There are many ways to get your small business noticed and grow your audience using both online and traditional offline marketing strategies.
However, the specific strategies you choose will depend greatly on your audience, location, business, clientele, and budget.
Based on that, here are 5 tried-and-tested ways to get your business noticed.
1. Social media marketing
Social media marketing can be an extremely cost-effective way to grow your audience and boost your brand visibility. The key is to find which social media channel best works for you and concentrate on just one or two at the beginning so you don’t get overwhelmed. Each social media channel works differently, and you’ll need to choose the one that best suits your business and where your ideal clients are most likely to hang out, resonate with, and act on your content.
All social media channels have a bio section where people can find out more, so the first place to start is by optimizing your profile. You can include your visual brand assets here, such as your logo and branding, and add what you do and who you help. You can also usually add links to your website and other marketing materials, such as your email newsletter with a call to action for visitors to subscribe to it. You’ll want to ensure your written profile is as compelling as possible, as this is where people will go once they’ve read your captivating social media post to find out more about you and your business.
In addition to sharing quality content relevant to your audience and driving organic traffic to your website, genuinely engaging with other social media accounts—especially your audience—is an effective way to grow your following, give people a feel for your brand, and showcase your expertise where relevant. It’s also a great learning opportunity, a way toa forge mutually beneficial business relationships, and a way to make new friends.
The key is to stand out, provide useful and valuable content, and be original and helpful. Once you’ve grown an organic audience and have the budget, you might want to consider paid advertising.
2. Make the most of all your brand assets
In addition to your SEO-optimized website and social media channels, make the most of your visual branding in all your communications. From your initial quotation to your client agreements to your invoices, your logo, brand colors, and messaging will go a long way to making your brand more visible. By paying attention to small details like this, clients will view you as professional and trustworthy.
Another way to stand out is to make use of direct mail marketing opportunities. Many businesses nowadays rely on their online presence, but direct mailing or local leafleting is still an effective marketing strategy.
Naturally, branding is about more than just your logo, brand colors, and font. It also includes your brand voice and messaging, how you go about your business, who you serve, and your ways of working. These all count in bringing your brand to life. So make sure that all business processes and dealings with others give off the same memorable brand vibe and identity.
3. Collaborate with other businesses
A good way to get your brand in front of other audiences is to collaborate with other businesses or individuals in your industry, niche, or location who have a complementary product or service. It’s even better if it’s a well-known brand with a larger audience.
There are many ways you can do this. You could run a joint online challenge or competition, promote a discount, or create joint products or bundles—anything is possible.
You can also cross-promote each other’s businesses via your email newsletters. So you mention them on your email list in exchange for a shout-out on theirs.
If they have a podcast, could you be a guest? Being a guest on a podcast is an excellent way to tell your story and get your brand exposed to those who might otherwise not know about you and what your business does.
You could even consider hosting one yourself.
Collaborating with other businesses is a great way to build trust, enhance business relationships and win new clients.
4. Collect and share reviews and testimonials
One great way of getting your name out there is to encourage customer reviews and client testimonials. You can then share these on your website and social media channels and add them to your marketing materials.
Ensure you are listed in local listings such as Google Business Profile and that all information is up to date. This way, people can easily find you when searching for local businesses near them. It’s also a good place to show off your products and services and respond to your 5-star reviews!
Testimonials and reviews are excellent social proof for anyone inquiring about your product or services. Most people want to read a review or testimonial before hiring you or buying your products. You can never have enough good reviews or testimonials.
5. Network and attend events
Attending local events and networking is a great way to promote your business in your local community. Bring along your branded business cards and meet like-minded people who are in the spirit of collaborating, problem-solving and business building. These events are also great for learning about all the latest industry trends and opportunities. The same goes for trade shows and expos.
You could even consider hosting a local event yourself – or running a joint event with another business.
And don’t just stick to offline events – there are also virtual events you can attend that can lead to opportunities and collaborations. But if you don’t go – you won’t know.
Taking just an hour a day out of your working week to meet others, build trust, and learn about their businesses while promoting your own could be one of the most profitable actions you take.
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Generally speaking, success in anything is not going to happen overnight. The key is to show up, be consistent, and once you get good results, double down on what works.
We hope you found this article helpful. You might also want to check out our small business and freelance-friendly blog, which covers heaps of other helpful tips for freelancers and small businesses.
And you can try Invoice Ninja for free at the link here.
