Running a business takes a lot of time and effort, and there are so many different factors that go into making it a success. Marketing is something that people often think is simple, but soon find out that it’s a lot harder than they anticipated. Good marketing can really catapult your company to success, just as bad marketing can cause you to remain unknown (or known for all the wrong reasons). So, if you’re wanting to make your business marketing as effective as possible, keep reading and discover our 6 top tips!
- Brand Your Packaging
You may not realise it, but packaging is a great way to successfully market your business. Try updating your shipping packaging to custom mailing bags as these are a fantastic way to get your name out there. Not only will the customer see it, but everyone who handles the package will too. Think how many people’s hands your package will pass through, and that’s how many people will have the chance to find out about your business. You want your packaging to stand out from the crowd, so adorn it with your logo or official colours and you’ll soon notice an increase in customers.
- Focus On Content
Even if you don’t like to use social media in your personal life, you really should be using it for your business. Social media is a fantastic way to promote your business, and most of the time it’s free or very cheap to do so. Content is what people love to look at nowadays. People don’t really bother reading emails and would instead prefer to see a video of your new products on TikTok. This may be a little out of your comfort zone, so why not enlist the help of the experts. Having regular, up to date content that’s on trend will do wonders for your business brand awareness, so make sure you hop onto social media.
- Check Out the Competition
While you may not want to focus on what other businesses are doing constantly, it’s always a good idea to check out what your competitors are up to. You might be able to spot something that they’re doing that isn’t working and avoid it in your business. Alternatively, you might see what their marketing team are doing and think how you could do it even better. You shouldn’t always think of competition as a bad thing. Instead, think about it as a motivator and a source of inspiration for bettering your own business. Take a look at the biggest supermarkets in the UK. They all namedrop each other in their marketing campaigns to try and one-up the other. Not that you have to do something on this scale, but it just shows how being aware of the competition can work to your advantage.
- Don’t Underestimate the Old Fashioned Methods
Although there are lots of new fangled ways of marketing, don’t underestimate the power of the old fashioned tricks. Leaflets through doors and flyers in coffee shops can be more effective than you think! Even though emails might not be as popular anymore, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them. Marketing emails can be highly successful if they’re done right. Try not to spam your customers and only email them when it’s important. Things like sales or new products are ideal and are the type of marketing email that people will actually pay attention to. Other methods that you may think are outdated like blogging can in fact be great tools to utilise. Don’t let the face of modern technology put you off of tried and tested methods that have always worked and continue to do so.
- Organise and Attend Networking Events
Networking is super important for any business, but it’s especially vital for marketing. Networking events give you the opportunity to get your name out there into your chosen market and see what other’s in the industry are doing. Networking events can include customers as well, so it’s fantastic for any business that sets up a stall there. You want to interact with potential customers and get their opinions on your business so you can make any necessary changes. You could even then use emails afterwards to get their full, undisclosed opinion so you can really see if your approach is working. Creating this type of relationship with your customers is the best way to build loyalty, and loyalty breeds new customers through word of mouth. So, don’t overlook networking as a great way to market your brand.
- Utilise Social Media Influencers
Another good social media tip is to utilise influencers to help promote your brand. Here is how to find micro influencers. They don’t have to be accounts will millions of followers either. You’re much better off going for someone who’s got less followers, but it popular within your niche industry. This means they’ll have access to your target audience, so they’re way better to use than someone with loads of followers. Ask them if they’ll do sponsored or partnered ads with your brand, as they’ll then post about your business to their followers. This is such an easy way of reaching new customers that will more than likely be interested in your brand. If you’re a sports clothing business, then take a look at some fitness influencers and see if you can work with them. You’ll be massively surprised at how well your brand will do when you partner with the right people.
Marketing can be tough, especially in this day and age where everyone has access to social media. However, it’s all about making the right connections and standing out from the crowd. Which, once you know how is very easy to do. These 6 tips will get your brand on the right path to having successful marketing, and before you know it, you’ll have so many new customers you won’t know what to do!
