Keeping your small business healthy takes both time and effort. Unfortunately, some small business owners fail to do one or both on a regular basis.
As part of your company’s initiatives to keep your business humming along, it is important that you never lose sight of the importance of promotional activities.
When it comes to promotions, there are myriad of means by which you can promote your small business brand.
From online initiatives to your printed efforts, the sky is the limit as it relates to spreading your company’s message.
So, are you up to the task of properly promoting your small business?
Give Your Brand That Extra Push
So that your small business can receive as much promotion and good reviews from consumers as possible, remember these pointers:
- Message – First and foremost, what message do you want to deliver to your audience? Remember, there are many options in different industries for consumers to choose from, so your brand needs to stand out in an oftentimes crowded field. Make sure your message resonates with today’s consumers, meeting their needs. For example, if you’re in the financial management sector, keep in mind that many consumers are watching their dollars closer than ever. That said you want to craft messages that speak directly to each client. Some will be better off than others financially, so one size does not fit all;
- Delivery vehicle – How do you go about spreading your brand’s message? If you have a mix between printed materials and Internet initiatives, you pretty much have your bases covered. Whether it is flyer delivery, business cards, brochures, blog posts on your website, social media, mobile marketing, the possibilities in delivering your message are literally endless. You will be best served when you try a little bit of everything, especially given the fact consumers can be spread across a wide variety of mediums. For instance, younger consumers tend to be more into the Internet, social media, and mobile marketing than their older counterparts. On the flip side, printed brochures, flyers, pamphlets etc. tend to work well with senior citizens; especially given seniors are not always on the Internet or even have computers in their homes. The point being, do your best to know your demographics, thereby giving you a better idea of how best to reach consumers;
- Feedback – Whether you get consumer feedback in-person, over the phone, emails, social media, always make sure to let it sink in. Some consumers may say the print on your brochures is too small for them to read. Others may complain about the colors being too loud. Still others may say your website is like walking through a maze, leaving them feeling confused and frustrated. Always make sure you are listening to what consumers have to say about your brand. Those business owners tending to ignore such feedback are the same business owners who will typically find their revenue streams tailing off, this as consumers go elsewhere to do their shopping and buying. If you do not already, make sure you leave room for feedback on your website and anywhere else you can. Not only is it worthwhile for your business, it also shows that you take your customers seriously;
- Growth – Lastly, take all your current initiatives, couple them with the feedback you are receiving from consumers, and look to grow as a brand. You undoubtedly opened a small business in the first place in order to make some money and provide a service for the public. In doing so, it is important that you put the building blocks in place to grow your brand at the right pace. As you grow, make sure you stick with what works. If brochures and other printed materials have been a success for you up to this point, there is no reason to shy away from them moving forward. This does not mean you can’t be involved in digital brand promotions, but it is important to stick with what brought you to the dance in the first place.
Properly promoting your small business surely does take time and efforts, two facets of a business that one should never be short on.
About the Author: Dave Thomas covers small business topics on the web.