A study of the importance of branding and digital marketing to South African msmes.

Abstract

South African micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are faced with challenging micro-environmental variables, most particularly branding and digital marketing. At the expense of the enterprise’s financial performance, marketing takes the back seat in its overall strategy. Thus, this lack of strategic marketing thinking disables the MSMEs to understand their market, connect with new customers and foster ones they have already established. As a result, they lack the data needed to enable them to segment their markets successfully, to position their services and products effectively, and to respond to the demands of their markets as efficiently as possible. Delving into the significance of branding and digital marketing to South African MSMEs through data collection, qualitative research, first-hand interviews with branding experts and a first-hand consultancy project with South African MSME Art of Connection, this study investigates whether MSMEs understand the importance of branding and digital marketing in their enterprise’s success.