9 Effective Ways to Market Your Small Business

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If you’re a small business owner, you know that it can be difficult to make yourself known. In the vast majority of industries, there are dozens (possibly even thousands) of competitors who are all trying to grab the attention of a certain consumer niche. This can make it incredibly difficult, not to say frustrating, to effectively market your brand and form a connection with consumers.

However, marketing your small business doesn’t have to be all doom-and-gloom. In fact, there are plenty of ways to get your name out there without breaking the bank or chasing unproductive leads. So, let’s take a look at 9 effective ways to market your small business and increase your revenue going forward!

• Increase your visual appeal
• Target the right audience
• Harness the power of social media
• Offer free giveaways
• Give back to your community
• Content marketing
• Produce online content
• Advertising channels
• Email marketing

 

Increase Your Visual Appeal

Whether you own a brick-and-mortar business or an online eCommerce store, you need to make your brand visually appealing. Not only does this make you look more professional, but it also helps draw people’s attention to your brand. So, consider tweaking your store logos, web design, and even vehicle wraps to make your business really stand out.

 

Target the right Audience

Trying to reach out to everyone for your goods or service can be expensive and unsuccessful. Your marketing activities would be more concentrated if you group, or classify, your future buyers based on specific characteristics.

 

Harness the Power of Social Media

If you’re a small business owner on a budget, social media should be your best friend. Even if you don’t run any ads, you can easily connect with consumers and slowly grow brand awareness for free. That said, if you do choose to run ads, you can target your audience and ensure that you get your business in front of the people who are most likely to become customers. Yahoo, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Plus, and Snapchat are all popular internet sites. All of these social media sites are distinct in their own right and need distinct communication strategies. Instead of trying to learn all at once, choose a couple that you like and work on them first. The only issue is how much time and money you should devote to expanding your social followers, not if you should have active social media pages.

 

Offer Free Giveaways

While it may not help your bottom line in the short term, offering free products or services is a great way to gain new customers. People tend to think more favorably of businesses that are willing to give them stuff for free, so it’s almost always worth the cost to do a giveaway from time to time. However, you won’t want to give things away too often, otherwise consumers will come to expect something free every time they visit your business. A strong business relationship helps you, bolsters your vulnerabilities, and boosts your assets.

 

Give Back to Your Community

Even if you don’t run a “local” business in the traditional sense, it’s always good to show your charitable side. People like to see businesses that are invested in their community and willing to give to charitable causes. You can even organize events to promote your business and give back to the community at the same time!  Build trust and don’t let down your customers.

 

Content Marketing

The method of producing and delivering useful, appropriate, and reliable content in order to draw and maintain a specifically established audience and generate successful customer activity is referred to as content marketing.

Content marketing, unlike paid ads, is more concerned with long-term performance. The initial return is typically modest, but the long-term, permanent rise in visitors, leads, and consumers will comfortably offset the expenses.

 

Produce Online Content

Nowadays, it’s hard to do any effective marketing without some kind of online presence. While social media accounts are a great start, you should also have an official website where people can learn more about your products and services. A website also gives you the opportunity to produce content like videos or written blog posts — that can help you rank well for certain keyword searches. For example, if you want to find customers in a certain region, you can create region-specific content to promote your business and provide valuable information to consumers.

 

Advertising Channels

Traditional advertising forms of media such as television, radio, and newspaper advertisements can be expensive and difficult to quantify, but internet ads can be less expensive and more tailored. Google Pay For Click ads and Facebook ads are two common alternatives. Don’t hesitate to link your company to free online databases such as Google Enterprise for Google Maps and Yelp.

 

Email Marketing

E-mail marketing is adaptable, affordable, easy to track (assuming you have the correct monitoring in place), and has a strong effect. It enables you to quickly push traffic to the website, attract a wide regional audience, and connect with your clients and prospects on a daily basis. You can advertise your services and develop your knowledge with your audience using e-mail advertising. Remember, the majority of customers who visit your website will not buy from you right away, but you will be building up a relationship.

 

By following the 9 marketing tips above, you’ll put your small business in a much better position to succeed!

Find out more small business ideas here. 

 

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