Here’s the Question: What marketing channel should you start with if you’re a brand new business?
This question is totally normal! So, if you’ve ever wondered or asked it to yourself, you’re in great company.
It can be a confusing issue!
A lot of businesses are doing multi-channel marketing — using all kinds of methods to create brand awareness and attract customers
How do all these channels work together?
To understand that, you’re expected to understand these Venn diagrams!
If you want to market your local brick-and-mortar store, you have a ton of options!
Talk about overwhelming!
As if that’s not enough, each of the channels have various techniques, processes and overlap. A lot of the marketing techniques within those channels require learning some super-complicated stuff
Sheesh. No wonder we’re confused!
Thankfully, there is a solution — a pretty simple one — but it might not be the answer you are expecting.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to give you some BS answer like “Well…it depends!”
Instead, I’m going to give it to you like it is — a simple, straight up answer:
Here is my answer: You’re asking the wrong first question!
Yep. That’s right. If you want to get a great answer to a great question — which marketing channel to choose for your new business — you need to ask two other questions first.
The answer is going to come and it’s going to be really obvious.
But, we need to get there by following a process.
First, answer two other questions
By asking all three questions in order, we’ll get to the exact answer you’re looking for.
Here are all three questions in order:
- Who are your customers?
- Where do they hang out?
- What marketing channel should you start with to reach them?
Now we’re on to something!
When you answer the first two questions, you can easily answer the final one.
Let me help you unpack it a little bit.
Who are your customers?
First, you need to figure out who it is that’s going to buy your product or service.
It’s a simple idea at first, but can get kind of complicated.
Don’t sweat it. I’m going to keep it simple.
Pick one person who is likely to buy whatever it is that you’re selling.
Let’s say you’re starting a pet care service in California.
We need to get more specific. Let’s say you’re starting a bulldog sitting service in Costa Mesa (because that’s where you live) and you are going to take care of these dogs while people are at work.
That’s better.
Okay, so what about your customer?
Your customer is Linda, a 45-year old working mother of two who owns a French bulldog, is an RN at College Hospital, lives on Pacific Avenue, drives a Lexus SUV and loves the lattes at Portola Coffee Lab.
Boom.
That’s your customer!
Conclusion
What marketing channel should you start with if you’re a brand new B2C business?
Here’s your answer: Facebook.
The most effective channel for most new businesses.
Millions of people use it. The Ad Manager platform allows for hyper-specific targeting. You can accurately track and control your metrics. Any type of business can use Facebook for any type of marketing objective.