"I need results right away" We've all thought it, said it, and/or heard it. We get a logo designed, build a web site, create a slogan, buy business cards, and we're ready to roll. Some of us even start writing a blog, conversing in social media, work to generate leads. If only someone had told us from the outset that there is no marketing quick fix (sorry). To be successful, you need to put in the work.

My martial arts instructor loves to say, "If there were an easier way, I'd know it. I've looked, too. I'm afraid you're going to have to do the work."

So how come when I Google marketing secrets I get 86,500,000 results? Someone must know the secret. Right?

Listen closely my friend, I am about to share with you my marketing secret.

Do the work!

You know why that is such a powerful secret? Because most people won't do it.

By nature many of us prefer to spend our time looking for the short cut. Or maybe we're just too busy, we don't have time to do eveything, so we do some stuff, but not all of it. Maybe as much as we think we want to grow our businesses, we're really just satisfied with where we are. Maybe we're just tired. Who knows, but the truth is that growing your business is a lot of hard work!

Ask any successful business owner and the answer you'll likely get is that they put in long hours, 7-day weeks, sleepless nights. The same is true for your marketing efforts.

Marketing can't be set it and forget it. It can't be something you'll get to later when you have more time. Marketing has to be integrated into your daily business routine. It means budgeting, setting goals, timelines, processes, and measurement. It means nurturing, tweaking, evolving. It means marketing can't be an after thought.

Put in the work, and you'll see the results. Or, pay someone who has the marketing quick fix, sit back and see nothing happen. Unfortunately, just like your parents told you, there no shortcuts to success.

Returning to my martial arts instructor, it's common for losing competitors to ask him why they didn't win and what they can do better next time. The answer is a question, "Did you practice for at least 30-minutes every day for the past 6 weeks?" They generally look down at thier feet, say, "Thank you, sir," and move on. Some come back better prepared at the next tournament, but most just stop asking the question.

The marketing quick fix is just like that, a lot of hard work. If there were an easy way, I'd know it.

A Guest Blog from

Starting a small business is only just the beginning. You have the idea. You create the business plan. Business starts rolling in. You dabble with some marketing, both in the real world and online including the utilization of social networking. Things are going good but how do you take it further? How do you get to the next level?

You need to set goals for your business. Competing against yourself to reach your goals will continue to push your business to the next level. Your goals though must be concise and specific in order to motivate you or your employees to reach past them. You goals must be smart

A smart goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Smart goals have been taught over and over again. The concept is overdone, true but when something works, you keep practicing it. Marketing professionals everywhere keep passing the information along to reach that one more manager or business owner that needs the extra boost. That is what we are all here for, right; to share our successes and learn from our failures?

• Specific: Set your goal. Write it down if you need to. Make it as clear as possible. Your goal should not be broad like “Be a better business” but instead answer the five main questions of who, where, what, when, and which.
• Measurable: You will never accomplish a goal that does not have limits. “Do better” is abstract and can be interpreted differently by each person that works on the goal. Using a measurement like a dollar amount, sales figure, or productivity amount will lead you something the business can actually see results from exceeding.
• Attainable: Simply put, do not set unrealistic goals for your business. Start by simply taking your business to the next level, not to the top. By setting new goals as you accomplish your old ones, your next level will eventually get you to being the best you can.
• Relevant: It is crucial that the goals you set are important to your business right now. Is your goal actually going to get you to the next level? Having a goal to sweep the shop floors once every two hours is specific, measurable, and attainable but what is it going to do to further your business?
• Timely: Be sure to include a timeframe when creating the goal for your businesses next big move. Does this need to be done this week, this month, or this year? Include that in your goal and planning. 

A lot of this information may seem obvious but unless you combine it all together, you will not have a meaningful goal that will take your business from where it is today to where you want it to be tomorrow. 

Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide. She has spent time working for major media news outlets in San Antonio and Dallas.

Marketing starts by solving a customers need or meeting a desire.

If that’s the case, then why does so much marketing annoy the customer it is targeting? Frankly, why does so much marketing suck?

The Best Marketing Pulls in Happy Customers

Most marketing first cares about itself, it is built around brand building and selling products and services. And for that reason, short of the occasionally entertaining ad or commercial, most marketing does nothing to solve a customer’s needs.

Read your own brochures and ads. Does it spend most of the real estate talking about your products and services? Dollars to doughnuts, it does.

Smarter marketers have come to the realization that no one wants to buy a product or service.

People buy to fill a need or an aspiration. And if your marketing helps them understand how you can help them achieve that goal, your customers will love it!

So, how do you get customers to love your marketing?

1. Understand the problems your products and services solve.

Do you make the world’s greatest flashlight? Good for you. But why should anyone care? What is the problem that your great flashlight solves? Does being lighter make it ideal for backpackers? Does efficiency make it last longer between battery changes? What problem does your great flashlight solve that makes it a must-buy?

2. Help customers and prospects understand the problem and solution.

Your marketing needs to be relevant. It needs to add value. Which means it takes more than being clever or cute. It needs to approach your product or service from the perspective of your customer. And most importantly, your marketing needs to understand why your customer is looking for a solution in the first place! Don’t be the solution looking for a problem!

3. Be Find-able!

More and more the first place people search for a solution is online. When they search for the solution you offer, do they find you? You need to know the search terms your customers are using and be one the first sites that pops up when they’re searching. With research showing that up to 80% f a buying decision taking place before your sales team is engaged, you’re forever playing catch-up if you don’t fin a way to participate early in the cycle.

4. Engage!

The term, “engage” has almost become cliche, but if you aren’t around when the conversation is taking place, how are you ever going to be around to offer a solution? Don’t just shill for your company. Become an active participant in the community you serve. Online and in person. By being a valuable and credible resource, you’re voice will be much more highly respected when offering a solution. ON the other hand, if you only offer solutions without engaging, you risk being ignored for lack of credibility.

5. Be the Solution!

None of the above matters if your product or service is not the solution your customer wants. Use you marketing to help customers and prospects understand that you offer EXACTLY what they need. This means creating content describing your solution, proof of concept, and testimonial campaigns.

Be where your customers are and solve their needs and you are well down the road to having your marketing loved by prospects and customers!