Dialogue vs Monologue
Many small business owners dream of having more customers and a large advertising budget. However, a big budget is not always the best answer.
For a small business, the wrong advertising strategy can do more harm than good. That idea comes from lessons I learned from Jay Conrad Levinson, the father of Guerrilla Marketing.
Small Business Marketing Is Different
Levinson often explained that running a small business is very different from running a corporation.
Large companies often rely on money to drive advertising. Small businesses usually rely on time, energy, creativity, and personal relationships.
Large corporations like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Microsoft often communicate through a monologue. They spend millions of dollars to deliver their message. Then, they hope customers listen and like what they hear.
Small businesses have a different advantage. They can create dialogue.
The Advantage of Dialogue
One of my favorite Guerrilla Marketing ideas is that small businesses can talk directly with customers. In many cases, they can start and maintain conversations with most of their customers.
That creates a powerful advantage. If you combine dialogue with visibility and credibility, you have a strong formula for growth.
BNI describes this as the VCP Process: visibility plus credibility can lead to profitability.
Every customer conversation gives a small business the chance to build credibility.
Customer Questions Create Opportunities
Dialogue can take many forms in small business marketing. For example, customer questions can open the door to helpful conversations.
- Pricing questions can help you explain value.
- Quote requests can help you understand customer needs.
- Product availability questions can lead to better recommendations.
- Rush delivery requests can show how well you solve problems.
Customer opinions can also create dialogue. Even complaints can give you a chance to listen, respond, and improve the relationship.
In addition, praise from a happy customer can lead to a referral. That referral gives you a chance to start a new dialogue with someone else.
Ways to Invite Dialogue
Small business owners can also use marketing tools to invite conversations. These tools help make the business more visible and approachable.
- Building signs and vehicle graphics
- Logoed apparel for owners and employees
- Business cards
- Seasonal products
- Promotional giveaways
- Sales and discounts
- Newsletters, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter
- Thank-you notes
- Requests for referrals
Each of these tactics can help start a conversation. More importantly, each conversation gives you a chance to build trust.
Dialogue Builds Relationships
Most people prefer to do business with people they know, like, and trust. Dialogue helps create that relationship.
What you say matters. How you act matters too. Together, your words and actions help customers decide whether they trust you.
A good dialogue can lead to the first sale. If you maintain the relationship well, it can also lead to future sales.
So, good luck to the large companies with big budgets and monologues. Small businesses have something powerful too.
We have the power of dialogue, and we can use it to build stronger customer relationships.
