Even with a limited marketing budget, a small business owner can attract and retain customers. Thanks to digital marketing, small businesses can now easily create a presence and attract informed customers.
It helps to create a buyer persona before marketing a product. Then you can choose from a wide range of marketing strategies. Most are free or low-cost tactics (sometimes called guerrilla marketing). You can use them all at once or at different stages of your business cycle.
When starting a business, you need a customer base. All you need to create a large-scale advertising campaign is a decent printer, phone, and internet-connected device. We’ll dig deeper into seven of these small business marketing tactics.
- Build an online reputation
- Use SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Spend on Web Design
- Referral Networks
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Build an online reputation
Building your online reputation is like networking breakfast, but more difficult and time consuming. First, you need a clear strategy for reaching your target audience. Next, decide on your strategy. For example, use existing offline partnerships to grow your online reputation. This will not only help build links back to your website, but also improve your organic search visibility. Overall, the more reputable peers think of your brand, the better your online reputation will be.
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Use SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Search engine marketing and optimization help your company appear higher in search engine results. A strong SEO strategy will link your company website to the keywords used to find your services. This increases your chances of being chosen after an online search.
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Spend on Web Design
Often overlooked as a marketing tool, web design influences how much time and attention a user spends on your page. Your website is the hub of all your digital marketing efforts, so make sure it’s clean, easy to read, and engaging or you’ll lose customers. If you lack design skills, it’s worth hiring someone to create a modern, eye-catching, and mobile-friendly website.
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Referral Networks
A business’s referral network is invaluable, and often includes customers who are rewarded for referring others. However, business-to-business referrals are also included. Saying “We don’t do/sell that here, but X down the street does” should be accompanied by a referral.
This network is even stronger when it comes to white-collar jobs. A lawyer refers clients to an accountant, an accountant to a broker, and a financial planner to a realtor. In each case, the person is risking their professional reputation. Regardless of your industry, build a referral network that shares your vision and commitment to quality.
Finally, remember that your competition is not always your enemy. If you’re too busy to work, offer it to them. Usually, the favor is returned. Also, making a customer wait too long can harm your reputation.