What makes your small business tick?
Answering that question can be a little tricky for some small business owners, especially those having trouble getting traction with sales.
So that your small business has both traction and consistency, you need to be firing on all cylinders.
This means trying anything possible to get your brand name seen and heard by consumers.
From referral marketing to social networking, don’t leave any stone unturned.
If you do, you could be missing out on potential revenue. As many small business owners know, losing even a portion of business revenue can mean the difference between success and failure.
Do You Have All Your Bases Covered?
In order for your small business to be primed for success, keep these five tips in mind:
- Overall marketing plan – Having an overall marketing plan in place is a necessity, not a choice. While some business owners try and do things at a moment’s notice on a regular basis, most have their initiatives rather well planned out. While it is perfectly fine to improvise and try a few things on the spur of the moment, that shouldn’t be the norm. If you haven’t already, you should be working on and finalizing your 2017 marketing initiatives, at least for the first half of the New Year;
- Referral marketing – If you think word-of-mouth sales are just a fairytale, think again. Referral marketing for your small business can and should be quite effective. In order for it to have the best chances to succeed, you need to give consumers incentives. Why would they want to tell others about your brand? Once you have what appears to be a regular customer, make sure he or she knows you appreciate their business. Include incentives such as discounts and opportunities to purchases goods or services from you before they go on sale to the general public. It may seem like a little thing, but the rewards to your business can be great.
Socialize What Your Brand is All About
- Social networking – Where would your small business be without the power of social media? It is imperative that you spread the word not only through referral marketing itself, but also via the numerous social channels available to you. From Facebook to Instagram and much in between, make sure you are socially relevant. To do otherwise would be hanging your brand out to dry;
- Video promotions – As great as your company’s story may be, it can be even better when you put images with words. If you have not been using video promotions up to this point, you undoubtedly are not getting the message (the same can be said for consumers). Use video promotions to not only tell your story, but show why your brand is better than all others. Be sure the videos are not only interesting, but leave consumers with a positive image of your brand;
- Customer service – Lastly, think like a customer when it comes to your company’s level of customer service. Think about when you go to buy a product or order a service. Are you happy with how the employee treats you? Did he or she go out of their way to satisfy you? Was there something they could have done better? The level of customer service your small business provides consumers should always be a top priority. When you think about how you want to be treated as a customer, relay that to how you and your team treat your customers.
Much to Do in Wooing Consumers
At the end of the day, there is much to do when it comes to converting a consumer into a regular customer.
The five tips above are just breaking the surface in all you have to do to get someone interested in your brand.
Always remember that consumers typically have myriad of choices as to where they want to spend their money.
When you know how best to market your brand and get consumers talking about it, you’ve already gotten their attention.
From there, the key is to close the deal.
About the Author: Dave Thomas writes about small business and marketing topics on the web.