Are you looking for ways to promote your small business? No matter what your business is, there are plenty of marketing techniques available that can help to increase awareness of your brand and convert to more sales.
Don’t let lack of experience put you off, marketing is about trial and error so you should test various methods to see what works best for your target audience and your business. Luckily, this can typically be done with a relatively low budget, meaning the only real commitment is your time.
Before you start with any of the techniques mentioned below, it is worth establishing a marketing plan. This doesn’t need to be extensive, but you should spend some time determining two things; who are you targeting and what you want to achieve. This could be anything from increased sales to more repeat custom.
Social media
Social media is the perfect place to start as it requires no financial investment and allows you to potentially reach a wide audience.
Firstly, decide which social media platforms will work for your business. There are benefits to using different platforms, and eventually, you may choose to create content that works across multiple, but it is wise to start with just one whilst you get to grips with it.
Facebook is useful for providing customers with concise information about your business and dealing with enquiries. Instagram is more commonly used for building a brand and showcasing products and services. TikTok works well for video content and introducing customers to your brand’s personality and values.
Try not to overthink when posting on social media, if you use it yourself, consider what type of content you would like to see. Aim for quality over quantity of posts, especially to begin with.
OOH Marketing
Home (OOH) advertising could be highly relevant if your business is location-based, for example, if you offer services within a certain radius of your home. For example, if you own a mobile beauty business or you operate as an independent personal trainer.
If this applies to you, then using OOH methods locally to you will allow you to captivate the attention of potential customers within your local area. Consider designing some informative posters to display in relevant locations such as at local gyms or on community noticeboards.
These should highlight what your business does and provide a clear point of contact, it is always handy to link to your social media too!
Word of mouth
Often overlooked, word-of-mouth marketing can do wonders for your small business. This centers around encouraging your existing customers to recommend your business to others.
This can initially seem difficult, but there are lots of different incentives you can put in place to increase word-of-mouth marketing.
Arguably the most popular method of doing this is to offer a referral program; meaning customers are rewarded when they refer someone else to your business. For example, receive a 25% discount on your next treatment when you refer a friend or family member.
Be careful to only activate discounts once you have received business from the referral and not beforehand to avoid rewarding a referral that doesn’t amount to a sale.
Another easy way to manage word-of-mouth marketing is to request testimonials from your existing consumers, which with their permission you can then share on your social media or features on your OOH marketing materials.
