There is a stack of hurdles in successfully running a small business. Managing cash flow. The whole chicken-egg thing of putting on staff to grow the business so that you can afford to put on staff. And - obviously - marketing the business.
Small business wrestles with allocating an effective marketing budget, working out where the best advertising opportunities are, evaluting sponsorships and promotions that resonate with customers - let alone delving through the mind-field of new online marketing opportunities.
But the one thing that really holds a small business from successfully marketing their business is - they don't actually know what business they are in.
It is frightening but somehow illuminating how many small business owners can't answer the question: What is your business? Or tell me about your business?
The usual answer is the function of the business or the tasks that the business undertakes each day. For example, I am an accountant. Or we are financial planners. Or we do graphic design.
And they may go on to tell you that they are a family business, or have been around for 20 years, or have (and someone actually told me this recently) bought out all of their competitors and therefore they are the only Product X supplier in their region.
Isn't this missing the point? As well as being pretty boring?
All I care about as the potential customer is how it affects me.
The features of the business - its credibility, its years of service, other clients, pricing strategy - are just features.
I want the What's In It For Me. I want the benefits of doing business with you. I want to know that you can save me 10% more of my revenue into profits. Or that you can provide me with the fastest turn around logos.
How do you tell people what your business is all about? Do you know what's 'in it' for your customers to do business with you? Have you asked them?
Once you've got that nailed, expanding that message across all of your marketing activity is damn easy.
eNewsletters for your biz - designed, written & sent
Woo Hoo! At the heart of the matter
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Celtic Vs Australia Dilemma Heats Back Up - FourFourTwo
Scott McDonald admits he is worried what effect a club-versus-country dilemma could have on the start to his career at Celtic.
The Australia international is set to be called up by Socceroos coach Graham Arnold for the Asian Cup which takes place throughout July.
Playing in the tournament would mean the 23-year-old missing Celtic's pre-season preparations and potentially place him at the back of the long queue of current strikers at Parkhead.
The former Motherwell frontman, who joins Celtic on a three-year contract for a fee believed to be around £700,000, was unveiled today - more than two months after he agreed the move from Fir Park.
And he revealed that his summer plans are still up in the air.
He said: "It's still not decided if I will be going to the Asian Cup.
"The national squad meets up on June 21 and we are actually in talks at the moment with the Australian federation to see how long I'm going to be away and if I'm actually going to be available.
"But I must say that the Australian federation have been fantastic thus far and they totally understand that this (move to Celtic) is a huge opportunity for me and for Australian football, if successful.
"But you are always worried about these things.
"You always want to play for your country but there is a conflict of interest.
"Do I go away and play for Australia or do I stay here and fight for my place as I begin a new page in my career?
"It is a tough question but we will just need to wait and see.
"It's 50-50 in terms of what's going to happen, it's up to the manager and everyone here (at Celtic) to decide what they want."
McDonald is also banned for the first two Bank of Scotland Premier League games of next season, after a sending-off with Motherwell.
And that is further adding to the confusion as he tries to negotiate a tricky situation.
He said: "The suspension is a massive disappointment, especially as I've moved to a new club.
"You want to be part of it, especially for the first game of the season when the league flag is unfurled.
"But these things happen in football and you get on with it.
"Thankfully there is a [Champions League qualifying] game between those two suspensions and hopefully I can fight hard for a place in that team."
McDonald admits he discussed his move to Parkhead with Australia strike partner Mark Viduka who had a two-year spell at Celtic.
He said: "Luckily enough, when all the (transfer talk) was going on, we were in China playing for the national team and I had a good long chat to Mark about it.
"I already knew a lot about this club and what it meant to me but it's always nice to get another perspective and more advice."
In January, McDonald had expressed his disappointment after Motherwell refused to allow him to move to Rangers.
However, the player who famously scored two goals against Celtic on the last day of the 2004/05 season to hand Rangers the SPL title is glad he was granted his wish to play for the Parkhead side.
He said: "Everyone in football will agree that you never know if you are going to get another opportunity like that and it was a massive opportunity.
"But it has turned out better for me as I grew up as a Celtic supporter.
"I know the history of this club and I'm looking forward to being a part of it."
http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/53613,celtic-vs-australia-dilemma-heats-back-up.aspx
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