10 Worst Advices We’ve Heard From Small Business Marketing Companies

Advices on what to do or not to do come pouring in the moment you declare your intentions to become an entrepreneur. In my case, advice came pouring in from all directions; from family, friends, colleagues, fellow entrepreneurs, mentors and even outright strangers.

When it comes to succeeding at small business, good advice is everything and who better to consult for good advice than small business marketing companies. These guys have been known to build global brands with their great advice. I mean, you’d guess they’d be all-knowing haven worked for countless brands over the years. However, that isn’t always the case.

In my over seven years of starting several small businesses, I can tell that when it comes to getting advice from small business marketing companies, there’s the good, the bad and the downright business destroying advice.

Small business marketing companies aren’t the only companies that are guilty of this; top multilevel marketing companies, digital media marketing company and even the so called viral marketing companies are all guilty of this. However this piece is especially reserved for the worst advice from small business marketing companies.

Sure the good advice these small marketing companies can take a business from zero to hero in a very short time. However, the bad ones can also cause terrible and sometimes irrevocable damages to a business.

Let’s take a look at some of the popular, worst advice from small marketing companies!

1. You Have To Do Things Yourself For Better Results

No you don’t. I acknowledge that when you start your business, having adequate money to run it can prove to be a problem. This means that you might not have the resources to hire experts to get things done for you. However, I believe you can get the people available to do just as well as experts with the right strategy. One of the best ways to get results without doing it all yourself is by planning and delegation. Take your time to spell out exactly what you want done and how you want it done and then delegate it to your team according to their strengths. Look around you; the greatest entrepreneurs aren’t “doing it themselves” .

2. It’s All About Hard Work

Yeah hard work is a vital ingredient for kicking off your business but it’s definitely not enough to get it to the top. When it comes to succeeding at a business, there are two key ingredients that must be combined; hard work and smart work. So you don’t necessarily need to work hard all the time sometimes all you need is a smart strategy to conquer an opposition.

3. Attract Customers With Low Prices

Okay this one is just as dumb as it sounds. You definitely “do not” need to attract customers with low prices. I’ve seen business owners who fall for this strategy regret it just as fast. They reduce their prices way below the production cost; even when they do get customers, these customers disappear as soon as the prices are raised. If you have something of value, you can attract your audience with a strategy that doesn’t involve looking cheap and selling at a loss.

4. Your Niche Isn’t Profitable Anymore

This is another dumb one. One of the most common and highly idiotic ideas in the world of business today is the idea that some niches are profitable or that some are even more profitable than the others. When it comes to making profits from a business, it’s more about the strategy than the niche. The very popular fitness niche today “became profitable” because someone somewhere developed a strategy to make it more attractive and interesting. So instead of looking for profitable niches, take time to study your preferred niche and develop a strategy that packs a punch.

5. Just Build It And They’d Come

No they won’t. The originator of sliced bread built it and they came twenty years later. Plus they only came because the right marketing strategy was put in place. Seth Godin says it all in this short but apt sentence “ideas that spread, win”. Never think that building an awesome business qualifies you for mind blowing patronage and profits. You have to go out there are make people aware of what you’ve built.

6. Half Bread Is Better Than None

This is a popular line small marketing business companies use when they’re trying to tell you that a mediocre client is better than no client at all. Many entrepreneurs fall or this one because they’re in such a hurry to make money from their businesses. The dangerous thing about this is that mediocre clients birth more mediocre clients and soon your business would turn to a mediocre business. This would affect everything from your vision to your profit.

7. Stick To Your Business Plan

Following your business plan is great but business plans are definitely not cast in stone. The fact is that no business plan is foolproof from the word go. While a business plan will guide you and keep you on the right path, it might not be adequate enough to get you there. You have to keep adapting your business plan according to time, resources and trends in your industry.

8. Just Do What Other Successful Companies Are Doing

I know that is one comes from the popular business adage “success is replicable” but it just doesn’t make sense for you to copy exactly what other successful companies are doing. Every business has its own unique value proposition and that is what makes it stand out from the competition. So if you copy exactly what other successful companies are doing, you’re setting yourself up for mediocrity.

9. It Will Take A Long Time To Beat The Competition

No it won’t, not with the right strategy. I have seen small businesses with the right strategy take over giant businesses just because they took a closer look at the market and developed a strategy that fit its needs. No competition is too big to beat in business that is why global brand like Microsoft, Coca-Cola and Google won’t stop trying to be better. Your ability to beat any competition is directly proportional to your ability to come up with market disrupting strategies.

10. Give Up

This isn’t just one of the worse advice, it’s also one of the most depressing advice small business marketing companies give. In my opinion, giving up is not an option. You can take a break, see a counselor, rant, cry, break things and even change the name of your business but never consider giving up as an option. Never.

Small business marketing companies are great and all but when it comes to the advice they give, you have to take time to filter through and know exactly which is good, bad or just terrible for your business. This piece would be incomplete if I don’t share the one great advice I’ve gotten from small business marketing companies. Are you ready?... Get a professional social media company to maximize social channels for your business.