Running a business

Marketing & sales

Marketing and sales is the front end of your business where you begin interacting with the market and with your customers.

It can sometimes be a difficult aspect of running a business because every customer is different and there is no exact rule about how to effectively reach them and sell to them. There are, however, guidelines and ideas about what you can do to make your marketing and sales successful and deliver the returns you need.

The SmallBiz website contains information about:

• Marketing
  Core elements of a marketing plan including market segment, differential advantage and positioning strategies
• E-marketing and social media
  A growing trend and one that can be very cost effective
• Building an effective website
  An important tool for any business today
• Advertising
  Rules and information about the Trade Practices Act

And how to sell better through:

• Solution selling
  Solving a problem for your client
• The sales cycle
  When and how often the customer buys
• Closing the deal
  Ensuring you win the business