Starting a small business is no small feat. Sometimes, getting one off the ground can feel like building a skyscraper with Lego blocks: exhausting and hopelessly complicated – and construction is only the first step! In today’s economy, a business stands or crumbles by the quality of its marketing and promotion.
But that isn’t a reason for emerging entrepreneurs to give up hope – as Alan McDougall writes on his Revenue Builder Blog: “If you have the creative ability to turn your business idea into reality, you can do the same with your marketing strategy.” With a bit of marketing knowledge and insight, high achievement is possible! Luckily, there are a plethora of print and online resources that guide beginning entrepreneurs through the process of marketing their teetering plastic towers into a concrete, productive businesses.
This post focuses primarily on interesting and informative blogs that will help emerging marketers gain a basic understanding of marketing theory and tactics; but for an in-depth study of the subject, it’s inarguable that print resources offer a more thorough education. Check out my article on the best four marketing books I’ve found here.
John Jantsch’s blog is specifically geared towards providing digestible advice for emerging and small-business owners. The posts are highly readable, and filled with actionable advice – not vague ideas or confusing theory. Moreover, readers can be sure of the site’s authority; every contributor to this site is a qualified marketing consultant, and all guest submissions are screened for quality prior to posting.
With its wide selection of informative articles and podcasts, Jantsch’s blog is an enjoyable resource for beginners looking for advice on how to attract and maintain their initial clientele.
With a wide-ranging collection articles and straightforward approach to sharing information, Revenue Builder is the perfect resource for those looking to expand their foundation knowledge of marketing.
The site is easily navigable and organized with directing new readers in mind; it even has an assigned start point that walks visitors through the basics of setting up a marketing plan. With time and dedication, a reader could explore sections of the blog as they would modules in an academic course.
Seth Godin is your favorite philosophical college professor – and he has a regularly updated blog. You won’t see any complicated jargon or impenetrable definitions on his site – instead, you’ll delight in easily grasped metaphors that illustrate his thoughtful approach to foundational marketing.
This isn’t a place to visit for an in-depth exploration of theory, but his short posts will push you to recontextualize and rethink the working attitudes and assumptions that grind your progress to a halt.
As one of the biggest names in online marketing, Moz is the go-to source for marketers looking for a deeper understanding of Search Engine Optimization (or SEO, for short). This certainly isn’t a blog for a beginner to zip through in a day, but it sources the latest information on online marketing trends and news. This would be an excellent resource for those who have a basic understanding of online marketing, and it would be well-worth a beginner’s time to do a little research before visiting.
For those emerging into the business, setting up and carrying out a marketing plan can seem intimidating – but with proper knowledge and resources, an emerging entrepreneur can build a sturdy foundation for the business they love.
Trevor Marca is an entrepreneur and marketing professional who specializes in bolstering community ties through print and digital media. For more on Trevor, visit his website.