Any business, regardless of size or niche, needs to get involved with marketing its brand, products, and services in order to build profits and interest in the company. While having an extensive budget can certainly come in handy in this regard, that’s not to say that there aren’t things small businesses and start-ups can do to gain traction and build their customer base. Here are a few ways that any new business can market its business and reach more customers without maxing out its budget.
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Engage with email newsletters
So many businesses neglect to build up their email subscribers, but it’s a huge opportunity to create your own community of brand advocates and it can be incredibly successful when it comes to customer retention. Regular emails filled with useful, interesting content can help you retain your customers, and studies suggest that these people spend 31% more than new customers. Build loyalty slowly and authentically by creating email campaigns that are genuinely worth reading and offer something of value to the reader, whether that’s offers and discounts, industry news, or details of new products and services as they launch.
Hand out business cards
Business cards most certainly still have a place in the business world, and they’re a fantastic way of getting your brand out there when you’re first launching your business. From customers and clients to public spaces and networking events, business cards can be an advantage in a wide range of situations, providing people with the key details of what you do and what you offer. There are options to suit every budget, but investing that little bit more into duplex business cards which are thicker and more luxurious can set you apart from your competitors and gives a lasting impression to anyone you hand your card out to.
Embrace social ads
From Instagram to Facebook, social media platforms are an effective way to reach a wider audience, and paid ads are great for gaining visibility and building momentum. Social media channels are constantly tweaking their algorithms, and this can make it hard to get your brand seen unless you’re using paid ads. When they’re crafted correctly, you can see a worthwhile return on your investments and it can help to boost engagement and increase conversions.
Build partnerships
Customers value the opinions of others, particularly if those recommendations come from key figures in the industry. Partnerships can help you to broaden the scope of influence and gain social proof for your business, which can be really effective when it comes to boosting sales and gaining brand recognition. Enlist the help of micro-influencers or work with celebrities connected to the industry who can vouch for your brand and encourage people to use your services or buy your products.
Encourage word of mouth
Referrals are incredibly valuable for any business, particularly new companies. So many customers value word-of-mouth recommendations, but it’s not just influencers who have this power. If you create fantastic, memorable customer experiences, people are going to tell other people that they know about your business. Encourage this by giving a discount code to people who leave a testimonial or a referral program for new customers if they’re referred by someone who’s used your business before.
Create great content
Blogging isn’t dead – in fact, it should be a central focus of your marketing strategy. Creating great content can encourage people to share blogs, social snippets, or information they’ve gathered from you, which positions your business as a leader and expert in the industry. It also helps to boost your rankings in search engines and can boost conversions. Unlike paid ads, content marketing is a slow burn and focuses on long-term results, but the payoff can be huge in terms of growing visitors, leads, and customers. From blogs and guides for your website to ebooks and video marketing, there are many avenues you can go down as a new business to add credibility to your brand.
Final thoughts
A strong marketing strategy is essential for any business, but for new start-ups and entrepreneurs, it’s vital for informing people of who you are and what you offer. Staying on top of the latest marketing trends and tools can help you create a strategy that is not only effective but competitive too.
