Marketing a Small Business: Advice
Running a small business can be an exciting and worthwhile challenge. However, you will have an uphill battle in front of you as it relates to marketing. The good news is that there are tools available that will help you reduce marketing costs while spreading your message to a broad audience.
Social Media Is Your Friend
Social media is something that you need to use extensively as a marketing tool. Why is this? With social media, you can develop a customer base, find investors, and talk to your customers without spending a dime. Additionally, many social media networks give you analytics tools that help you measure the success of a particular message, which can help you target your efforts more effectively.
Promotional Items Should Be Handed Out Frequently
Promotional items such as pens, pencils or mugs, complete with your corporate logo and contact information on them, should be given out freely. You can get your company and brand noticed a lot quicker this way, because everyone has a need for a pen or a pencil even if they don’t necessarily want to hear your promotional pitch. The best part is that the pen or pencil that you give out on the street could end up in a teacher’s supply closet, on the desk of a corporate office, or in the hands of a number of other people after you’ve given it out.
Simple Can Be Effective
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a flashy billboard or a primetime television advertisement. All you need to do is place inexpensive and simple ads online that tell people who you are and what you do. If you want to market offline, you can place ads on restaurant glasses or paper coasters. Using a simple marketing message allows you to place less expensive ads while still getting your point across.
Small business owners need to be budget-conscious when it comes to getting their message out. Whether you use social media, promotional items, or marketing in other establishments, the key is to connect with customers and convince them to do business with your company.
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