Instead create a ‘reaction’, use your branding to get the client to take some form of action.”
SMEs must always focus on their clients’ point of view, he adds. “They are not buying your image, they are buying the results and value of your product or service. So the first step of any marketing campaign is to elicit a reaction. Awareness on its own (and especially for SMEs) will never pay the bills!”
Further information:
Become a Marketing Donut expert by visiting the BHP Information Solutions website www.bhpinfosolutions.co.uk/Who-we-are/Experts.aspx
Register for Marketing Donut here www.marketingdonut.co.uk/user/register?destination=node%2F27
Find out more about Maverick Marketing Consultancy here www.maverickmarketingconsultancy.co.uk/
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Mick Dickinson
BHP Information Solutions Ltd
Bristol, UK
0044 (0)117 904 2224
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http://www.bhpinfosolutions.co.uk
