3 Ways To Market Your Small Business Effectively
Small business owners have it tough. Wearing many different hats to deal with a host of business related issues such as recruiting, finances and problem solving can sap your energy and creativity. When it comes to marketing, you don’t want to waste time (or money) on efforts to grow your business which aren’t effective or don’t generate the anticipated results.
Here are some surefire ways to build your brand and create interest in whatever product or service your business offers.
Online Advertising
Almost every business has a website nowadays, but there’s a lot more to marketing your business online than a simple website. You should also have a Facebook page, Twitter account, business blog and a YouTube channel to consolidate your online presence.
Before you feel overwhelmed by the thought of dealing with all of these; consider this. Do you have an employee who is creative, on point with what’s happening in your industry and savvy about social media? If so, now may be the time to think about expanding their role within the business. Together you can create your online marketing strategy, individual campaigns, and then let them take care of implementation and the daily updates and so on.
Alternatively, research how feasible it would be to outsource this part of your marketing activities to someone else. Don’t automatically think of large advertising agencies – if your business is still in its fledgling stages, consider approaching students enrolled in media studies courses at the local college or university to be involved with this aspect of your business.
Tried and Tested Saves Time
Consumers nowadays are used to being bombarded by advertising left, right and centre. But there’s no reason to avoid tried and tested advertising methods such as:
- Promotional leaflets
- flyer distribution
- Roller banner displays
- Large outdoor banners
All the above can generate a great deal of attention, and conventional business brochure printing and business card printing are also still highly effective – if done well. For ideas and inspiration check out quality suppliers such as http://www.rollerbannersuk.com.
The important point to remember is – that in a never-ending sea of advertising both online and offline – whatever format you choose, it has to stand out and grab people’s attention and not be simply overlooked.
Local Sponsorship
This is often overlooked by small business owners, but in reality the potential payback from sponsoring a group or organisation or event in the local community can often be better than the short-lived results of an expensive advertising campaign. Spend some time researching opportunities in the community which might be a good fit with your business. Expand your horizons past the conventional options such as sponsoring the local football team, and consider one-off events such as a local art exhibition or local fete as a way to test the water initially. The goodwill and value people attach to local businesses involved in the community is something no amount of advertising can buy.
