Marketing your business is easier said than done. The market is extremely competitive, and to get ahead of the rest, you’ll need to understand the fundamentals of marketing that will help you reach your target audience. With so many advertising campaigns and marketing plans out there, how do you figure out which campaigns work best for your business in a cost-effective way?
Trial and error is an expensive method of testing out marketing campaigns, and if you’re operating a small business, you may not have access to the statistical and research tools that you need to assess the market.
The best way for you to help your business grow is to keep with timeless, classic business promotion techniques that have been proven to be effective in driving your sales up. Focus on one aspect of your marketing campaign at a time, and bring continuous growth to your company!
1. Promotional products
Promotional products have always been a staple in business advertising. We see promotional products everywhere: from toys in cereal boxes to free samples in the mall. Promotional products give potential customers the opportunity to try out your products before buying them, getting more consumers to favor your brand.
Additionally, promotional products also ingrain your logo and branding into the minds of consumers. Practical promotional giveaways have a 70% chance of getting consumers to remember your brand, so going with practical freebie options is always a good idea.
When looking to customize promotional items for your company, portable and practical is the key. Bottled water presents an essential and convenient walking billboard that gets consumers to remember your business through promotions! Head over to myownwater.com for more information on how you can utilize bottled water for your business!
2. Holiday discounts and sales promotions
Holidays, special occasions, and events put consumers in festive moods. Join in on the festivities by providing special discounts or sales promotions on your products or services during the holiday season.
Even unofficial holidays like Pancake Day or Earth Day are reasons for special promotions as long as they are relevant to the nature of your business. A cafe can host special events on World Coffee Day, while a gardening business may participate in Earth Day with special promotions on their sustainable items.
3. Local advertising
For small businesses, going local is your first crucial step in getting to grow your business. Look around you – what do your consumers have to say about your business? Take feedback into account, and use them to your advantage by starting your growth locally.
Take out advertising space in your local area, or collaborate with a local personality to root your business to the area. From there, you can continue to grow your business, but in the meantime, focus on the needs and necessities of your local target market. Each area is different, and local businesses need to utilize their ready audience by catering to what locals need.
4. Sponsored ads
Sponsored ads in social media sites and search engines may not seem like they do much to bring sales to your business, but with the right content, sponsored ads may prove to be worth the cost in returns. Sponsored ads are those promotions that you typically scroll past on your newsfeed, but this is how your business can reach a wider audience at a small cost.
Sponsored ad space is considered an inexpensive way to grow your business, as most sites like Facebook and Google charge only a small fee for putting up a promotion on one of their ad spaces. You’ll get more people to see your business, bringing brand awareness that could potentially translate into sales.
5. Brand collaborations
Collaborating with personalities and brands isn’t a new idea, but is a classic way of gaining the trust of your consumers. Consumers tend to trust a review from one of their known celebrities, influencers, or brands that they can relate to, and collaborating with these parties is one way of getting your business out there.
However, brand collaborations still need to be strategic. Not all brands will benefit from a collaboration, so always go with appropriate and relevant collaborations to make the most out of a partnership. Go for micro-influencers who share the same core values as your business, or partner with a local artist on background music, cover art, or product designs!
