The importance of investing in quality marketing when you are running a small business cannot be overlooked. Competition is fierce across industries and it’s important to get your brand out there for recognition by potential clients.
Now, this won’t be achievable if you’re using marketing ideas from the last century, or even from the last decade. It’s time to level up and upgrade your marketing game to get the results you desire and propel your small business into the big leagues. And the marketing tips in this article are going to enable you to do just that.
Start by Checking Out Your Competition
If you want to upgrade your business’s marketing game seeing what others in your industry are doing is a must. That way you can check out what works and what you shouldn’t waste your money on. Of course, it is important to focus on companies of similar size and revenue as yours. It’s hard to follow the marketing efforts of big corporations with a lot more funds to invest in their promotion and marketing channels.
The easiest way to figure out what works best for your competitors is observing what marketing tools they keep returning to over and over again. For example, if they keep running Facebook ads quite often, it’s an indicator they’ve had some return on their investment (ROI) through that form of promotion. Otherwise, they wouldn’t throw money at it so often. That is If they are making smart business decisions.
Have your Clients Help You Out
There is no better advertisement for your business than word of mouth. And testimonials are formal forms of expression supporting that concept.
Having your customers say why they keep coming back or explaining which of your services or products they are the most satisfied with can do wonders for your brand and your business. And most of them will do it for free because they like your business or enjoy what your company offers.
Reviews are also something most people look up before opting for a certain service or product. This makes it important to provide your customers with everything they need to go home satisfied.
Great customer service can help you avoid any bad reviews that could potentially damage your business. And negative reviews can be quite damaging if they pile up. They are the first thing your potential customers see when they google your small business.
Embrace the Value of Offline Marketing
Offline marketing options like quality promotional products and stands at local stores or industry events can also provide a great deal of promotion for your company. Use promotional products as a form of a gift to loyal customers, or simply distribute them with every purchase. People will use and wear them which naturally promotes your brand and your company.
Kiosks or stands are a great way to introduce customers to your product or service if you are in an industry that can benefit from the face to face communication with potential clients. So not only will you be able to sell off some of your merchandise, you will also develop personal relationships and possibly future partnerships. You can have these types of stands in local stores, markets or your industry related events.
You Know We Need to Touch On Social Media
In today’s digital world, social media is something you cannot afford to neglect. The power of it is vast, and it can literally make or break your business. Keeping active social media accounts and even advertising through them is an absolute must for your small business marketing.
Of course, you don’t need to be everywhere at once. Based on the industry you operate in, and the type of product or service you offer, you can decide which social media platforms suit you the most and simply focus on them.
There is no need to spread yourself thin by trying to manage all of them at once. And make sure you also don’t overdo your media blitz. Spamming your customers with irrelevant information and content can do your small business more harm than good. A well structured social media campaign is a must.
Simple Marketing Tips, Bit Results
These tips are simple to apply but can significantly upgrade your small business’s marketing game. And let’s face it – in today’s business world, marketing is probably the most important tool for bringing in new customers. So why not take the time and create a great on- and offline marketing approach to truly bring a visible ROI to your small business? It’ll be worth your effort!
Article contributed by Emma Worden, a business manager from Sydney. She enjoys reading and writing on business topics and giving advice and tips through her texts. Emma frequently writes for BizzmarkBlog and can be found on Twitter @EmmaRWorden
