Internet Business Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

This post will assume you have a business partner or good friend (or spouse) that can help you brainstorm your way to success.

If you are looking for the next great marketing idea for your company, look no further, this idea has worked for me many different times. I have used the exact same idea with the exact same company 3 different times, and have 3 completely different results.

Here is what you do:

Here is how you start, you each must write down one idea on the paper for how you company can market to either your existing clients, or new clients (or demographics, or new/existing markets, etc).

Give everyone about 2 minutes to complete this. Then you, as the owner, go first with your idea, say it outloud, explain if necessary. After you have given your idea, “Board It!”, that means the writer will then write that idea on the board.

Have everyone go around and share their idea, then “Board It!” with every idea. After everyone has given their initial idea, begin with number 1 on the board and start brainstorming off that idea. “Board It!” with these second round ideas somewhere next to the first. Everyone can be taking notes with ideas that come into their mind as someone else is talking.

Do not allow criticism of these ideas, Round 1 and Round 2 are for brainstorming only. Each round should take about 10 minutes each. The pace should be fast and furious in the first round, and round two should slow down a little, but don’t allow anyone to get bored.

You want to avoid people talking over each other, and allow each person to finish a complete thought before moving on. This will build confidence in the shy people who don’t like to open up to the group with their ideas.

After you “Board It!” with the second round ideas, find the top 10 ideas (or however many you want) and begin to criticize them.

Here is what you should look at:

1. Is it too expensive?
2. Is our company big/small enough to accomplish this?
3. Do we have adequate people for this idea?
4. Do we have an adequate budget for this idea?

Also come up with a few of your own criticisms you want to talk about.

If you answer “No” to the previous questions, then ask, “Should we change the _______ of the company so we can accomplish that idea?”. For example, “Should we change the advertising budget so we can incorporate that idea?”.

This type of brainstorming meeting should not need to be longer than an hour. After you have done it one time, it will be easier the following times you try it.

Give me a little feedback on this idea, did it work for you? Why or why not?