Ways to Market your Small Business

Finding ways to market your business should be a priority in your regular routine. But it doesn't have to require spending heaps of money. Marketing campaigns are about tailoring your content to connect with your customers, wherever they happen to be, in creative and positive ways. Here are some effective ideas for promoting your small business.

All Communication is a Marketing Channel

That doesn't mean making boring or pushy sales pitches part of every interaction. That's something to be avoided. Instead, make it a simple, concise, branding experience. Telephone systems and support agents should start with a warm, friendly welcome to your company, and promotional suggestions should be limited to a quick, upbeat sentence emphasizing your latest campaign.

All of your outgoing flyers, email, or snail mail should have a brand signature. Include a logo, company name, customer support number, and one or two links to social media profiles and websites.

Use Your Vehicles as Signage

If your company has a fleet of trucks or vans, make sure each one bears your company name, logo, message, and contact information on both sides. Offer employees incentives to carry magnetic signs or promotional bumper stickers on their own vehicles. You can also purchase full color vehicle wraps. Think about how many people will see them during congested rush hour traffic. In a fair-sized city, your message could be getting up to 70,000 views each day according to the OAAA.

You could even put your graphics people, or a service, to work coming up with a truly unique design or image that people will easily remember and associate with your company. Just be certain it reflects the character and philosophy that your company shares with its target audience.

Social Media

Popular social platforms get millions of visitors each, every single day. By posting good content and conversing with your followers, you inspire conversations among them. Provide followers with a good experience, and they share it with their online friends. You'll create word-of-mouth marketing that can grow to thousands of people all over the country or the globe.

While it takes some effort to stay connected, most major social platforms also provide companies with analytics and feedback tools so that you can see who's engaged with your company, who's talking about you, and what they prefer. With some extra attention and good planning, social media can be the most powerful marketing tool you have.

Promote Your Leisure Activity

Odds are you do something to unwind and have fun now and then. There are probably many other people doing the same thing who would take an interest in special events. You could sponsor charity events and fundraisers, or school activities. These kinds of things generate positive press and cast you as a caring, socially responsible brand.

For instance, you could stage a capture the flag event. It's not the simple children's game you may have played as a child. Modern capture the flag kits utilize technology like LED lights for glowing orbs, markers, jail zones, and team bracelets that make an evening of fun more exciting and enjoyable for younger audiences and adults.

Let People Benefit From Your Expertise

You could start providing helpful information relating to your products, services, industry insights, or professional business expertise. There are a number of available formats, such as writing your own blog or promoting Q&A events. You could write articles and get them posted on leading industry blogs or trade magazines.

Video is another good media. Posting how-to videos on YouTube or holding webinars can provide greater value to your products and services by helping your customers get more from their purchase. Added value means more sales.

Never stop experimenting. Marketing is about getting the word out in a positive way to the greatest number of people. With a little time and research, you can find the marketing methods that work best with your target audience.