San Diego, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/12/2015 -- According to Michael Clarke, editor-in-chief of the Punk Rock Marketing inbox magazine, one of the most perplexing issues small-business owners face is understanding what is a marketing strategy...and how do you best create one.

That's because, believes Clarke, that many entrepreneurs and business owners "think" they know what a marketing strategy - and may even believe they have one in place.

But unless that strategy is clearly focused on increasing sales and creating a competitive advantage, then its chances for success will be highly diminished.

"The phrase 'marketing strategy' is one of those buzzwords that people "think" they have a grasp of, but most people don't have a clue how to execute," says Clarke. "And that included me, when first starting out."

After much trial and error - "mostly error," says Clarke - he came up with a couple of marketing strategy principles that small business owners could use to create their very own marketing strategy.

And he collected this hard-earned wisdom in his new column "What is a Marketing Strategy? (And Why the #$% You Should Care)."

In the column, he emphasizes the importance of establishing the needs and desires of your ideal customer first. ("Everybody starts with the sales process first. Absolutely wrong order!")

And he also illustrates the importance of adding humor and fun to every step of the marketing strategy. "The moment something in your marketing strategy 'feels' like marketing is the moment you lose the sale," says Clarke.

But it's Clarke's hope that his new column will help small business owners focus less on their own individual marketing strategy - and more on the folks who will actually be consuming it...the customers.

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