Cost-effective Marketing for Small Business and Firms

marketing for small business
Remember when billboards, milk cartons and bus stop ads were the only ways for a small business to get noticed? Then came the internet, and small businesses had seemingly found an easy way to reach potential clients. However, these days your site is likely to get lost in the shuffle. SEO (search engine optimization) changes every day, and it is a complicated and expensive challenge with no guarantee of success. Not to worry.

There are still many ways you can get your name (or your web address) in front of the public:

1. Identify your audience

Maybe you can sell ice cream in Alaska, but that doesn’t mean you should. If your business caters to local residents then you probably should build a strong local web presence. A web site is practically a necessity these days, but getting it listed in Zimbabwe probably isn’t required. Likewise if your service has worldwide appeal, you can’t limit your audience to a few dozen people. Ask yourself who your clients are: younger or older; wealthy or middle-class; male or female; active or retired. Are they college grads, skateboarders, game players, or all of the above? Knowing your audience is the first step in creating a marketing plan.

2. Know your budget

Decide how much you can afford to spend on marketing before building an expensive web site or hiring a marketing expert. Your marketing doesn’t have to break the bank to be effective, but having the numbers handy is the only way to get the most for your marketing dollar.

3. Develop a marketing strategy

Armed with a firm knowledge of your audience and your budget, decide how to get your message in front of your customers. Some forms of advertising such as television and radio ads require a continuous investment, but brochures, business cards and flyers only cost you when you need to print more of them. Mass mailings are an effective idea, but placing your business cards and brochures on the counter of a local business is free. Avoid any strategy that involves a long-term commitment without prior successful testing. There’s no point in committing to a year’s worth of television ads if it isn't working for you.

4. Continually evaluate your plan

Once your marketing materials have been out there for a while, decide if they’re effective. If not, ramp them up or modify them. Much of your success will depend on the placement of your ads, flyers or brochures, so before tossing them out, try a different approach. Re-design them if they’re ineffective, or try placing them in a new location. This can be very effective, because most of us stop seeing things that we’re familiar with. After examining the pros and cons, decide if they’re going to work at all. If not, don’t be afraid to abandon them in favor of something else.

5. Make a few friends

Networking is often overlooked as part of a marketing plan. Naturally you’re going to tell your friends and family about your business, but getting out and shaking a few hands is still a good way to gain new customers. Be creative and try to choose an appropriate location for this. Trade shows and conventions are great ways to do this. Don’t forget that others in your field may be swamped with work, and might be seeking to refer some of their customers to you. Offer to return the favor when the time is right.

6. Finally, be your own customer

There’s no insight like the view from the other side of the counter. Ask yourself honestly why people do or don’t frequent your business. It may be something as simple as providing a coffee machine in your lobby. Ask your customers and listen to them. They might be the best reference of all. These are just a few of the actions you should be taking to build your business, but you are not alone in completing them. Enroll your office staff and leverage your employees to help you build a solid firm. We can plan an advisory role for you when it comes to building out your online presence and driving in new leads and clients to your firm. Reach out to us today for a free initial consultation and review of your current marketing practices.

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