Are you a small business owner trying to get the word out about your company? This can be easier said than done, especially because there are more than 30 million small businesses in the United States alone.
But don't get discouraged business owners. There are lots of things you can do to get the word out about your brand.
Here we will outline the 7 tips you'll need to get started with SMB marketing. Keep reading for the complete guide on how to market a small business.
Create an Elevator Pitch
We have all heard of an elevator pitch. An elevator sales pitch is basically a one-minute description of who your company is, what you do, and why you do it.
As you are trying to spread the word about your company, you need to be prepared to talk about it any time. Wherever you are, you could be standing next to your next loyal customer or strategic business partner.
Spend some time working on your elevator pitch. What are the most important things to include about your business? What do you really want people to know?
Then, you will be prepared when an opportunity comes to share about your new venture.
Enhance Your Online Business Profile
Another important tip? Control your online profile.
You can do this, of course, via your website. But that's just the beginning.
You should also take control of your profile on Google. Have you ever searched for a company and found that a rectangular box shows up in the search results with the company's name, address, phone number, and reviews?
As a business owner, you can control the information that shows up here via your Google My Business profile.
Make sure all the information is accurate. If your hours change seasonally, be sure this is updated. Keep your contact information up to date as well.
This way, customers will be able to easily connect with you.
Create a Mobile-Friendly Website
Now let's talk about your company's website.
With more and more of today's internet users accessing sites via smartphones and tablets, it's imperative that your site works well on all device types. You don't want to turn people away because of a poor mobile website experience.
To avoid this, make sure your site is responsive. This means that you create your website using specific technology that will automatically resize your site to any size device.
This way, you don't have to worry about creating custom-coded sites for all the different screens out there.
If you're a writer, check out these blog writing tips to monetize your writing skills. Strong blog content will help to drive traffic to your small business mobile-friendly website.
Advertise via Social Media
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat--the list goes on and on. Social media is bigger than ever and is here to stay.
Because of this, you should add it to your list of how to market a small business. While it's a great idea to have an organic presence on all of these platforms, you should also check out their paid advertising options.
Since these platforms have access to more customer data than most other marketing platforms, you can target your ads much more directly. For example, you can show your ads to certain groups based on gender, job type, interests, and geolocation.
So whether you're trying to sell online product, get people to visit your website, or have people sign up for an email list, consider advertising via social media.
Don't Forget About Video
Video is another great way to get the word out about your company. This is because people are consuming more and more video online. Think about it--with Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Vimeo, and many more video-based platforms, it's no surprise.
As a business owner, there's a great opportunity to use video in your marketing. And many times, you can make it in-house.
Even if you don't have a lot of experience in video creation, you can create decent videos with your iPhone. And these can feel really natural and organic when used on your website or social media.
You could make videos about your various products, create a series highlighting your main services, or explain how your company started. People love this kind of stuff.
Check out these marketing trends for more interesting tips and tricks.
Monitor Your Reputation
We briefly mentioned reviews earlier. And this is an area that you shouldn't neglect.
More and more people check out online reviews before doing business with a company. They want to hear from real customers about their experiences.
The main review platforms you need to worry about include Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Regularly check these sites to see what people are saying about you.
Another tip? Always take some time to respond to comments, both positive and negative. This will show potential customers that you're willing to take the time to engage with them.
Work on Your Email Marketing
Last but not least, email marketing is still a big deal. And it's free!
Start by growing your email list. Have a prominent call to action on your site where people can sign up for your emails. You can make it easier for people to sign up by offering a special offer, deal, or some other type of valuable information, like a weekly newsletter.
When you do this, you're gaining direct access to interested customers. It's a great scenario for any small business. Small businesses are spoilt for choice when it comes to email marketing tools on the market. Some popular examples include AcitveCampaign, Sendinblue and GetResponse. If you are interested in learning more about these tools - you can check this review of Sendinblue (as well as other) on Bengu.
How to Market a Small Business: Final Thoughts
There you have it: the 7 top tips you need about how to market a small business. Now it is time to get to work on marketing your SMB!
Want to learn more about small business and marketing? Check out the marketing and sales sections of our blog today.