Do you find yourself struggling to reach your target audience and don’t know where to start? If this is you, then it may be time to create a marketing plan for your small business.
There are many different approaches you can take to advertising your company. From creating a social media campaign to mailing marketing flyers, it can be overwhelming to choose which steps are the best for your business to get noticed. In order to help ease the stress of finding the most effective marketing tools, The Harford has created a list of great online and offline marketing strategies to help get you on the right track.
Marketing Your Business Online
If you haven’t invested time in online marketing resources for your business, then it may be the best time to start! Business owners who learn and frequently use online marketing tools often find themselves seeing a good return due to their efforts. The below list is a great starting point for those who are interested in learning more about advertising digitally or marketing your business online.
Business Website
A majority of customers expect businesses to have websites that work well and look professional. You can use websites to promote your newest products, advertise current job postings, and highlight your inventory. Whatever you choose to use your website for, you can use this as a tool to help your company reach its goals. You can choose to build your website in many ways. You have the option of working with a company, a freelance website designer, or you can get creative by using a DIY website builder to build the perfect website for your business.
Create a Business Blog
A blog for your business can also be valuable as it can help keep you connected with existing and new customers. By utilizing a blog you will make your site appear more on search engines, build a sense of community to your customers, and help increase your customers’ trust in you. If you would like to start creating a blog, you can use WordPress to easily add new blog content to your business’ website.
Search Engine Optimization
Although you may spend hours building a wonderful, attractive website, it may not be seen by your target audience if Google doesn’t direct prospects to your site. Since Google is a large search engine, it is important that your website is visible to Google’s algorithms. This means you need to use SEO (search engine optimization) strategies to get your website seen. You will need to use important keywords that relate to your industry to help get Google to notice your business. If you are interested in doing this yourself, there are many SEO resources available online. If you’d rather focus your time on other tasks, then an SEO company or a consultant might be the best fit for you!
Google My Business
Google My Business is a free service for business owners that helps them enhance their business profile by using local SEO strategies. It also provides analytics so that you can see who your target audience is.
Paid Search
Google’s Paid Search offers a faster return compared to other SEO-based strategies. This tool will allow you to run ad campaigns for your business that target specific keywords. For example, when a potential customer enters one of the keywords when they use the search engine, Google will then place ads at the top of their search results. Google ads are pay-per-click, which makes it affordable for company’s even with smaller marketing budgets.
Social Media
Although you may not have a personal social media account, your business could definitely reach more customers by having a social media presence. According to Pew Research, 72% of Americans use a social media platform. A lot of businesses now rely on social media to reach new customers and to stay relevant with their existing clients.
It may feel overwhelming to get your business started on social media, but the good news is you do not have to be on every platform to get noticed. Start with one platform where you know your target market can be found. You can even use social media platforms’ ad services so that you can reach large audiences.
Influencer Marketing
It is important to note that influencer marketing is not a strategy that will work for every business. However, for specific industries, this could be a beneficial technique. Influencer marketing is a tool used on social media where generally a celebrity or those with large followings on social media, assist in promoting your product or services. The most common influencer content consists of fashion, food, and beauty/personal care items.
Email Marketing
Email marketing could be a great tool for your business as it helps keep your business relevant with the customer as you are having consistent communication with them. Small businesses can use this strategy to drive sales, promote special events, build trust with customers, and conduct market research.
Customer Reviews
If you want to earn the trust of potential customers then customer reviews would be the best addition to your marketing toolbox. Customers can leave reviews on your website, your Google Business Profile page, on social media, or on sites such as yelp. The best way to get reviews is by simply asking existing customers to leave a review online.
If you are overwhelmed by all of this information or need assistance putting it into place, reach out to me at 310-534-5577 or [email protected] and I’ll be happy to refer you to someone I know and trust!
Promoting Your Business Offline
Online marketing is very popular for a majority of small business advertising plans today, but offline marketing is still an important area business owners need to focus on. This is especially true for local businesses as offline marketing can help you build relationships within your community. The following are strong marketing tips that can help promote your business offline:
Network with Others
Face-to-face communication is generally more powerful than connecting online as it helps you create a relationship with your customers and adds a personal touch to your business. It is important to network by attending conferences and events so that you can meet potential customers and other business owners.
Direct Mail
This can be an effective marketing tool for some businesses. Direct mail allows you to target a very specific geographic region. For example, a realtor can use direct mail to target home owners in a particular neighborhood to see if she can spark the interests of those who may be thinking of putting their home on the market.
Organize Event
By hosting an event you can create local brand awareness and create better relationships with your customers. Organizing an event can help you gain access to your target audience and also help you network. Overall, this is an effective method businesses can use to get immediate exposure from the community in which they serve.
It has never been easier for small businesses to market their business as there are so many different methods to choose from. The best part is you do not have to be held back by a tight marketing budget either as there are many free and affordable ways to promote your services and products. By taking a few small steps in marketing your business, you will be able to gain more customers and better relationships with your audience.
