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Increasing SMB Acquisition (continued)
In the January issue, we discussed the importance of customer knowledge, the list and the offer to the success of your SMB acquisition efforts. Here are some other key considerations:
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Media. Match your outreach tactics with the preferences of your audience and the nature and price point of your product. For example, search and online ads are a natural fit for low-price online services – think online payroll – while mailers, phone calls or even in-person sales calls are more appropriate for relatively big-ticket items like servers, phone systems or retirement plans.
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Integrate. Cross-media programs accommodate the varied media preferences of SMBs, generate multiple impressions (and so build awareness and interest) and provide different response options. |
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Nurture. The
odds are that your pitch, regardless of how good
the list or placement, the offer, the media or the
creative, will arrive when your prospect is not
ready to buy. Develop your annual plan holistically,
to minimize gaps in your outreach. As a supplement,
email newsletters are a great way to nurture prospects
until they are ready to buy. |
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Educate. How does a prospect learn about the benefits of your offerings to their business, or which solution is right for them? Make sure your site provides clear business benefits – not just product features. |
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Reduce switching costs. Busy SMBs are reluctant to invest time transitioning to a new offering. Understand the cost to your prospects of switching, and do whatever you can to minimize it. Umpqua Bank's "Switch
Kit" is a good example. |
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Experiment. Put some budget into webinars, videos and other formats. Don't spend a fortune, but enough to learn how to take advantage of these fast-growing formats. |
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Measure. Test, test and test again. Try different lists, offers and media programs, but be sure you can track the results. |
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>> QuickBase Sponsors "Future of Work" Blog
 Intuit's
QuickBase is sponsoring an independent blog TheAppGap, which
provides information and advice about collaboration, the future of work,
the worker and the workplace. Eight bloggers focus on work-related trends that
impact small businesses and workgroups. Separately, Intuit's TurboTax is partnering
with comedian Jay Mohr to offer TaxLaugh,
a YouTube video competition.
>> Greenfield, infoUSA Developing Small Business
Decision Maker Panel
 Greenfield Online is partnering with database marketer infoUSA to develop the infoUSA
Small Business Trendsetters, a validated panel of small business decision makers. Powered by infoUSA data, the panel is designed to provide insight into the opinions of small business principals and influencers.
>> HP Holds SMB Branding Contest
 HP's
"What
do you have to say?" contest is designed to promote using its printers
and digital imaging products to improve a small business brand. The
contest will award one small business with an opportunity to work with professional
graphic designers via Logoworks (recently purchased by HP), as well as an HP
printer and supplies package.
>> Staples Opens New Store Format
 Staples opened its first stand-alone Copy & Print Shop, in
New York. The small-footprint retail space focuses on copy and printing services,
with some essential office supplies. To mark the January opening, Staples donated
$10,000 to the National Foundation for Teaching
Entrepreneurship, which helps
young people from low-income communities build entrepreneurial skills.
>> CNNMoney.com Launches Broadband Initiative
 Leveraging its sister brands FSB: Fortune Small Business, Fortune and Money, CNNMoney.com has launched a broadband initiative to provide about 30 original videos per day on the business news site. The videos will be created by a team of producers and reporters dedicated to producing online original daily business and finance news and feature video.
Send us your news.
>> AMR Research IT Spending Study: 64% of SMBs will increase IT spending by an average of 5.3% in 2008.
>> Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index: Nearly half of small business owners are concerned they will not have enough money to retire.
>> Orbitz for Business: Most business travelers don't want cell phones or need Wi-Fi while flying.
>> Discover Small Business Watch: 74% of small business owners feel that economic conditions in the U.S. are getting worse.
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Scripting Sales Success
To ensure a consistently successful sales approach for its SMB-focused channel partners, BBI developed a series of industry-specific sales call scripts for a major technology client. Each guide provided a pre-call checklist, questions to assess needs, prospect qualification guidelines, industry-specific benefits, responses to common objections and additional resources. The goal is to make it easy for partner sales representatives to present the most relevant and compelling business benefits. Contact
us to discuss how BBI can support the sales efforts of your SMB-focused reseller partners.
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BBI helps Fortune 500 and emerging companies achieve their
SMB marketing goals through research, strategy
and outreach. Contact us to learn how we
can help you. |
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