Marketing Scares Me

It is exciting to start a business. Many businesses start as a home enterprise because there are very few overheads. Once profits increase, the owner can move into a brick and mortar building if they want. But before any of that happens, we have to have a marketing plan to get things going. And that can be scary.

What scares people about marketing? One thing that I find scary is the amount of knowledge needed to make it work. When people start talking about niche marketing, test markets, opt-ins, and email marketing, I begin to quiver. What does all this mean?

There is a learning curve when it comes to marketing, to be sure. But, the best way to approach it is to find support. Let’s say that you want to construct a website for your business. Learning the ins and outs of designing websites is brutal when your mind is saturated with other information.

Why not hire a professional? Tell them what you want your website to do and be sure that that is what you receive from them. By asking questions you will pick up some bits and pieces of information that will be helpful to you as you continue to change your website and expand it.

If you are new to business, a lot of the information that you find on the Internet is for people who already have experience in marketing. This usually means that there are no explanations for any of the abbreviations that you see. You need a dictionary of business terms just to decipher one article.

To lessen your fear, go to the bookstore. Find a simple book on marketing and see what you find. Consider buying a marketing book in the Dummies book series. You want a book that will explain the basics of marketing so that you can tailor the information you find to fit the business that you want to start. There are probably other books out there, too. You can learn about web design, email marketing, niche marketing, and networking.

Networking is another area of marketing that is scary. When you are just starting, how can you talk with others intelligently? I always feel tongue-tied. What if I say the wrong thing? However, networking doesn’t always have to take place face to face.

Social networking can take place in chat rooms, business forums, and through emails. Get to know others who are into marketing businesses similar to yours. They can sympathize with the fear and offer help.

With a good base, the rest is a lot less intimidating. Once you amass a good degree of knowledge, begin writing a marketing plan. How will you use the Internet and other media to promote your business? If you are selling a product, you can advertise locally as well as sell on the Internet in various places.