Small business owners already understand the importance of having a solid marketing strategy — but one may be unsure how to go about developing one. Should marketers stick with tried-and-true marketing strategies or try something new? When there are dozens of options, how do brands choose and build a marketing strategy that works for small businesses?
It is an established criterion that if any business wants to stay ahead of the competition, they must develop unique marketing strategies. Although traditional methods of marketing a product or service are still relevant, try combining them with new strategies to reach out to the audience. Creating a marketing strategy for a small business can be daunting, especially when it comes to online marketing options. There are a plethora of methods and hundreds of articles all claiming to have the “most effective” strategy.
The truth is that best marketing strategies are determined by target audiences and business models. Let’s take a look at six of the best small business marketing tools:
Email Marketing
Email marketing enables small businesses to communicate directly with customers and prospects who have expressed an explicit interest in their products or services. It is one of the most effective strategies for converting interested leads into actual customers. Small business owners’ one of the most valuable assets is their email list, which is made up of email addresses provided by prospective customers (or leads) and customers. As a result, developing an email list should be a top priority.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing can assist your small business in reaching thousands of customers and potential customers. However, the sheer number of platforms available to small business marketers can be overwhelming. Is it necessary to be on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter?
Rather than attempting to be active on every platform, identify one or two platforms where customers are most active and concentrate efforts there. Share informative, helpful posts about respective industries, rather than producing content designed to drive sales.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is the process of creating and sharing useful, thoughtful content related to your brand or the interests of your target audience. This content should establish your company as an expert in a particular field and demonstrate to customers that you can be trusted.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
Pay-per-click marketing enables brands to create targeted ads that promote their company to internet users via search engines. These ads appear on websites all over the internet, often at the top of the page, embedded in content, or in the sidebar. While PPC can be confusing, especially for beginners, it can be a highly effective strategy for driving both website traffic and foot traffic.
Referral Marketing
Customers who recommend your product or service to their friends and family are rewarded with referral marketing. For example, you could give a current customer and their friends a 10% discount if they use a specific link or code. Referral marketing is a low-cost strategy that encourages word-of-mouth marketing, which is one of the most trusted and effective small business marketing strategies.
Event Marketing
Event marketing is a type of experience-based marketing strategy in which brands promote their products or services through in-person or online events such as classes, conferences, or happy hour gatherings. Connecting with people in person or at events can help to build a stronger bond that can be used to drive sales, increase brand trust, and raise brand awareness.
Conclusion
Your marketing strategy should be a long-term plan that will assist your company in reaching more customers and building a sustainable business. Understanding where you are and where you want your business to go is the first step in developing a successful small business marketing strategy.
Faisal Abidi
