What Marketing in Small Businesses and Bike Lanes Have in Common

If you have spent time in a city recently you have no doubt noticed that bike lanes have become prevalent.  In Boston a few years ago they re-did many of the major roads downtown to create bike lanes.  There are many things about this that is wonderful.  The problem is that they have not widened the roads...they have simply made all of the other lanes, from parking to driving smaller.

This is not unlike what happens to small businesses when they need to incorporate marketing into their plans.  Just because your company needs more marketing does not mean you suddenly have more resources to pull from.  For many companies this means that trying to fit marketing activities into your already busy schedule, much like Boston has tried to fit bike lanes into their already crowded roads.

So what's a small business to do?

1. Prioritize.  Allow yourself time in the beginning of the process to learn about where customers go to find out about you and then use that information to make strategic decisions about where to invest your time.  
2. Ask for help.  Whether it is free marketing seminars that are run by local groups or engaging with a marketing consultant to get you started.  You may not have the resources you want, or need, but it will ensure that your trip down the bike lane will be a safer, and more productive one.
3. Know you're not alone.  This is a shared problem for small businesses and your customers are loyal to you because you do a good job at what you specialize in, not because you are an expert marketer.  Connect with other small businesses in your areas, you may be able to identify ways to partner on some marketing activities, lessening your burden and perhaps opening up a new group of customers for you to target.