Marketing can be the key to the survival of a small business, especially in such turbulent times, so getting your marketing goals right is an important step. Having a small business means it can be difficult to manage lots of things all at once, this often means that marketing is put on the back burner. This is a key mistake that a lot of small businesses don’t realise and therefore could be causing detrimental effects to their businesses.
How can you sell a product or service if people don’t know about it? We’re here to offer some marketing advice to help small businesses succeed.
1. Build a Strong Online Presence
Having an online presence allows you to attract new customers as your customers are online, which will in turn increase your business’s visibility. It will also allow you to be able to attract new customers locally, results have shown one-third of all mobile searches are related to location. This means that ensuring your online presence includes your business address will give a chance for people to search for you locally, helping to drive quality traffic to your business.
2. Stand Out With Reviews & Testimonials
Having good reviews and testimonials allows you to stand out from other competitors. Studies have shown that 9 out of 10 consumers conducted online research via search engines before making a purchase, highlighting how important it is for your business to make a good first impression.
Google reviews are one of the top ways that customers can leave a business review and this is the first thing customers can see when they google your business. Take a few simple steps such as emailing your customers to ask for feedback or including a card in their order that states how to leave feedback.
Facebook is one of the most widely used social media platforms, it offers a great place for customers to leave feedback and share it with their family and friends, which is a win-win for business owners.
Video testimonials are a great way to show your relationship with your customers showing that you do value them and care about what your customers think. This is something that you can embed and highlight on your website.
Not only can only good reviews and testimonials help you short term for purchases but, long term can improve your overall reputation. Positive feedback from customers is vital to increasing the likelihood of a potential customer choosing your business. Reviews also help you achieve a higher Google ranking giving you a stronger chance of appearing higher on search results pages for Google Business Listings
3. Your Email Marketing List matters!
Email marketing is a great way to build lasting relationships with your customers. Sending frequent emails to your customers on the latest news, updates, sales and more will keep your customers in the loop.
On the other hand, building up your mailing list is just as important. You may want to include a popup on your website asking for an email address to sign up for a VIP loyalty program, special discounts or refer a friend scheme.
4. Search out your competitors
Find out your unique selling point and how to stand out from local competitors. This could be researching online through similar websites, social media: Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter etc to see what differs you from them. We recommend creating a SWOT analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This will allow you to define your business’s targets and goals and help you achieve the end result.
Optimise Your Website For Mobile Viewing
If you have not yet optimised your website, it’s the time! According to research more customers find and view businesses on their mobile devices rather than on a desktop. This means that it is vital for your website to be mobile-friendly and ensure the layout fits these devices. This is easier than ever now that lots of website builders such as WordPress, Shopify and BigCommerce offer an editable mobile version of your website.
To find more information for your business, get in touch with our team on 01782 524600 or visit the link to contact us via our page https://netinspire.co.uk/contact/
