by Samuel Gitukui
Marketing is among the most important parts of any business regardless of whether it is small or a large multinational. Without it the business would literally cease to function. When it comes to the small businesses however, marketing seems to not be given as much priority compared to the larger businesses. The reason is because the owner may have a lot to deal with and may not delegate tasks.
But in order for the small business to grow, you need to prioritize on marketing. Let’s find out some clever ways to boost marketing for your small business.
1. Research on Your Competitors.
If you want to be as successful as your competitor, you need to find out what they are doing right so that you can also implement this to your business. It is equally important to figure out what doesn’t work for them so as to avoid repeating their mistakes.
And the best way to keep the data and information that you collect is through noting it down. During analysis you can compare your performance with that of your competitor and find out which areas you will need to improve.
2. Develop an Online Presence
In this era of social media, many people will spend their time online as they do research and make purchase decisions. You want to make it easy for them to find your business and you can do this through platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, twitter or Google.
Keep in mind that 78% of online searches result in an offline purchase decision by a customer. So, it doesn’t matter whether you are selling online. You want to make it known that your business is available and make it easy for customers to find you.
3. Get Reviews
When building your online presence, you want to build on client trust. This will mean loyal customers that will continue to buy your products. You can do this by getting reviews. In fact, research shows that customers are more likely to buy a product that has been reviewed than one that has not.
There are many different platforms on which your business customers can leave reviews such as Google My Business, Facebook and Trip Advisor. You need to urge them to do so however as people will often require a gentle nudge to give their opinions.
The best time to ask for a review is when customers have bought a product.
4. Impress Your Customers
You need to focus your energy into impressing your customers and going beyond their expectations. That “wow” factor is what you are aiming to achieve. When the customer is satisfied with the product or service, they will likely pass on the information to other potential customers. Soon you will notice your client base begin to grow.
In fact, word of mouth and referrals has been shown to be over 10 times more effective than other forms of marketing. There are many ways to exceed your customer expectations such as sending gift cards or offering a lifetime warranty. It’s up to you to anticipate the needs of your customer and find the best way to please them.
5. Get an Email List
One of the best ways through which smaller businesses can gain a much-needed boost on their sales is through email marketing. It offers a superb way for businesses to develop relationships with their customers.
However, before businesses can take advantage of all the amazing benefits of email marketing, the first step is to come up with a long email list. One proven way to do this is by providing lead offers. This is a benefit that the potential customer will get when they provide you with their contact details.
For example, you can ask for your client’s email address so that you register them for special discounts.
Conclusion
These 5 marketing strategies have been proven to result in a larger client base and increased sales. Some will overlap and need to be used together. By following the strategies, your business will stand out from the crowd and set itself on the path of success!
Alexandra says to also check out the following:
https://www.lendgenius.com and https://www.lendgenius.com/blog/5-mistakes-small-business-owners-avoid/