It doesn’t matter what stage you’re at with your business, whether you’ve just started up, or whether you’re further down the line and more experienced, you need to make sure you’re marketing yourself. You should never assume that marketing is just for the big timers, and you should never assume that just because you’re bringing in a steady profit you should slow down. The power of marketing is huge, and the money it can bring you will never stop. Knowing the right techniques to use is something a lot of people struggle with in the first place. Some of them are more suited to needs than others. For example, some will give you quick time exposure, some are longer winded but yield higher results in the long run. So if your mind is a little boggled about marketing and what you need to be doing, we’re here to help. Below are five common marketing techniques, and what they can do for your business.
Banners & Flags
One of the easiest marketing techniques to pull off. Some people might not even consider it marketing, but it is one of the quickest and effective ones that you can use. Banners show people who you are, what you’re selling, and are a great way of showing off any deals that you might have. It is probably one of the cheaper techniques we’re going to show you as well. All you need to have is a clear space close to your building to put them up. Don’t just put them up anywhere, make sure you can actually put them where you’re thinking of. Some areas of land aren’t just for you to put these up as they are large and they will get in the way if it isn’t your land. Feather flags might be easier for you to use as they don’t take up as much space as the big pole flags. But once you’ve got the location secured, all you need to do is make them as eye catching and as interesting as you can. Think about the colour scheme. You want to try and incorporate some of your own theme into them, but also add a dash more colour if needed. The main thing to remember about these are that they do need to stand out. Think about what you need to advertise the most. If a product isn’t selling as well as some of the others you sell, this might be what you need to get noticed the most.
Mass Marketing
This one has long been up for debate about whether it is effective or not, but if you’ve got a product that you’re struggling to see then it might be your only hope. It involves putting your presence online in an attempt to contact a wider audience. This is usually through ads etc. But some people debate that this tactic will only annoy the people who don’t want to see your company, thus damaging the reputation. But of you strategically place the ads where you know people will be most interested in you, it should work. But bringing in as many people as possible is what your company needs, so it might pay off in the long run. Mass marketing and another technique called email marketing are very similar. But email marketing is definitely more likely to annoy people, and it is harder to do. You need to make sure these people have gave your their email at one point or another to stay within the rules of mass marketing. Spamming people by finding their emails through different routes can get you in trouble.
SEO
This one is a more long winded and expensive technique to try. But get it right and SEO will get you all the exposure you’ve ever been looking for. SEO stands for search engine optimisation. Its main aim is to get your website higher ranked within search engines. Search engines run on algorithms that track links to and from your website. The more trusted links you have to it, the more reputable they’ll see you. So one common SEO tactic is link building. If you don’t know how to do it, we wouldn’t recommend you give it a go on your own. One wrong move and your website will be seen as spam and you’ll face being penalised by search engines. Do it right and you could be appearing on the first or second page! Hire a consultant to help you with your campaign.
Event Marketing
Another technique that a lot of people don’t seem to bother with. The reason why we’ll never understand! Going to events and marketing yourself face to face with customers is probably one of the most effective things you can do. They have more confidence in the company knowing they actually met the people running it and will have gone through the products or services step by step. If you have a quick Google search there will be plenty of events regarding your niche. Set up a stand and meet the people face to face. It will also give you a chance you view your competitors and what their customer approach is like. If you’re really successful with your business and have the money, you could even host your own event!
Social Media Marketing
One of the more common methods of marketing, and one that a lot of businesses like to try. It is cheap, easy to do, and can get you great results if you do it properly. Use all the platforms and see which one you get the most results from. Twitter and Instagram are probably the best for businesses. Although Facebook does have some handy marketing tools. With Twitter, all you need to be doing is utilising the hashtags and make sure you’re following the right people who will actually be interested in you. Instagram is excellent for showcasing your products. Take professional pictures, and again, use hashtags. Facebook gives you the option to boost your posts for a small fee for it to then reach thousands of people who aren’t on your friends list.
