5 Marketing Tips For Small Businesses
Ask any small business owner and they’ll tell that marketing to new and existing customers is what keeps their doors open. Marketing doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. Use these five tips as a launching point for your next marketing campaign.
Go Where the People Are
It’s no secret that people go to the internet to get information. Take advantage of online tools like Google My Business where you can enter information about your business that will be available to potential customers when they search Google for products and services that you offer. Your business will show up on maps, in searches and places like Google+ with no financial investment. Of course, you can purchase ads to increase your reach and put you at the top of searches, but just ensuring your business information is correct and accessible is a great first step.
Get Involved
Small business is a big part of the community, so get involved. If your budget allows, sponsor a local event or fundraiser. Provide a gift basket with products and a gift card for your school to raffle off during an event. Sponsor a youth sports team. Make sure your logo and/or business name are a visible reminder that you are part of the community and supporting your friends and neighbours.
Go Old School
Don’t underestimate the value of “old school” marketing tools like flyers, newspaper advertising and signage. Ask to put flyers in shopping bags of a shop with similar target customers and offer the same in return. Purchasing advertising for a special event or opening can bring a big return on investment.
Get Specific
Your customers may break into different groups of working mums, busy students and young families. Don’t be afraid to market to a specific target group within your customer (or potential customer) base. Email marketing tools can help you get precise information to the people who would be the most interested in it. Just be sure to add people to your email list that want to be there.
Go Online and Get Attention
In today’s digital world, your website is your calling card. We’ve all been on websites that are difficult to use or look unprofessional. Don’t be that website. If it’s in the budget, get a professional to help you design a site that is easy to navigate and matches the look and feel of your business. If money is tight and you need to build your website yourself, get friends and family (and customers if you can) to give you feedback on the site. Find out what works, what doesn’t and what’s missing. Learning how people are using your site can tell you a lot about how your customer thinks, and what they’re looking for. That valuable information can help you target sales, specials and new products both on and offline.
Marketing is vital to the success of a small business. You don’t need a big budget to make a big impact. By keeping your target customers in mind and creating a marketing plan to reach them, you’re sure to reach your sales goals.
If you require marketing support for your business, contact a team member today.