Valuable New Survey Data on Selling To Small Businesses
Recently we conducted an online survey about selling to the small business market. The results of that survey are now available.
The survey established that a whopping 83% of vendors attract small business customers through referrals — more than twice the number that report getting customers through cold calling, direct mail and other traditional techniques. Here is a chart from the report comparing various customer acquisition techniques (not including online):
When it comes to attracting customers online, organic search results are a primary way. A full 73% of vendors attract small business customers through search engine results. This chart compares various online ways of attracting small businesses as customers:
The report is based on data collected from an online survey between October 29 and November 13, 2005. There were 481 respondents. The report consists of 14 pages and 11 charts.
Ron McDaniel, CEO of Buzzoodle.com, a word of mouth marketing agency, was provided with an advance review copy of the report. Here is what Ron had to say, “I think this report is essential for businesses that market to small businesses to read because it really illustrates the opportunities and barriers to getting better results. I can imagine a lot of opportunities for follow up to this…. Just the tip of the iceberg as far as stuff I would love to know. ”
This is intended to be the first of many surveys. Our thanks to all those who participated.
Download our exclusive 14-page report, “Reaching Small Businesses” (PDF).
Founder of Small Biz Survival
Author of Me 2.0
CEO of Office Drop
Anita,
This is a great survey. It confirms all my beliefs, but now they are no longer just beliefs, I have the data to back them up:-)
The stat’s on how sellers and customers find each other off- and online are great … but clearly those are two separate groups, and I wonder if you had any numbers on the ratio between off- and online?
Thanks a lot,
Zoli
Hi Zoli, You raise a very good question. We will be covering the question you ask in future surveys.
Best,
Anita
[...] Congratulations. We gave away three copies of the book in a random drawing of those who participated in our first survey, “Selling to Small Businesses.” The books were donated courtesy of the authors. [...]
[...] This is our second survey on selling to the small business market. (Results of the first survey available here until December 18, 2005. ) The current survey focuses on what is working in online and offline marketing techniques. Your answers to the survey will help develop market intelligence about what it takes to sell to small businesses successfully today. [...]
this is very interesting… all the online stores had better learn how to beef up their meta tags, then!
would sure appreciate more info on doing that in the future
Selling To Small Business
Anita Campbell has copies of the Small Business Trend blog’s survey on selling to small businesses available for download off her site until December 18. And, apparently, I’m not the only one who found it interesting.
[...] Source: Small Business Trends. [...]
[...] The research online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell [...]
[...] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell [...]
[...] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell [...]
[...] Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends writes about valuable new survey data on selling To small businesses. She also provides a survey you can take here. [...]
More thoughts on microbusiness marketing
Here’s a recurring complaint that I hear among microbusiness owners: ‘I want to get more customers and make more sales but I don’t have a big marketing budget and nobody knows that I’m here.’ The thing about this plaint is…
[...] But how accurate is that assumption? Well, for starters, who are your customers? If you sell to other businesses, then the odds are that most of your best prospects are other microbusinesses. In that case, as we learned from the recently released survey from Small Business Trends, the most effective way to reach your target market is through referrals and networking (offline), and SEO and your web site copy (online). [...]
[...] Acaba de salir publicado un informe en Small Business Trends en el que se han analizado distintos aspectos a la hora de trabajar con el sector de la peque�a y mediana empresa. [...]
[...] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell from Small Business Trends [...]
[...] Small Business Trends published a survey on “Selling to Small Businesses”, which supports the increasing importance of SEM: “A full 73% of vendors attract small business customers through search engine results” [...]
SaaS for Very Small Businesses – Show Me the Money
Recently, in SME / SMB Have Become Obsolete Acronyms I discussed how now, that business software and services have become affordably available to small businesses, the SMB term has become inadequate to describe this market, especially from the so…
Wow. The referral number is staggering, and the online search for attracting customers is less of a surprise. Great info.
http://www.simplifythis.com/
Where is the link to the store to buy this survey?
Thanks,
Tejas.
[] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell from Small Business Trends [] very good
[...] a win from the vendor’s point of view. Small Business Trends recently published a survey on “Selling to Small Businesses”, which supports the increasing importance of SEM: “A full 73% of vendors attract small [...]
[...] You can see the full results of the survey here (http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2005/12/valuable-new-survey-data-on-selling-to-small-businesses.html). [...]
Great info! Bravo! But is there an updated version?? Please say yes. Love your columns/content BTW.