Having an amazing product is usually going to be futile without brand awareness and recognition. In other words, if people do not know that something exists, it does not matter how outstanding and revolutionary it is. This is also the reason why most companies spend an incredibly high amount of money on promotions and marketing campaigns. In the end, making a sale is all about putting the right product in front of the right people.
Those who own a small business, however, often find it very difficult to master the art of marketing. After all, there is a reason why universities offer degree programs within this field. Luckily, it is not impossible to learn the ins and outs of marketing through trial and error. The only downside would be some expenses that will be incurred along the way.
So, what are some of the most important tips that people who own small businesses should know in order to make their marketing more fruitful sooner?
1. Start Small
When starting a marketing campaign, the first few days or weeks are just going to be trial stages. According to a successful entrepreneur who owns the Carnival Supermarket, Naseem Salem, this is the time when the campaign is collecting data that will be capitalized later on. In fact, this data is the bedrock of future optimizations that can make someone’s advertisement extremely profitable.
So, small businesses should not make aggressive attempts to take over the entire industry sector. Instead, beginning with something as simple as a set of well-designed business cards is more than enough. As time goes by, campaigns will get more complex and pricier.
The key is to make it a marathon, not a race. By leveraging past profits for future campaigns, efforts will scale themselves.
2. Understand SEO
Search Engine Optimization is the process of improving someone’s online presence. Given how more and more purchases are made on the internet daily, having a great reputation matters. The only problem, however, is the fact that there are billions of web pages in existence. Meaning, making one’s content stand out is going to be about as competitive as it gets.
Luckily, there are countless companies who specialize in SEO. Small business owners who may find this area overwhelming can outsource their needs to these providers for relatively low costs.
3. Give People Reasons to Join/Participate
When prospective customers arrive at some company’s store or website, they are not just going to randomly begin buying items. Instead, people need to be incentivized into making a purchase or joining some group. Think about the reason why a lot of organizations offer discount codes to people who sign up for their newsletters or mailing lists.
The strategy is quite simple and operates on the principle of reciprocity. Meaning, companies get the visitor’s e-mail that can be used for future promotions while the visitor gets a discount to use on future purchases.
4. Be Consistent
When one thinks about companies like Progressive, they will usually have a memory of one of their many ads. After all, Progressive is known for hundreds of commercials with the same set of actors. Moreover, their brand colors are extremely consistent with everything that they do.
Although it is obvious that such a practice was planned for, Progressive is actually using some very advanced strategies. They are appealing to the customers by remaining very consistent while continuously delivering new material. Thus, their brand recognition is outstanding and people in need of insurance are very likely to think of them.
5. Use Social Media
Companies that are ignoring the advantages of social media are easily letting go of thousands of potential customers. In 2015, for instance, Facebook influences as many as 52 percent of their user’s purchases. Given how they have over two billion active users, that is an enormous number of transactions.
So, as Naseem Salem puts it, social media is currently the most important platform that every entrepreneur should get familiar with.