The Most Effective Ways to Market a Small Business
How are you supposed to market a small business in an age of online sales and global competition? Actually, it’s not as hard as you might be thinking.
That’s because about 70 percent of Americans shop local when they choose to do so. In congressional terms, that’s a supermajority! In this article, we’ll discuss the best ways to reach them.
Table of Contents
Write Press Releases
Press releases are among the oldest types of marketing materials you can produce. However, they’re still some of the most effective.
At least, they are if you do them right. See, news channels, publications, and radio stations are always on the lookout for newsworthy content that’s relevant to their audiences.
Craft something with a news angle to it. Not something that you would do strictly to advertise. If you can show how what you’re doing is relevant to the community, then you stand a very good chance of a traditional outlet picking you up and lending their legitimacy.
Find Influencers
Among the more recent marketing tips you should make note of is the social media influencer. These professionals have grown a loyal fanbase, many in your niche or industry.
Reach out to one of the popular ones with a free product sample or partnership opportunity. Just one of the right influencers can turn your product into an overnight sensation if they’re able to resonate with it.
Post Content
Other types of marketing most effective include the creation and posting of original content. You can use content to answer questions your audience may be having.
In so doing, you’ll grow your own authority and maybe even become an influencer yourself. Content at its best is informative and detailed. It doesn’t just scratch the surface but speaks to the burgeoning expert.
It should also be posted frequently. (At least once per week.) Otherwise, your audience is likely to forget you exist.
Pay For Search Ads
Paid search ads are necessities for small business marketing these days. You should be targeting search on Google and other search engines, as well as social media channels like Facebook.
Base your ads around specific long-tail keywords. Test your ads to see which ones are picking up the most traction. Then invest the lion’s share of your ad-spend into the more popular ones.
Advertise On Podcasts
When looking for marketing services to help, find one that knows how to get you into podcast advertising. Podcasts are some of the most popular content imaginable, as people enjoy them during sluggish workdays or daily commutes.
Matching your product with the right podcast means direct access to an engaged audience. As with influencers, you piggyback on the podcast’s credibility.
Use Offline Methods
We’ve spoken a lot about online marketing, but don’t for a moment think offline models are dead. They’re more popular than ever, especially as more businesses depend on local traffic to succeed.
Figure out ways to promote your visuals in and around the community. Click here to see how you can make it work for you without seeming outdated.
There Are Many Ways to Market a Small Business
As you can see, there are numerous ways to market a small business, both online and off. You just have to be creative and willing to embrace more than one channel to find people where they are and get them engaged.
Best of luck as you explore the options that work best for you. For more marketing articles and tips, check out some of our additional posts!