So, you’ve been hearing about new marketing trends, social media predictions, what to watch for – and what to watch out for. But what if you’re a small business that doesn’t have the budgets and resources of larger corporations? Well, you can still be a player in all this. Just act like the big guys.
You want to use Facebook and LinkedIn connections? Want to tweet yourself to bigger profits? Ok, just forget about trying to get zillions of people following you or liking your Facebook page. What you really need is a core group of people who are loyal to your business – even if the numbers are small. Why? They’re the ones who will help spread the word about you – and won’t mysteriously go away after the first week.
We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: create valuable content or don’t create any at all. Add some value to what you say so your customers will pay attention. You’ll be surprised how it will snowball online because people start sharing the content you offer.
Forget about trying to offer everything to everyone! What you should be doing is to focus on the core values of what you have to offer. Claim a unique niche and own it as if you invented it. Position yourself as the expert in one key area. “If you say it, they will believe.”
Put your money where the market is. As in – dedicate more of your marketing money to social media and the Internet, and less to traditional media like television and print. More and more, people are spending ridiculous amounts of time online and away from their TV sets, so reach them where they’re paying attention. Create an online presence and keep telling customers to visit your website (and Facebook page, and follow you on Twitter, and see you on YouTube….and…)
I hate to say this, but you’ll need to use some localized marketing tactics like Groupon or Yelp to make it a lot easier for your customers to find current deals and reviews about your business. If they can’t find deals that you’re offering, they’ll look somewhere else.
Finally, be sure you include mobile marketing as part of your marketing plan. Everyone simply assumes you have a mobile presence, so don’t disappoint!
If all this makes you long for the days of a print ad and a radio commercial, maybe it’s time to hook up with a company that can bring you into the digital age and get you connected with your customers. Even more importantly, get you connected with your prospective customers!
You want to use Facebook and LinkedIn connections? Want to tweet yourself to bigger profits? Ok, just forget about trying to get zillions of people following you or liking your Facebook page. What you really need is a core group of people who are loyal to your business – even if the numbers are small. Why? They’re the ones who will help spread the word about you – and won’t mysteriously go away after the first week.
We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: create valuable content or don’t create any at all. Add some value to what you say so your customers will pay attention. You’ll be surprised how it will snowball online because people start sharing the content you offer.
Forget about trying to offer everything to everyone! What you should be doing is to focus on the core values of what you have to offer. Claim a unique niche and own it as if you invented it. Position yourself as the expert in one key area. “If you say it, they will believe.”
Put your money where the market is. As in – dedicate more of your marketing money to social media and the Internet, and less to traditional media like television and print. More and more, people are spending ridiculous amounts of time online and away from their TV sets, so reach them where they’re paying attention. Create an online presence and keep telling customers to visit your website (and Facebook page, and follow you on Twitter, and see you on YouTube….and…)
I hate to say this, but you’ll need to use some localized marketing tactics like Groupon or Yelp to make it a lot easier for your customers to find current deals and reviews about your business. If they can’t find deals that you’re offering, they’ll look somewhere else.
Finally, be sure you include mobile marketing as part of your marketing plan. Everyone simply assumes you have a mobile presence, so don’t disappoint!
If all this makes you long for the days of a print ad and a radio commercial, maybe it’s time to hook up with a company that can bring you into the digital age and get you connected with your customers. Even more importantly, get you connected with your prospective customers!
