Every business owner needs to market their business. If you are a startup, choosing a suitable and affordable method can seem overwhelming, especially if a tight budget limits you. If you make a wrong choice, it can be like throwing money down the drain. Pick the right medium, however, and you will see the benefits before too long.
So how do you choose the right approach? These tips should help.
Sell the Benefit
People are tired of seeing a list of product or service features. It doesn’t engage them. But, if you tell them how it can benefit them or solve a problem that they face, they will be all ears. Let them know how your business can save them time, money, or energy, and you will have clients lining up to work with or purchase from you.
Don’t Compare Your Busines to the Competition.
Your customers or clients don’t care what your competitor can do. They don’t need you to tell them explicitly that you are cheaper, that your quality is better, or that you have better value. They want to know how you can help them. If you have the product or service that they are after, nothing else matters.
Speak to Your Ideal Customer
Market with your customer in mind and avoid the urge to harp on about how great your product is. Listen to what they want and then respond accordingly. Speak in a tone that they can relate to – make them feel as if you are communicating to them directly.
Build the Hype
Wouldn’t it be great if you had a ready audience of people wanting to buy your product before it launched! With some effective marketing, you can generate a frenzy and create excitement for a product before it is released. Then, on the launch date, people will be lining up to secure their purchase.
Don’t Spend The Earth.
The internet provides many excellent opportunities for small businesses to compete on the same stage as the big players. Some platforms or options don’t require you to spend a cent. Among these options are engaging social media influencers from your target market to promote your products, posting videos on your social media, or offering up a guest blog to relevant websites. And, of course, where you can, do everything you can to encourage word of mouth referrals.
Make Sure You Can Measure It
When you have a limited marketing budget, you need to invest wisely and get bang for your buck. Choose a platform that you can monitor and analyse the return on your investment. Most online options allow you to view engagement and click-through rates and resulting sales.
Engage With Your Customers
Give your customers a place to reach you. Social media is a place for this. Allow them to give their feedback, both good and bad, and give yourself a public forum to respond. Let them see the face behind the business; this will give them the confidence to buy from you and make them feel as if they involved in your company’s story.
With all the other facets of getting a startup off the ground, marketing your business can seem like a daunting task. But, as we’ve proved above, there are some simple hacks to get you going. With a bit of luck, your efforts will translate into sales, which will create revenue for your business that you can pour back into marketing!