Small businesses have always played an important role in the economy. While there has been a rise in the success of small businesses, it can still be difficult to market effectively, even with most individuals using the internet to seek out products and services they need. As a small business owner, you want to stand out from your competitors. Old marketing strategies just won’t cut it anymore. Here are some of the latest marketing trends for small businesses.
Content Marketing
Traditional marketing tactics, including television and radio ads, are quickly becoming less and less effective. Even paid advertisements are losing their effectiveness as over 200 million people currently have ad blockers installed on their computers. Content marketing is a very different approach. Rather than trying to reach out to a wide audience in hopes of finding potentially interested clients, content marketing lets your customers come to you. The focus of this tactic is created consistent, useful, valuable information that helps your potential customers with specific problems. This includes blog posts and even emails.
Anna McHenry Director of SEO at McKremie explains, “Content marketing is the marriage of great content, social media, and search engine optimization. When a good piece of content earns some natural links the traffic that the search engines give can really spike.”
Video Content and Livestreaming
Video content is becoming huge, especially now that people can watch videos from their smartphones no matter where they are. The possibilities for video content are practically endless. You can create tutorials on how to use your products and have your customer’s record actual testimonials. Then you can post the videos to your website so that your potential clients can get a much better idea of what you’re all about. While they get to know your products or services, they also get to know you.
In addition to video content, you can also livestream to different platforms, including social media. Livestreams allow you to actually interact with your clients, answering questions that they might have or responding to suggestions. You can have sessions like these or you can use livestreaming to give a tour, introduce other key members of your team, or broadcast a special event. Not only is this a modern way to reach your clients, it allows you to connect with those clients on a much more personal level.
Using Social Media
Most businesses these days have a presence on at least one social media platform, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Many businesses can be found on multiple platforms. It’s more than just being on social media, however. You actually have to post regular updates with informative, valuable information and communicate with your followers. With regular updates, you reward your followers with relevant content that they want to see.
Trade Shows
While the internet is huge in marketing your small business, there’s still plenty of value in marketing offline as well. One of the ways in which you can do this is by attending vendor trade shows. These types of shows offer you with a unique opportunity to grab the attention of new clients and actually meet with them personally. It’s not just about having a booth, however. Utilize your space so that you stand out. One way that you can attract more potential clients is with games and handing out merchandise as rewards. These shows are also a great way for you to see in what ways you’re excelling and in what ways you can improve in order to reach more clients. If you can’t afford a booth on your own, see if you can find another small business who sells compatible products and split the cost. You can both help each other to reach new clients.
Bringing Back the Business Card
Never underestimate the power of a business card. It’s always a good idea to have a stack with you, even if you’re just out running errands. An effective business card is about more than just the contact details printed on it. Just looking at your business card can help potential customers form an opinion of your brand. The more creative you are, the more effective your business cards can be.
The future of successful small businesses lies in marketing that creates an authentic, personalized experience for customers that allows them to be engaged with your business, both online and off. With the right marketing strategies, you will be able to engage with your customers, reach new ones, and grow your business.
