It has always been my view that at the end of the day, regardless of profession, market and industry, everything you do in business is marketing. Yes everything!

Marketing gives the market an experience, a comprehension of what you and your business stand for and a story that those impressed with can retell and grow your brand and business.

Your story could either be one that your clients delight in and are happy to always share and brag about to their network; or one grim one that is not only predictable but blatantly lukewarm and unimpressive that it’s easy to forget.

The experience you provide as a business creates a story that either your prospective market is attracted to, or one they will resist and ignore. A story that will work for or against you.

So, what is your story?

Take some time to rethink how your business is configured, from the ground up.

What story and perception are you creating for your marketplace? The points below will help you build a true reflection of the story you are selling. It's a list of elements within your business, which merge to tell the marketplace your story:

• Your level of customer service.
• Your approach to paying your suppliers.
• The way you and your staff handle incoming calls and emails.
• The design of your website and experience derived thereof.
• The kind of suppliers you use — cheap, average or high quality.
• The clients or customers you choose to work with.
• Your opening and closing hours.
• How you use social media.
• Your ultimate offering, compared to your competitors.
• Your pricing strategy.
• The quality of your service or end product.
• Your brand association.
• The experience, knowledge and attitude of your team and;
• Your ability to meet deadlines.

It’s easy to self-determine if there is room for improvement in your business. What you do with your findings to the above  points will help you rewrite your story. It is essential that you rewrite or keep writing a story that ensures every aspect of your business is helping in creating trust, value and referrals. What better marketing?

The mistake most small business owners make is thinking that they can literally write a glossy story on their marketing collateral without falling through on the actual practical details within the business. Impossible!

Let me help you grow your business! I can help you build a more successful business, increase your sales and boost your profits. To find out how, read this.