The 5 Most Popular Ways to Market Your Business
There are many ways to market a business, including creating a strong online presence, utilizing social media, networking with other professionals, having a website with strong SEO (search engine optimization), e-mail and text marketing to your contacts, and running ads in print, on the radio and tv. It’s important to identify your target audience and tailor your marketing efforts to reach them effectively. Additionally, providing excellent customer service and generating positive reviews and testimonials can also help attract and retain customers because the absolute #1 form of marketing is referrals.
Social Media Marketing is the use of social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) to promote a product or service. It involves creating content, engaging with your audience, and running ads to increase brand awareness and drive sales. While social media marketing is hard to gauge an ROI, it is important to have a presence on there for potential clients to see your work and get a feel for your business. According to a survey conducted by The Manifest, 86% of people research a business on social media before making a purchase or visiting a physical location.
Networking is not just in person anymore, although it is the most recommended, and is a powerful tool that leverages personal connections while also building relationships with potential customers and partners. Putting your face out there in person and letting people get to know you builds trust within your area and can also help you connect with other business owners for support.
SEO Marketing stands for Search Engine Optimization marketing, which is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of a website or webpage in search engine results pages (SERPs). The goal of SEO marketing is to drive more organic (unpaid) traffic to a website, increase brand awareness, and ultimately, generate more leads or sales. Your website is also a great place to capture that potential client’s information using a newsletter sign-up so you can continue to market to them on a regular basis.
E-newsletters are a great way for businesses to stay connected with their audience and keep them informed about events, promotions, and updates. It helps to build brand loyalty and trust and can also drive traffic to your company’s website or social media channels. Plus, it’s a cost-effective (my preferred platform starts at $10 a month!) and easy way to reach a large number of people at once and to make sure they see it versus on social media where you may be working against the algorithm. Most e-newsletter platforms can also integrate with a texting option which is great for businesses that may want to get short information out quicker than an e-mail.
Running Ads in print, tv, and radio can sometimes be a package deal with the right company. Print ads can be more visually appealing and engaging than digital ads. Plus, they have a longer shelf life than digital ads as many people keep magazines or newspapers for longer periods of time. They also can have a perceived higher credibility and legitimacy than digital ads, as they are associated with established publications. TV ads can have a large and wide reach that can get you visually in front of potential customers. Ads on TV are also more visually and emotionally engaging, build brand awareness, and make a strong impression on viewers. And finally, radio ads are similar to tv ads because they also reach a wide audience, create brand awareness through repetition, and create that personal connection with listeners through voice and sound.
While there are many forms of marketing to choose from, it is important to use them all to be a well-rounded and successful business. Targeting your audience in many different ways will help your business expand and grow in vision and also increase sales and clients. Want to talk more about marketing? Give me a call! 530-401-0793.
