As any kind of business, it’s important to have the right marketing strategies in place. It may be even more important for you, because small business owners are often more reliant on the businesses success. For many small business owners, a bad working week may mean they aren’t able to put food on the table. You must market to a specific audience and you must have something that will grab their attention. So, which marketing strategies are right ones for you?
Get Community Involved
If you’re a small business, the advantage is that you don’t necessarily have to think on a big scale. It can be easy to get your name out there when your target audience is within walking distance. Why not try printing out some free bookmarks and giving them to your local library or sponsoring a local sports team. These are great ways of getting your name out there without having to hassle people. You’ll be surprised how your business will stay with them until they need your services.
Networking
This is especially important if you’re a new business. Get out there and introduce yourself to the existing and thriving businesses. Ask for advice on how to ensure longevity. You could even ask other businesses to promote your work, in favour of you promoting theirs. It’s about establishing trust within your community’s businesses and creating a rapport that will allow your business to survive.
Leave it to the Professionals
There are often times when your marketing knowledge can come to an end and you run out of ideas. That’s okay! There are plenty of marketing professionals out there, like Sticky, who can take the burden off your shoulders. Yes, you need to find the money to get the help, but it’s an investment. It ensures you have the time to do the most important things, like looking after your customers.
Organise an Event
This could be anything from a light lunch with fellow business owners, to a product reveal for the whole area. Whatever you plan on doing, you must tailor the event to your audience. Should you give out free gifts, like personalised pens? Or should you create a speech and presentation? It can be an exciting time when you’re ready to take your business to the next level but you have to prepared for any eventuality.
Offer Coupons or Discounts
Sometimes, it takes a little persuasion to get people through the door. Offering a discount on products could be exactly what you need to get people through the door and browsing the extent of what you offer. Of course, there’ll always be those people who take advantage and only shop when there’s some form of offer on, but most people will come back for the quality of the product.
Keeping a small business running can be challenging but when you work hard and believe in what you’re selling people, the rest will come. It may take a while to build up, but that’s what marketing is for.
