Authored by Phil Cohen
Five Bits of Marketing Advice for Small Businesses
The first step to turning a profit and expanding your small business is to getting people to know about your company. Here are 5 tips for getting your name out there:
- Prepare for the Coming Changes on Facebook. Every month, over 1.35 billion people (almost 20% of the world’s population) log on to Facebook. To put that staggering statistic into perspective, Facebook has more users than China has people. Needless to say, it is pretty important to make sure your company has an effective marketing strategy that targets Facebook users in your region. Be sure to follow Facebook’s “Page Posting Tips” before you think about releasing your latest ad or status.
- Make a Marketing Budget. It doesn’t really matter how much money you have to throw at advertising and marketing, but it does matter how you spend it. It is good practice to apportion specific funds for each mode of marketing, from the internet to the radio. There are a lot of ways your company can take advantage of free marketing tactics as well; craft holiday-themed social media posts, use Google My Business and send out monthly e-newsletters.
- Know How to Find Who’s Tweeting About You. One mistake that small businesses make regarding Twitter is that they only are looking for people who tweet directly at them via their handle (the “@” name that your account has). Most people do not know that a great number of tweets that deal with your company won’t actually be directed to you, but rather about you. For instance, if your company’s handle is @SamsDryCleaning, people who are tweeting about you are more likely to just mention your company’s name, Sam’s Dry Cleaning, instead of officially tagging your business’s account in the tweet. Social media management tools like Topsy.com can help you sort through the tweets about your small business. Just be sure to check Twitter regularly, so you can respond to all posts, good and bad.
- Be an Open Book. When advertising, make sure that you do your best to give the public a real, inside look at how your business operates. Costumers are more likely to choose your organization if they feel as if they know who they are doing business with. When you post on social networking sites, be sure that you include photos of your office/workplace, employees, and special functions in which your company participates.
- Engage the Community. In today’s marketplace, it is crucial that you are always acting in a way that positively represents your business, especially within the public eye. Take the time to determine your target audience, and find ways to get involved with their communities when the opportunity presents itself, whether that is sponsoring a blood drive, local parade, or a golf outing.
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