Successfully marketing a business is a tough task in itself, though I present to you another hurdle: Taking an old school business and tossing it into the new age world of online marketing including blogs, Tweets, Diggs and every other funny word imaginable.

I have had a variety of well-established businesses contact me, which date back 100+ years, and most have marketing strategies that are, unfortunately, equally dated. Once I begin passionately speaking (I know, I get carried away) about SEO, Social Media and other areas of new age marketing I’m usually met with “whaaaaaaaaaat?” which is understandable. And for this reason, my suggestion is to continue running the company like it has been for years and bring in a professional to handle the marketing. Chefs own restaurants to cook. Lawyers want to practice law. Furniture makers want to create works of art. The point is, one should not stress over learning new age marketing mediums and focus should instead be centered on the business at hand.

Some of the stubborn, old school businesses I have spoken to have the idea that if something ain’t broke (e.g. marketing) why fix it? Well, in terms of marketing, a professional will be able to analyze what’s currently being done and how it can be improved. If a restaurant has always relied on print/tv ads and they have worked in the past, the goal is to make a shift towards online channels and increase ROI/exposure. Spending less and making more — why not?

Lastly, in this day and age, failing to market via the internet can actually be harmful for businesses. Potential customers are quick to jump on search engines and research products/services before buying. Lack of online exposure can turn potential customers away as, nowadays, online branding is synonymous with overall branding. A weak online brand equates to a weak overall brand; I kid you not.

Until another sunny day,

Aaron Schoenberger
The Brainchild Group