No one sets out to create a mediocre business. In reality, many will set out with ultra-high aspirations of success. However, it doesn’t just happen overnight. You need to put in the effort to grow your small business. And that means it’s time to dive into marketing.
After all, no one is going to buy anything from you if the customer doesn’t know you exist. You need to get their attention…and quickly. Otherwise, the competition will surely benefit.
Let me show you how to grow a small business with marketing with these 21 tips. Many of these I’ve seen work exceptionally well in my experience.
It’s all about how you present your business if you want to succeed.
1. Optimize Emails and Newsletters
Never underestimate the value of email and newsletter subscriptions on your site. It’s a way to keep visitors engaged with your business and gives you an excellent platform to market things like specials, discounts and subscriber-only coupons.
You can use a number of cost-efficient email services, which many of them have a degree of automation. This means you don’t have to spend too much time creating messages to address your growing list of customers
2. Personalize the Experience
Creating a custom and personalized experience engages the customer. In fact, about 88% of marketers attest to how personalization has made a measurable difference with consumers.
Personalization is all about tailoring to the needs and information of the user. For instance, addressing the customer by name in an email increases the likelihood of it being read. A small example of this practice is available on Amazon and other online stores by showing you “items you might be interested in.”
3. Use Customer Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are not really all that new. Back in the day, people would carry around punch cards to earn a free product. Today, the idea is still the same. However, we’ve traded punch cards for digital account IDs and scanning information from smartphones.
Loyalty programs keep visitors coming back for more. From discounts to free goodies, it gamifies the experience as the customer earns points or bonuses through purchases.
4. Partner with Others
Good partnerships are symbiotic. This means both companies benefit by combining their power. I’m not talking about one company buying out another. Instead, you are sharing each other’s customer base. You see this a lot when you travel as fastfood chains share the same space as a gas station.
Partnerships can also be effective if you find the right influencer. In fact, influencer marketing can offer a great deal in terms of boosting sales as well as brand awareness. Just make sure you find an influencer that matches your company niche.
5. Use Testimonials and Reviews
About 88% of shoppers consider reviews when making a purchase. This is because most people trust the opinions of others over most forms of advertising. As a result, it’s beneficial to include testimonials and reviews of your goods and services.
Think about it. How many places do you shop online that have rating systems enabled or some other form of testimonial? That’s because these things work to engage the consumer.
6. Display Demonstrations of Goods
Showing off what you have for sale and how to use it is a great idea to grow a small business. You can either do this in person or show a video on your website. The point is to help potential customers understand what it is you offer.
Think of how popular events and trade shows are such as E3 and CES. These are expos where technology companies showcase what they have and what’s on the horizon. And many of the businesses at these shows live stream them on their websites, YouTube and Facebook.