Over the past 7 years of running my own business, I spent most of my time building and maintaining my profile and reputation. Year by year, I have had over hundreds of marketing exposure.
A good profile is your most valuable asset, especially for home business owners. This is not something that you can buy, instead you earn it by honoring your promises. So if you already have a certain status in your profession, make use of your reputation and build the business. If you have yet to build a status, volunteer to help out in a network where you can find potential partners and customers. It is true that the more titles you gain, the higher your credibility will be in today’s society.
Are you already on Social Media?
So what’s the best way to market your company? There are so many ways of doing this, but the best way to get the engine going is by doing things that you are familiar with. Social media may be one of them. In a time when Pope Benedict has also made use of Twitter to promote the church, you should seriously consider creating a professional presence on social media. Use Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Google+ and other networks you can think of which may be relevant. There are many automation tools that can save you a lot of time by allowing you to post updates in one network and have those updates automatically posted to the rest. You can also hire someone to take charge of social media for you; younger generations are quick with it as they were born in an era of social media so creating profiles and posting updates is second nature to them.
Do you have enough marketing?
Without adequate marketing, no matter how good your product or service is, your business will fail. That is, if people don’t know who and where you are, they cannot find you, and you cannot do business with them. We can again use McDonald’s to illustrate this. Ask yourself: Can I make a better burger than McDonald’s? For most people, the answer is yes. The next question is: Then why does McDonald’s sell more burgers than me? The answer: Marketing. McDonald’s sells more burgers than anyone else because of an aggressive marketing plan. Everyone knows who they are, what they look like and where to find them. You may be thinking: But I don’t have a marketing budget of millions of dollars like McDonald’s. That may be true, but it is simpler today for small businesses to implement “big business” marketing strategies by harnessing the power of the
internet.
Sell to everyone or Targeted audience only?
Also remember that you cannot sell to everyone. Define your market early so that you don’t end up trying to accommodate clients who don’t fit into your business model later. This will save you time and money. There are more than enough fish in the sea, you need the ones that are actively interested in and looking for what you have to offer. When defining your market, draw up a profile for the perfect client. Include things like: budget (and income), social status, age, demographics, and interests.
What to tell to the Media?
Additionally, you can approach media or product reviewers and bloggers (who can reach out to your targeted audience) by inviting them to try out your product/service. What an independent party says is worth more than thousand words that you can say about yourself. It only takes one person to make a difference so follow up is key.
What to tell? The product features and the associated benefits. Keep your advertising and sales messages consistent across different media. By doing this consistently and regularly, people will remember what you sell and the benefits of it.
Shoestring Budget?
Have a shoestring Budget? Just be creative as there are many people like you waiting to get to know each other so that you can barter, trade a banner, cross sell, or share the cost, etc. Dare to ask around!
When you post an advertisement, help readers to visualize what you are, what you do, and why they should come to you. We’re living in a “time sensitive” generation, so when they come to you, make sure you respond quickly. Drop them a quick reply whenever you receive an enquiry, and get back as soon as you can. Show them that you care about them and make it as easy as you can for people to do business with you. This is how to build your good will and your business.
”As marketers, we should be changing the mantra from always be closing to always be caring.” – Jonathan Lister
