Small or large, newly founded or well-established, every company relies on marketing to bring in new consumers. As a business owner, it might feel overwhelming when considering the sheer number of marketing options available to you and the difficulty in determining which is best for your company. Fortunately, there are several proven marketing tactics that can help expand your reach over time while minimizing the risk of investing in ineffective approaches.
Community connections
In a world that moves fast and feels more digital than ever, real connection means everything. Now more than ever, everyone is looking for genuine connections in real life. Taking part in community events, sponsoring local gatherings or supporting other small businesses can be a powerful way to grow: simply being seen as a familiar and reliable face in your community builds trust and shows that your company is more than just a logo or a service. You could host workshops, set up a pop-up stall or take part in a charity fundraiser that lets people experience your brand in person. When you build genuine relationships offline, people are more likely to remember you when they need what you offer later.
Subtlety
To avoid jarring your audience, keep your marketing approaches understated. People hate being bombarded with sales pitches. There are a few ways to go about it:
- Create vehicle decals for staff cars.
- Make mugs, pens, and t-shirts for your brand.
- Send out hamper baskets to returning clients and prospective buyers. Not only will it give them a tease of what you offer, but it’s a thoughtful gift that will stick in people’s brains.
It’s important to keep your marketing unobtrusive so that consumers aren’t aware they are seeing your brand name all the time. Once your name is in their minds when they need something from you, they’ll think of you.
Sending out emails
Yes, you might think that you get wayyy too many emails these days, but email marketing is one of the most effective strategies to pique the attention of potential customers. If you want your readers to open your emails, don’t send generic emails. Offering something for free is a great strategy to keep your email from being tossed in the trash or worse, being unsubscribed. Your email list can be a very powerful tool in your marketing arsenal! Make sure your email subject is catchy and intriguing enough for people to open, and offer something of value to keep them subscribed. It’s not just open rates either, you’ll need to reward them with something for opening your email and being loyal, whether that be a coupon for money off or an entry into a giveaway. Be creative!
Mail!
As a last point of consideration in marketing, it’s critical to identify one thing that almost every member of your intended audience shares, which is an address! Leaflets and coupons are a certain way to draw attention to your company. Think about it: those lawn care or furnace cleaning companies may send you lots of flyers throughout the year, but when it comes time to actually choose one, which company would be top of mind? Any company may benefit from mailing services, so take use of them! All you need to do is think about how you can cleverly insert yourself into people’s minds so that if and when they need your products or services, you’re the pamphlet they’ll grab.