Becoming a successful small-business owner has never been easy, and finding success is an especially challenging venture in a crowded marketplace. If it’s a first-time venture, an entrepreneur may have little to no marketing experience and be overwhelmed by the varied (and constantly changing) strategies, leaving them prone to making some crucial mistakes when it comes to promotion.

From underestimating budgets and overestimating the power of paid ads to fearing new concepts or falling victim to vanity, there are plenty of ways to go wrong in marketing a small business. Here, 12 members of Business Journals Leadership Trust discuss some of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs and small-business owners make as well as what they should do instead.

Not knowing or posting where the target market spends their time

A common mistake that small businesses make is promoting their products and services on ill-suited marketing channels. Perhaps it’s an attempt to save money or time, but it ultimately wastes both. You must “meet” prospective customers precisely where they spend their time. Understand your target market and spend your budget on marketing opportunities with a proven record for reaching them. – Lincoln Jacobe, 6 Pillars Marketing

Read the entire article on bizjournals.com