Too Many Hats for Today’s Busy Entrepreneur

Hands up small business owners who are fed up with being told how important marketing is and that the best way to do it is through the myriad social media platforms?

I know for a fact that it is a large majority of you, as I have many friends and contacts striving to make a living through running their own businesses, working as sole traders or freelancers.

Many of them would no doubt put their heads in their hands at the thought of spending some of their much-valued time grappling with Twitter, Facebook and Instagram etc., when they could be using time more effectively to make money.

I threw my own hands in the air, when I read an article circulating on Facebook on behalf of an on-line business services company, entitled “100+ Ways to Market Your Business on a $0 budget”.

Let me be clear, I am not for one minute criticising the author of the article, as I am sure every single one of his 100 suggestions for using social media as a marketing tool are indeed most valid and would be helpful in winning customers.

However, to successfully absorb the information that - ONE HUNDRED IDEAS - generates requires a certain level of knowledge about the subject most small business owners simply do not possess.

Not only was the article overwhelming, but show me an entrepreneur with the time or inclination to actually read it, let alone assimilate it.

Communicating with customers via the internet does require certain levels of skill. Providing appropriate and yet entertaining content, using eye-catching images and thought-provoking videos to connect with clients is necessary, in today’s fast-paced markets if you want your company to stand out from the competition.

Coincidentally, I attended a networking event a couple of weeks ago where the speaker was a communications’ specialist who gave some top tips on how to make a presentation.

He advised that you find a hook to grab your audience’s attention and tell stories, because above all people love to hear stories about you and your business. I completely agree with his wise words.

There are many who will be doing their best to promote a business presence through the virtual world of the internet.

In reality, however, mastering marketing techniques on social media is evolving into a whole new skill and like many others such as website building, accountancy, secretarial services, is one most, small businesses would be better off leaving to the experts.

Much in the same way as telling stories to customers is best left in the hands of a professional writer.