Owning your own business comes with a lot of challenges and tasks to juggle. There are a million things to do on your to-do list every single day. It can be difficult to even begin to figure out how to market for your business. There are a ton of apps, social media platforms, and websites to choose from. Where do you even start?
Figure Out Your Goals
Before you dive into what will work best for your business, you must first establish your goals. What are you hoping to accomplish by marketing your business? Are you looking for more customers? More products to be sold? Or are you just wanting more phone calls? Whatever the case may be you need to figure out your goals. You can do this by taking a step back and understanding how you want your business to grow. Are you looking to expand your customer base? Sell more products to returning customers? This is all based on what you as a business owner want to accomplish.
Targeting Your Audience
Once you figure out your business goals, it’s time to consider who your audience is or customer base is. This will help you determine how to go about marketing from choosing what platforms to be on to how you build your website. Understanding who your target audience is starts with determining what your current customer is. What is their gender, age range, and yearly income? Where do they live? How do they like to spend their time? While you don’t have to answer all of these questions, it’s good to be as detailed as possible. Once you put together a profile or chart that compiles all of this information, you can now look at it what a potential customer looks like. Are you looking to market your business to this same demographic or are you expanding your reach? Create a chart or profile for your new target market using the same questions as before.
Social Media: What Works For Your Business
Once you’re able to figure out your goals and target audience, you can now determine how to market to this new audience. One of the best places to reach an audience is on social media. When you mention social media marketing, some small business owners have no idea where to even begin. There’s always a new platform, trend, app, or pop culture reference to keep up with. However, with all of the information you have just collected this will help you narrow down what platforms to use and what niche of the internet you can connect with. For example, if you’re a construction company and want to market your business, Instagram may not be the platform for you. LinkedIn and Facebook would help you better connect with other business owners and people looking for a local construction company. Now if you’re a real estate agent, Instagram is a great place to show off new listings and post about upcoming showings. Each social media platform is made differently and can help your business connect with a different audience. Research what works best for your business depending on what industry you are in, who your target audience is, and the best way to showcase your business.
Websites Are Key
Now that you know what social media platforms work for your business, where will they go to learn more about what you do? A professional-looking website will drive more people to your business than one that looks 15 years old. One of the first things people do when they see an ad is search the company. Having a visible will make your business look professional, trustworthy and will make your business more visible. How does a website make you look professional? Imagine you’re on a road trip. Everyone in the car is hungry and ready to stop. You pass a sign for a restaurant at the next exit. You look up the restaurant and the only thing you find is a Facebook page with the last post from 7 years ago. Most people would come to the conclusion that it is definitely closed or sketchy at best. A professional website tells consumers that you’re open and ready for business. Once a customer knows you’re open, they’re ready to learn more about you. On your website, you can let potential customers meet your team, learn your story, and understand what products or services you provide. Throw in some client testimonials or reviews and people will start to trust you. Lastly, a website can help people find you easier online. When you have a website, Google takes notice of how many people are searching and clicking on your website. When you include blog posts, products or services, and even areas you serve, this your website appears in more Google search results. A website will help you look more professional and reach potential customers.
Creating a Campaign
Now that you have a social media presence and a professional website, you’re ready to create a campaign. What is a marketing campaign? A marketing campaign is an organized course of action to promote and sell a product or service. An example of a campaign would be businesses that are having a special deal on Black Friday. They would promote the deal on their social media, create a banner or pop-up ads on their website, and even mail out flyers. All three of these would work together as a campaign for their Black Friday sale. While it’s easy to explain for a retail business, what about a more industrial business? A campaign could be used to reach a group of people living in a specific area. The campaign could include placing targeted ads on Facebook, taking an ad on a nearby billboard, or even mailers. Another idea for a campaign would be using Google reviews or recommendations to gain new customers. If every customer who leaves a review or gives a recommendation gets a commission, a gift card, or any kind of incentive, they are more likely to share your service or product with others. There are a ton of options for a marketing campaign, the important part is that you research which campaigns work best for your target audience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there’s a lot to keep in mind when you start marketing your business. You need to figure out what your business goals are and understand who your target audience is. Once you know those you can start working on your marketing. Your business should be active on the right social media platforms, have a professional website, and be creating marketing campaigns. If all of that has you stressed about where to start, a marketing agency might be right for you. Timerbrook Marketing specializes in marketing for small businesses in the North Carolina area. We can help you figure out what some of your business goals might be and how to reach your target market. Some of our services include social media management, website design, and helping with marketing campaigns. If you’re in need of marketing and don’t know where to start, contact us today.
