Marketing your small business can build a brand following and increase sales revenue. Having an effective marketing strategy is key to that success and even though there are numerous marketing strategies, they all have the common goal of convincing people to purchase your product or service. Most businesses do not have unlimited funds for marketing however, good results can be achieved on a limited budget by focusing your marketing efforts on the most efficient marketing channels.
Market Online
- Create a Blog for Your Website – Creating a blog for your website allows you to provide content to potential customer not only about your business but about related topics of interest. A blog can also bring traffic to your website, potential customers, and build your position as an authority in your industry.
- Podcasting – Podcasting is a trending method for reaching your market audience and has been used by many businesses successfully. It allows you to speak to your customers directly, build trust, and provide information from experts in your industry in the form of interviews.
- Video – Informational videos showing consumers detailing product features or showing your product works is a powerful marketing tool.
- Email Marketing – Email Marketing is a cost effective method of marketing that allows you to target your audience and tailor messages specifically to increase conversion rates. Analytics can provide information such as open rates, click-thru rates, and conversions which can help you determine the effectiveness of your email marketing campaign.
- Telemarketing – Telemarketing is the process of marketing or selling a product or service over the telephone. For telemarketing to be successful the caller should have a connection with the customer, knowledge of the product or service, and focus on nurturing leads rather than generating them. Telemarketing businesses rely on integrated telecommunication systems such as voip solutions to reduce costs, improve sales conversions, and increase productivity.
Signage
Traditional brick and mortar businesses have always relied on signage as an effective way to advertise their brand to customers. You might be surprised to know that there are many types of signage beyond the common street-side banners and illuminated building signage. The typical customer will see your business logo several times before even stepping inside a store or deciding to make an online purchase so it's imperative you make a good first impression.
Vehicle wraps are one type of signage that has been an effective way for businesses to advertise their message to potential customers. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, vehicle wraps are the lowest cost-per-impression form of advertising. Depending on location, a single vehicle can generate up to 80,000 impressions per day.
Another important type of signage is digital information bulletin boards. Digital bulletin boards are used by many organizations to easily display information such as schedules, announcements, and current news.
Social Media
Social media is one of the most popular methods for getting your message out to the public. One benefit of social media is increased visibility of your brand and more opportunities to convert interactions into sales. Every time you post to your social media accounts, you are creating another opportunity for positive interactions with potential and current customers and that in turn can lead individuals to visit your website or make a purchase. All of the major social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and SnapChat, have analytics that can provide businesses with detailed insights into potential online customers. Understanding what tweet or post motivated a customer to ultimately convert into a sale is crucial if you want to duplicate those results and analytics can give you the data to do just that.
Word of Mouth
Word of mouth can be a very effective way to get the word out about your business. People tend to listen to friends and neighbor’s testimony regarding their experiences with a particular good or service. According to Nielson research, 92% of people believe word of mouth recommendations from friends and family over other forms of advertising. In addition people are more likely to make contact and purchase from businesses recommended by friends.
