When it comes to small businesses, marketing budgets and the scope of potential advertising might not be as big as a franchise or large business. However, it is at least equally important for a small business to market their brand successfully.
No matter how big the budget or the workforce, there are marketing solutions that can be scaled to all requirements. So, whether you have recently established your business or are a small business owner, there are some great options for marketing.
What is the purpose of marketing?
Marketing, put simply, is offering and advertising goods or services that are for sale. This can be done through market research, using this information to create the product or service, and then selling them in the most effective way.
The purpose of marketing is to create and promote brand awareness and build up a plethora of leads that can turn into sales and therefore revenue. In other words, its about getting the word out about your business and what makes you special. Here are some marketing tactics that are particularly good for small businesses.
Develop an online presence
Digital advertising is continuously growing as an industry. In fact, it is predicted that $389.29 billion dollars will be spent worldwide on digital advertising in this year alone. This means that, to compete in your chosen market, you cannot afford to miss out on online traffic.
This doesn’t have to be expensive. Social media like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and the likes are totally free. You can also ‘boost’ your posts for a small amount of cash. You could also look into blogging or employing SEO practices to develop a strong online presence.
Know what makes you different
The biggest step towards cutting through the crowd is knowing what makes you different to other businesses in your industry. This is called a unique selling point, or USP.
By embracing your USP, this can allow you to focus your advertising efforts on something, showing potential customers how your product is better than similar ones from bigger companies.
Print marketing
Though digital marketing is on the up, we should not forget about print marketing strategies. Fliers, magazines, newsletters, and booklets like those from Duplo International can be extremely effective when employed properly.
You can also pay money to take out advertisements in local village newspapers or magazines. This can allow you to reach a more local audience who might be more willing to ‘shop small’ if they are supporting a local business, especially whilst the pandemic is ongoing.
Promote a consistent brand image
Throughout it all, the best weapon in your advertising arsenal is to remain consistent across all platforms. If you use a mix of print and digital marketing, lean into that, and try and integrate your marketing campaigns.
Maybe you need to give an email address to enter a print competition, or the website could refer you to a brochure of yours. Whatever you choose to do, stay consistent and be persistent, and you will be sure to succeed.