Can a business survive without marketing? | Tech Talk Down Under (2024)

Can a business survive without marketing? | Tech Talk Down Under (1)

Assume that you've recently opened a home decor store in Ashfield. You have some of the best-designed products in the market, the items are priced lower than your competitors, and you're ready to deliver them free of charge to any customerwho lives in Sydney. It's a fantastic deal that nobody would want to miss, and yet, you aren't making sales.

The best sales tactics in the world will fail if your potential customers don't know that your business exists.Unless you make people aware of what value you bring to them, it will take a lot more work (and in some cases, luck) for customers to find you.This is why marketing is crucial—you need to spread the word!The more effectively you promote your product or service, the more people will become aware of it and the better your chances are of turning them into customers.

For years, marketing has helped organisations build brand awareness. This awareness is how people remember a brand at the exactmomentthey need a certain product or service. That's why even some of the most successful brands, like Apple, Coco-Cola, and Amazon, still spend incredible sums of money every year on marketing activities that grab people's attention.

What happens when you don't market your business

You may wonder why you should struggle to promote your business when it's already performing well through word-of-mouth and walk-ins. If a popular brand like Zara is still successful despite not relying much on marketing, why can't your organisation follow that model?

First, let's revisit the same example of owning a home decor store. In such a scenario, the only hope for your business to survive is for people in the neighbourhood to come across your store and start buying from you. Even if positive word-of-mouth can help bring in more customers, you are still drastically limiting your reach without marketing. This keeps your business inside a bubble. You may have a steady stream of customers, but there are a lot of potential customers you might be missing out on. Tapping into that market also opens your organisation up to more feedback, helping you to improve your offers over time.

Even if Zara doesn't rely much on promotional marketing or advertising, they haven't entirely given up on it. They regularly keep their social media feeds updated because they understand the importance of staying relevant and being in touch with their customers. Not to mention that they are now a very established business. While their concepts may be worth exploring, following their exact example as a growing SMB in today's market may not work out.

Ecommerce has become a competitive frontier in recent years, and marketing becomes even more imperative when your organisation is run entirely online. In an era where digital transformation is taking the world by a storm, it's easier for your business to fade into the background without the appropriate advertising. One reason is that it's harder for a customer to form a relationship with an ecommerce brand without it. If they see a competitor has a higher Google ranking or a sponsorship from their favourite YouTuber, they will be more likely to choose their product over yours.

Importance of marketing

Let’s go over a few reasons why marketing is essential for your small business.

It brings in new customers

This is the most obvious advantage of marketing. Missing out on potential customers is a huge setback for small businesses. No matter how great your sales strategy is, you need customers to pitch to in the first place. From billboard advertisem*nts and cold-calling to email and social media promotion, marketing opens a world of opportunities to find more prospects for your business.

To avoid being replaced

Nowadays, customers have a plethora of choices when it comes to purchasing a product or service. Unless you are the only organisation that can provide what they want, they may have no compulsion to do business with you. It's like what we mentioned before with the brand relationship: when you don't make an attempt to catch people's attention, your competitors will. Marketing often plays a role in why a particular brand stays ahead or falls behind.

To get to know your customers

Marketing will help you gain a better understanding of who your real target audience is and what they expect from your business. With enough trial and error in your marketing practices, you'll be able to figure out what really works to draw the right customers in. That way, you can avoid losing money and time on resources or people who don't add any value to your business.

It builds trust

Here's a hypothetical question: if you had the choice, would you buy a product from a business with no online presence, or would you choose a brand that actively engages with people on social media?

A report by Yellow surveyed 2,000 Australian consumers and businesses, and more than half of the respondentssaidthey are more likely to trust a brand that creates engaging content on social media. Marketing gives your brand a voice. Your presence can give people confidence that they won't be left in the dark even if they encounter a problem with your product. By promoting effectively, you give people a reason to choose your business even if you're relatively new in the market.

Pave your own path

According to theSmall Business Counts report published in 2020 by the Australian Small Business and Family EnterpriseOmbudsman, only 64% of Australian businesseslast longer than four years. This is worrying because small businesses already have a significantly lower survival rate compared to larger corporations.

Can a business survive without marketing? | Tech Talk Down Under (2)

Without a strong marketing strategy, your small business may not progress as successfully as you want it to. And by the time you gather a decent customer base, other businesses with a solid marketing plan will be miles ahead of you. Thus, marketing may be the deciding factor for securing a future for your small business.

Sure, we agree that promoting yourself isn't easy, and at times even the biggest brands can get advertising wrong. But it's important to keep in mind that every business is different, and there isn't any 100% foolproof strategy for sales to flood in to your business. Marketing is a constant process of learning what customers want and finding what strategy actually works for achieving your business' goals. It isn't a remedial measure you only look to whenthings aren't going well or when you want to temporarily boost your engagement. It requires consistent effort to nourish and grow your business.

Further reading: Developing a marketing strategy—the 7Ps of the marketing mix.

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Can a business survive without marketing? | Tech Talk Down Under (2024)

FAQs

Can a business survive without marketing? ›

Without a strong marketing strategy, your small business may not progress as successfully as you want it to. And by the time you gather a decent customer base, other businesses with a solid marketing plan will be miles ahead of you.

What happens to a business without marketing? ›

Without a marketing plan, your company's growth will slow, and could even stall. There will be very few new customers, and existing customers may not know about new products or upcoming sales, reducing their chances of becoming a repeat customer.

Why would a business fail without marketing? ›

Without marketing, you won't have customers. Without customers, you won't have a business. Many small business owners don't realize they need to be strategic about marketing. This means having a plan, some measurable goals, and a way to track whether your efforts are working.

Is there a business without marketing? ›

For over 99% of businesses, the truth is that having a business without marketing is impossible. But if you're serious about growing your business, then you must invest in marketing. In fact, most businesses fail because they lack marketing skills. Marketing is absolutely necessary for any type of business.

Is marketing necessary in all businesses? ›

Every company needs to apply marketing strategies to: increase sales, define products or services, create connections with new collaborators or partners, get new customers, build customer loyalty, create a brand, internationalize the company through the media…

Is marketing necessary or unnecessary for business? ›

Unless part of your business plan involves stagnation, marketing is necessary for a business to flourish.

How would life be without marketing? ›

Economic Downturn. The consumer market would fail because they would not be aware of the goods and services that they could purchase. The organizational market would collapse because they would not have the ability to see or buy the products that they need for their operations.

Can a business survive without social media marketing? ›

Don't worry, though. You don't absolutely need social media to run your small business successfully. There are other marketing channels you can use as you start to scale. I've personally used them to flip my business from relying on ads and social media to getting people to find me, not the other way around.

Can a business succeed without social media marketing? ›

Building a business without social media is possible, but it may be more difficult in today's digital world. Other marketing and advertising strategies, such as search engine optimization, content marketing, email marketing, and traditional advertising, can also effectively promote a business.

How many businesses fail without marketing? ›

There are many reasons why businesses fail, but one big one is due to a lack of AIM (always innovate and market!). According to CB Insights, 14% of businesses fail due to poor marketing while 42% failed due to unoriginal or useless products and services as reported by Fundera.

Why marketing is important? ›

The importance of marketing for your business is that it makes the customers aware of your products or services, engages them, and helps them make the buying decision. Furthermore, a marketing plan, a part of your business plan helps in creating and maintaining demand, relevance, reputation, competition, etc.

What is the biggest reason most business fail? ›

The most common reasons small businesses fail include a lack of capital or funding, retaining an inadequate management team, a faulty infrastructure or business model, and unsuccessful marketing initiatives.

Can you make sales without marketing? ›

Increasing sales without investing in marketing or advertising is possible for many small companies. However, without a marketing budget, the company can experience fewer leads and longer sales cycles than when actively advertising.

What businesses do not need marketing? ›

Popular brands that don't advertise their products are:
  • Rolls Royce.
  • Tupperware.
  • Ferrero Rocher.
  • Zara.
  • Lamborghini.
  • Naturals Ice Cream.
Mar 15, 2022

Do small businesses need a marketing plan? ›

One of the best ways to stay on schedule and on budget is to make a marketing plan. It describes the actions you'll take to persuade potential customers to buy your products or services. Your business plan should contain the central elements of your marketing strategy.

What are 5 benefits of marketing? ›

The importance of marketing for a start-up business
  • Marketing spreads your name. ...
  • Marketing boosts your sales. ...
  • Marketing helps you gain and retain customers. ...
  • Marketing enhances your company's reputation. ...
  • Marketing saves you time.

What are the 7 importance of marketing? ›

These seven are: product, price, promotion, place, packaging, positioning and people. As products, markets, customers and needs change rapidly, you must continually revisit these seven Ps to make sure you're on track and achieving the maximum results possible for you in today's marketplace.

Is marketing the key to business success? ›

Why is Marketing Important for Businesses? Marketing for business is a highly valuable tool as it helps to create brand awareness, drive profit and growth, acquire and retain customers, and enhance engagement.

Is there a need for marketing? ›

Marketing helps inform customers about what you do and how it solves a problem they have. It's important to set your brand apart from others to give customers what they want. Through marketing, provide details about your product, brand, mission, and values and how it will improve the customers' lives.

What causes lack of marketing? ›

Lack of Strategy.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. The number one reason why your marketing doesn't work is that there is no strategy behind it. You're simply “doing” some marketing activities without any thought about how it fits with your overall business goals.

How do I get customers without marketing? ›

7 Ways to Grow your Business without Online Ads
  1. Build your Brand on Social Media. ...
  2. Reach People in Their Inbox - Email Marketing. ...
  3. Partner with a Similar Business Co-Marketing. ...
  4. Write Blog Posts for SEO. ...
  5. Be a Guest Writer. ...
  6. Host a Virtual Event for your current customer.

Can a business survive without customers? ›

Your business cannot survive without customers. Although that is painfully obvious, many entrepreneurs are more concerned about the product or service that they are going to sell that who is going to buy from them. Once you start to consider customers, you start to think about how and where to find them.

What happens if a business doesn't use social media? ›

You lack a method for engaging with your target audience.

Engagement may include sharing product updates, conducting customer surveys, sponsoring contests, etc. A small business that lacks a social media presence must work much harder to engage its customer base.

Can you still be successful without social media? ›

There are a lot of misconceptions about social media and its role in business. Some people believe that you cannot be successful without using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This is simply not true! There are many ways to build a successful business without social media.

Is social media marketing necessary? ›

Social media marketing (SMM) can help in building your company's brand, driving website traffic, and increasing sales. According to Statista, increased exposure is the leading benefit of social media marketing, followed by increased traffic and more leads.

Why does your business need social media marketing? ›

Marketing on social media platforms helps you showcase employee stories, your brand's vision and values, and create an emotional connection with audiences (yes, B2B companies should strike the emotional chord just like B2C companies do).

Why every business needs social media marketing? ›

Social media can help your business to: attract customers, get customer feedback and build customer loyalty. increase your market reach, including international markets. do market research and reduce marketing costs.

Why do 90% of businesses fail? ›

According to business owners, reasons for failure include money running out, being in the wrong market, a lack of research, bad partnerships, ineffective marketing, and not being an expert in the industry. Ways to avoid failing include setting goals, accurate research, loving the work, and not quitting.

What makes business successful? ›

Successful businesses meet the needs and wants of customers. They identify a pain point or a gap in the market, they conduct deep research on what people are looking for, and they offer a solution to suit.

What is the least likely business to fail? ›

6 Businesses With Amazingly Low Failure Rates
  • Business buyers taking action. 6 Businesses With Amazingly Low Failure Rates. ...
  • Laundromats. That's right, folks. ...
  • Rental property businesses. Listen up, real estate lovers! ...
  • Self-storage facilities. ...
  • Transportation businesses. ...
  • Vending machine businesses. ...
  • Senior care centers.
Feb 28, 2023

What are the 4 main purposes of marketing? ›

The purposes of marketing can be defined as:

Creating brand awareness. Retaining existing customers. Developing new customers. Strengthening brand association and recall.

Why marketing is the key to success? ›

Without marketing, your business may offer the best products or services in your industry, but none of your potential customers would know about it. Without marketing, sales may crash and companies may have to close. For a business to succeed, the product or service it provides must be known to potential buyers.

Who benefits from marketing? ›

Marketing allows a company to grow its business and improve the recognition of its brand. Having an effective marketing team means you can attract more customers or build a loyal community around the company's brand.

What are 3 things small businesses can do to survive during hard times? ›

  • Look at the Big Picture.
  • Inventory Your Staff.
  • Ensure Access to Cash.
  • Start Sweating the Small Stuff.
  • Don't Sacrifice Quality.
  • FAQs.
  • The Bottom Line.

What are 3 reasons for business success? ›

10 Reasons Why Businesses Succeed
  • Speed to market. You can't be second when it comes to getting to market. ...
  • Financially savvy. Successful businesses know how to work within a budget. ...
  • Dedication. ...
  • Perseverance. ...
  • Quick to Adapt. ...
  • Knowing How to Attract Funding. ...
  • Confidence. ...
  • Efficient Time Managers.
Aug 26, 2019

What are the top 5 reasons why start up business fail? ›

Here are some of the top reasons why startups fail:
  • Didn't understand the market.
  • Market conditions changed unexpectedly.
  • Bad timing.
  • Cash problems.
  • Flawed business plan.
  • Didn't hire the right people.
  • Entered into a bad partnership.
  • Failed to learn from mistakes and make adjustments.
Dec 14, 2021

What should a salesperson never do when selling to you? ›

6 Things the Best Salespeople NEVER Do
  • They Don't Lie… EVER. ...
  • They Don't Go MIA. ...
  • They Don't Focus on Themselves. ...
  • They Don't Show Up Unprepared. ...
  • They Don't Say “It's Not My Fault” ...
  • They Don't Sell Products or Services.
Jan 28, 2021

Why sales instead of marketing? ›

Sales aims at maximising profits, while marketing aims at increasing market share and customer satisfaction. Marketing attracts the customers towards the product, while sales pushes the product to the customers.

What happens if you don't advertise? ›

Little to no advertising means you are generating little to no awareness about who your company is and what you offer. Buyers are always more aware of the companies with the most aggressive marketing. It doesn't matter how great your product or service is if nobody knows about it!

What not to say in marketing? ›

8 Phrases Marketers Should Avoid (and What to Say Instead)
  • "Marketing drives sales." ...
  • "We've been talking to our customers." ...
  • "We have a worldwide focus." ...
  • "Shock and awe" ...
  • "Sales doesn't follow up on our hot leads." ...
  • "Everyone must use this standard presentation." ...
  • "We are rebranding." ...
  • "I am a market strategist."
Mar 6, 2014

What companies struggle with marketing? ›

10 companies with insanely bad marketing
  • COMMENTARY David Packard, the iconic cofounder of HP (HPQ), once said, "Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department."
  • Motorola Droid Razr Maxx. ...
  • Quiznos. ...
  • Sony's synergy campaign. ...
  • Sprint CEO Dan Hesse's TV ads. ...
  • Research In Motion. ...
  • Jos.
Feb 1, 2012

What can I use instead of marketing? ›

What is another word for marketing?
sellingadvertising
advertizingpromoting
hawkingmerchandising
peddlingvending
merchandizingretailing
45 more rows

What are the golden rules of marketing? ›

The biggest golden rule is to carefully identify what your clients need and want, and then to show them that you can provide them with the service that will meet those needs. You need to have a direct connection with your target market to get the best return on investment from your marketing spend.

What is a realistic marketing budget? ›

In the simplest terms, your marketing budget should be a percentage of your revenue. A common rule of thumb is that B2B companies should spend between 2 and 5% of their revenue on marketing. For B2C companies, the proportion is often higher—between 5 and 10%.

What are the 7 principles of marketing? ›

The 7Ps of marketing are – product, pricing, place, promotion, physical evidence, people, and processes. The 7 Ps make up the necessary marketing mix that a business must have to advertise a product or service.

How many businesses fail due to lack of marketing? ›

There are many reasons why businesses fail, but one big one is due to a lack of AIM (always innovate and market!). According to CB Insights, 14% of businesses fail due to poor marketing while 42% failed due to unoriginal or useless products and services as reported by Fundera.

Can a business exist without consumers? ›

What Is a Customer? A customer is an individual or business that purchases another company's goods or services. Customers are important because they drive revenues; without them, businesses cannot continue to exist.

How to sell without marketing? ›

7 Ways to Grow your Business without Online Ads
  1. Build your Brand on Social Media. ...
  2. Reach People in Their Inbox - Email Marketing. ...
  3. Partner with a Similar Business Co-Marketing. ...
  4. Write Blog Posts for SEO. ...
  5. Be a Guest Writer. ...
  6. Host a Virtual Event for your current customer.

Why marketing is important than sales? ›

While sales are concerned with closing deals and generating revenue, marketing is responsible for lead generation, brand building, and customer engagement. Businesses can maximize their impact and achieve their goals by aligning their efforts and strategies.

What is the #1 reason why most people fail in business? ›

The most common reasons small businesses fail include a lack of capital or funding, retaining an inadequate management team, a faulty infrastructure or business model, and unsuccessful marketing initiatives.

Why 90% of small businesses fail? ›

According to business owners, reasons for failure include money running out, being in the wrong market, a lack of research, bad partnerships, ineffective marketing, and not being an expert in the industry. Ways to avoid failing include setting goals, accurate research, loving the work, and not quitting.

What type of business has the highest failure rate? ›

The industries with the highest failure rates are the construction, transportation, and warehousing industries where 30%-40% of businesses fail within their fifth year.

What happens if a business does not meet customer needs? ›

Whether you choose to believe it or not, bad customer service can have a serious impact on the overall health of your business. In the short term, it can affect sales, and in the long term, it can affect your business in a myriad of ways. For example, it can harm your brand, your reputation, and more.

Can a business survive without revenue? ›

No business can survive for a significant amount of time without making a profit, though measuring a company's profitability, both current and future, is critical in evaluating the company. Although a company can use financing to sustain itself financially for a time, it is ultimately a liability, not an asset.

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