Marketing
described specifically
When founding a business, one of the most relevant and essential steps is to think of the way of marketing that fits to your business in particular. In order to do this, we would recommend you to list your ideas and to do a pro and con list of the arguments for/against your ideas to sort out which way of marketing you prefer and what could serve your business best. Thosecanbelittlegivingsforyourcustomers, an up-to-date socialmediaaccount, orspecialevents, e.g. rafflesor open days. Most businesses also have a logo, flyersand a website, so regardlessofwhatbusinessyouhave (gastronomy, clothingshop, etc.) youshouldhave a logo and so on.
The nextstepistoorganizethewayofmarketingyouwantto do. Organizeraffles,an open day etc. Think ofwhatnewspapertocontactifyouwant an articleaboutyouthere, whocould design your logo, flyers, brochures
Marketing
in general
1. step
You need ideas for your »PR-campaign« e.g. posters (especially at the start of the business), news articles; radio commercials (with focus on the regional ones); social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter); a website, merchandise: like cups, key chains, pencils, stickers; a brochure/leaflet to inform; some little pieces of chocolate given to the customers; flyers; business card; raffles; special events where one can have a look into your business (open day); a logo; the design of your shop etc. (What is the outer building going to look like?, What is the shop itself going to look like?, How is the shop going to be divided?); QR-codes leading to the website; meetings and co-operations with other businesses; showing up on fairs; having uniforms for the employees
→ A brochure would be very useful for SchokiDoki because of
a) the different variations of chocolate we offer
b) the harvesting of chocolate beans in countries with good/fair conditions for the workers (in comparison to work in LEDCs with child labour etc.) which is not the standard in most of the countries where chocolate beans are harvested
c) the production of our chocolate (we also offer visits and have open days)
→ social media and a website are a good idea for SchokiDoki concerning
a) the target group which is rather young because of the also young business
b) the design of our business itself (interior decoration)
c) chance to go more viral because of young customers
→ further spread in the internet
d) a website to put all the important information concerning production, where we get the chocolate beans from and so can be published, so people can look it up whenever they want
e) maybe we can take suggestions there for different chocolate flavors and also list them
→ merchandise and little givings
a) could especially draw children’s attention to our business (little pieces of chocolate) and resulting from that also their parents’
b) merchandise often spreads widely among friends and acquaintances (stickers, pencils, …)
→ a logo
a) because a logo would be better when having a website, social media, brochures, flyers etc. so people can identify you via this logo
b) maybe you could also hang it into the store with the QR code leading to the website
2. step
You need to decide what fits to your business most and what you can manage to do/afford with your budget. Maybe you will need professional graphic designers etc.
→ Who designs the merchandise, posters etc.? Who produces it? What will it cost?
→ When, where and how can it appear in the newspaper/on the radio? What does it cost?
→ Who is willing and enabled to take the responsibility over the social media accounts/the website? Will you make professional pictures with a camera or with your phone?
→ What would a raffle be like? What are the prizes? How many people can win?
→ How can you organize open days? How many people will be there? How can you advertise it? What will the program look like?
→ How are you going to design/decorate your shop? How will the furniture be positioned? Where will you sell your product/service (cupboards/tables, etc.)
→ Do you want to work with other businesses? How can you co-operate (e.g. sell the others businesses products at a café) with the other business? Which business do you want to work with?
→ How are you going to present your business at fairs?
3. step
Realize your projects and decide what is most important, when you specifically want to do it (special posters at the opening, events after some months so the business can stabilize itself and gain some customers) and maybe where
→ Where can you put up the posters?
→ Where can you distribute your flyers/brochures/leaflets? At the super market?At certain events?
→ When are you going to be on fairs, have open days, raffles, events and so on?