With any new business, marketing is always a top priority. After all, if nobody knows about your business, you aren’t going to have one for long. Getting the word out to as many people as possible is of the utmost importance.
There’s no denying you’re going to have to do some work to get things off the ground, but as with everything else, working smarter will pay off in both time and money saved. Following are a few ways you can market your business effectively without breaking the bank, or your back.
Utilize Search Engine Optimization
It will take some time to pay off, but search engine optimization is an important part of any online presence, and it doesn’t cost you any extra to make sure it’s done.
Make sure that your website, and especially any blog pages, are optimized for good search engine exposure. Pay attention to the words you use and make sure your content focuses on words and phrases that you and your customers would use to describe and look for your products.
A great tip is to talk with existing customers, in person or online, and find ways to work things they say into your website. Testimonials are a great way to do this. Words that one person uses to talk about you are very likely to be the words others will use in a search to find you.
Build A Social Media Presence
Social media is the perfect way to stay engaged with present and potential customers. Addressing customer concerns and questions publicly can win you big points when done well. You can set up business accounts for free on all of the major social media platforms.
Participate On Forums
These days you can find online forums dedicated to just about anything. Whatever product or service you offer, you’re sure to find a few forums where people are discussing the topic.
Joining forums, and participating with real and helpful dialog, is a great way to set yourself up as an authority on relevant topics. If you can become the go-to guy for your particular niche, you’ll be head and shoulders above your competition. Forums also tend to rank very well in search results, so make sure you’ve got a link to your own site in your signatures.
Attend Relevant Social Events
Get yourself to seminars and networking events. Anywhere you can find more than a few people in your field gathering is a good place to be.
Before you go, try to anticipate some questions you might hear and make sure you’ve got some good answers. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a good supply of business cards with you as well.
These types of events are a great place to meet people who might be able to help you move up a level or two. You’re likely to see at least some of these people again, and when you do, you won’t be a stranger. That’s an advantage in itself. You never know where those relationships could take you in the future.
Word Of Mouth
This one may not be so much about your actual marketing as much as about the experience and service you give to your customers. Absolutely nothing works better to attract new customers than great reviews and referrals from previous customers. Promotions such as referral bonus programs can be a great way to get people telling their friends about you.
But above all, give you customers real value. Go above and beyond what your competitors do and show them something special. If you give them what nobody else can, they will remain loyal and do your marketing for you.
Do you need help with your marketing?
We’re here to help small businesses and startups get to the top. Get in touch today and we’ll be happy to help you put together the perfect marketing plan for your business. You’ll see big time results without the big time prices.
