1) Results are all that matter
By results I mean profitable sales. The purpose of your marketing is to make you money. So the profit from sales to customers attracted by your marketing must exceed your marketing costs.

Your adverts don't have to win design awards, they don't have to win applause for looking pretty or making a clever 'play on words'. And small businesses don't have enough money to focus on building long-term brand awareness or 'getting the name out there'. No, your marketing just has to put money in your bank - now.

2) Measurement not opinion
Which of these do you think would be more attractive to your customers? "Get 10% off your next purchase" or "Money back guarantee - no questions asked".

Well, we might all have our opinions, but the only way to know the truth is to try them both out, and let your customers decide. You 'measure the result' and the winner is - the one which makes you most money!

3) Sell to a rich and hungry crowd.
There must be a ready market for your product or service. This follows on from focusing on your customer rather than your business. Where should you open a restaurant? - where there's a hungry crowd with money to spend.

Some businesses find it difficult to make sales because they are trying to sell something that people are simply not hungry to buy. Sure, maybe you can make a few sales if you make enough effort, but why not take the easier road and sell what people want to buy. Is there a hungry crowd who want your product or service? Do they have the money to pay for it?

4) Choose the right audience.
You don't have sufficient funds to put your offer in front of every one in the world. It's best to target your marketing efforts on your most likely customers.

If you put a brilliant marketing message in front of the wrong crowd you'll find it difficult to sell. But even a 'poor' pitch to an audience who want what you've got will make you money. Of course the best results come from matching the right message and the right target market.