You Can’t Afford Not to Advertise Your Business, Products or Services
by Teritha D. Dean
Sales & Marketing Professional
Have you ever wondered why major companies like McDonalds and Coca Cola continue to spend millions upon millions of dollars each year on advertising and marketing their products and services. Now, ask yourself what would happen if they didn’t. Would their competitors, let’s say Burger King and Pepsi, suddenly realize an increase in their market share of the profits within their respective industries.
Did you know that better than 90 percent of all businesses fail within the first year? Grand Opening… Grand Closing!! Much of a business’ sustainability depends largely upon its advertising and marketing efforts. When you make the decision to start your own business, you should plan on spending (and budgeting, up front) between 10 and 20 percent of your annual projected revenue on advertising and marketing. Word of mouth advertising only works well for those businesses that survive the first few years and continue to effectively advertise and market their products and services.
As a Sales and Marketing Professional with the Macon and Middle Georgia Black Pages and Habersham Promotions. I can’t tell you how many times, potential clients, who when called upon to advertise and market their business products and services, respond by saying “I don’t have the money to advertise right now. I will get back with you when my business starts making some money”.
Pardon my French, but that it is the most “bass ackwards” approach to running a business. Moreover, that statement alone, demonstrates the business owners utter ignorance (lack of knowledge) with regards to running a business. Case in point. I am from Macon. I know lots of people here. I decided to start my own business; let’s say a restaurant. I tell everybody I know about my new restaurant. They agree to tell everybody they know. Yet, when I open for business, I am not seeing them come in as paying customers. Oh, some of them may come once or twice, but not every day. But that is simply not enough traffic. Your grasp has to be wider than your reach.
The business owners represented in this publication are very much aware of the vital importance of advertising and marketing. They realize that through advertising in this publication, attracting just one new customer will more than cover the cost they paid to place an ad in the printed publication and/or on the web site.
Today’s technology affords the small business owner an amazing and very exciting opportunity to create print and electronic advertising and marketing tools. These products are competitively priced and are effectively designed to reach the business owner’s specific target audience. Additionally, The Black Pages continually encourages its clientele to do business with the companies and organizations that recognize and appreciates the role that African American consumerism plays in the economic vibrancy of our community.
