Seeking Success Through Entrepreneurship
January 6th, 2010

It goes without saying that self-employment can be a riskier business than going out and getting a job. However, many would say that self-employment is a great way to locate self-fulfillment. Especially during tough economic times, many unemployed people decide to start their own small businesses only to find great success as a result.

In October of 2009, The Toronto Star reported that in the month of June, 37,000 Canadians became self-employed. And while taking on such an endeavor can be an exciting experience, it can also be a very scary one. It doesn't have to be though. Synergy Marketing Consultants, for example, was founded by focus-minded go-getters who knew the key to finding success as business owners: good marketing.

What else right? In the same October article in The Star, our very philosophy was explained using co-founder of BizLaunch, Roger Pierce's advice. Agreeing that marketing does not necessarily have to be pricey, Pierce explained that there are many effective and inexpensive ways to market small businesses in Canada. BizLaunch, in fact, is a Toronto-based company that functions as a training centre providing how-to seminars to small business owners in Canada.

Pierce's first piece of advice was to identify your target market. A small business, he said, can't reach everyone the way a Wal-Mart can. "We really have to narrowly define our market so we can break through and be seen with that particular group," Pierce was quoted as saying.

In other words, if you know who your potential costumers are, you will be better equipped to figure out ways to reach them. He advised for entrepreneurs to actually write out a detailed paragraph to help describe their target markets. This type of focus will help for these markets to be reached effectively. It also happens to be something you can do for free (with the exception of the cost of the pen and paper).

As we have mentioned before on this blog, the proper use of websites is key. This notion was strengthened by Pierce's assertion that with a clearly detailed website, one's target audience can be clearly informed about a product or service that is right for them. Be sure to make it appealing and user-friendly. This too, does not need to be expensive.

The article notes that a website can be hosted for as little as $20 a month. This is a great investment as a website is usually the first place a potential costumer will go to determine his or her interest in your brand. It's a web savvy world we are living in, insists Pierce, so it's important to be on top of your game in that regard.

Networking is another low-cost marketing strategy that should be employed, says Pierce as if he has been reading our blog since its inception. “Attend conferences, trade shows, conventions or panel discussions where your customers or potential customers gather”, said the article.

"If an entrepreneur went to one networking event a week, over time that would be a good healthy source of new business," Pierce was quoted as saying. Meeting people and explaining your business to them is a clearly a marketing strategy that can do wonders for a business without having to have a big budget.

These, and other tips, can help Canadians go from unemployed to unstoppable!