Before the Internet came along and changed human behavior
forever, small business marketing was pretty
straightforward. An entrepreneur had merely to focus his
or her efforts on offline marketing strategies to maximize
returns.
With the introduction of the Internet, however,
entrepreneurs have now been presented with a piece of
technology that has already begun to revolutionize the way
businesses market and sell their products and services. It
has become the quintessential medium for entrepreneurs to
gain better competitive advantage and stronger economic
footing in their marketplace.
As exciting as the Internet is for entrepreneurs, however,
it inevitably poses a new set of challenges for small
businesses, specifically in marketing. So, if you're a tad
bit confused about creating your marketing strategy to fit
today's global marketplace, then here are 7 small business
marketing strategies that you and every other entrepreneur
should know about:
1. Start A Blog
You know a marketing strategy is working extremely well if
Microsoft is using it. The revolution of the Internet made
websites mandatory for any business seeking an online
presence, but the evolution of the Internet has made it
mandatory for entrepreneurs to start blogging. There's a
lot that should be said about blogging, but in a nutshell,
it is a distributed media that entrepreneurs create and
relinquish control to their audience (prospects and
customers) to establish a long-lasting customer
relationship.
Blogs are probably the quickest way to create awareness and
draw attention to your business, building trust with your
prospects and removing perceived risk by tearing down
communication barriers. It puts a human face to your
business, illuminating an element of business transparency
your customers can easily identify with.
2. Network Online And Offline
Networking is seldom referred to as a marketing strategy
and those who undervalue its potential to grow a business
couldn't be more wrong. The proof of this is in the
popularity of social networking sites like MySpace.com and
Facebook.com. So popular are these digital networking
sites in today's Web 2.0 era that there is practically a
site created around every interest imaginable.
Networking sites like Ryze.com and LinkedIn.com are
specifically centered on like-minded small-business
entrepreneurs like you and are perfect platforms for
seeking out new business opportunities and partnerships.
Let's not forget the traditional methods of networking as
well, such as attending seminars and business events which,
although outshone by the current frenzy of online social
networks, still play a huge role in carving out big chunks
of business opportunities.
3. Branding
Let's face it, growing a business is easy if you know how,
but giving your business a unique identity amidst all the
competition in your market is tough. Here's where branding
can lend a helping hand, personifying your business by
leveraging on brand awareness to build stronger
relationships with your customers.
Ideally, your brand should influence every aspect of your
business operation because the successful brands of today
will be those capable of producing customer-centric
business models consistently.
4. Targeted Traffic
Getting traffic to your business is obviously a must for
survival. No business can survive without traffic, whether
it be online or offline. But the key to outsmarting your
competitors is attracting targeted traffic, which pose a
much higher chance of converting to paying customers.
Attracting targeted online traffic is a much faster and
more cost-effective way of growing a small business and can
be achieved by utilizing strategies such as search engine
optimization, buying traffic (using PPC, CPA, or banners),
recommending affiliate programs and syndicating content.
5. PR
Want to spark a buying frenzy for your products or services
in a flash? Then, nothing comes quite as close as landing
a press coverage about your business or about your success
as an entrepreneur. Yes, advertising in papers or
magazines has its perks, but consumers know that these can
be biased. Gaining publicity via a news release, on the
other hand, lends huge credibility to your business and
should only serve to boost your sales for the long term.
6. Writing Articles
The Internet has made it extremely easy for anyone to
establish themselves as an author and information
publisher. Take advantage of this by writing articles
promoting your business. Why? Because as an entrepreneur,
writing articles makes you an authority in the eyes of your
customers, a marketing strategy often used by CEOs of
Fortune 500s to garner a following of pre-sold prospects
for easy sales.
7. Public Speaking
Probably the hardest strategy for the publicity shy, but
speaking to promote your business is a critical marketing
strategy. Communication experts list speaking and writing
as the two most important skills to develop as an
entrepreneur due to the instant recognition that these
skills contribute to your business.
Small businesses experiencing a growth spurt on the
Internet can be attributed to one common factor: a
successful marriage of both online and offline marketing
strategies. So put these 7 marketing strategies into
practice and watch your business takeoff from a whole new
level.
----------------------------------------------------
Robert Moment is an innovative small business coach ,
speaker and author. Robert specializes in teaching
entrepreneur how to start a small business that profits and
grow. Visit http://www.howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com and
sign-up for the FREE Small Business Coaching 7 day e-course.
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