Marketing is essential for the survival of all companies, be it local business or mega corporation. Unfortunately, marketing in the former is often placed on the back burner since there are many other things for a small business owner to deal with. But don’t worry. Below we have listed the top seven tips to boost your small business marketing.

1. Learn from your rivals

As a small business, you should start by looking at what your direct competitors are doing in the area. Find out how you attract clients and, above all, what works and does not do for them. It is time to begin or revisit your competitor’s research. If you are opening a local business, such as a restaurant, competitiveness study may include visiting other locations personally to evaluate your own quality, service, aesthetics, and other variables. It’s also a good time for other local company owners to present themselves. On the contrary, you should be conducting much research online if you have an e-commerce company.

Make sure your results are documented. You can generate a graph with your rivals that will demonstrate your strengths and weaknesses. For example, you might find that you are the only restaurant in the neighbourhood that does not offer a customer loyalty program.

2. Build a strong online presence

Today’s internet presence is a significant component of advertising. You may believe that there is no advantage to your local restaurant being online, as usual, local clients. You can, on the contrary, attract fresh clients through internet presence in the region and beyond. It is essential to bear in mind that 1/3 of all mobile searches are localised and 78% of mobile searches lead to offline shopping. You want someone to find you online, whether on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram, when searching for an establishment in the region.

You already have an idea of how other companies in the region present themselves online in your competition investigation. Now dig a little deeper and ask questions like, which companies will appear in the local google search? What are often targeted keywords? What social media platforms are you using? How do they share information on the internet? Take inspiration and enhance your attempts to stand out from your rivals.

3. Gather reviews and testimonials

Online reviews are a significant part of your online presence. Comments are essential for the ranking and acquisition of fresh clients in local searches. Research indicates that 72% say favourable reviews make a local company more confident. In addition, 92% of customers say they will make use of a local company if it has a rating of at least four stars.

Positive reviews of your name are an extremely powerful instrument. So you need to collect feedback from existing customers as part of your marketing strategy. Choose from one or more platforms (e.g. Yelp, Google MyBusiness, Tripadvisor, Facebook) to which you want to guide individuals. It is essential that you actively request your clients to review on these platforms since individuals often need some encouragement to give their views. You can request this in individual, via your website and via a mobile application. Lastly, be not discouraged by adverse or mediocre reviews, these are useful insights into how your company can improve.

4. Get media coverage

You don’t have to market everything yourself. One way of having your company informed is to get local media coverage. Tell the various media outlets of your tale. Many tiny companies have deeply rooted narratives, which help them create a story that demonstrates who they are and what their task is. You would like to add incredible visuals to this excellent tale. Professional pictures will assist you to feature in news stories–for your social media profiles you can repurpose those pictures too! You can also take samples of your item, depending on your sector. The most significant thing, in order to ensure your time in the light, is to create a memorable link with several authors and reporters.

5. Make your customers say WOW

You don’t have to do all your advertising, transform your best customers into brand representatives who market for you. Word-of-mouth is ten times more efficient than traditional marketing. So how does word-of-mouth marketing come into being? You must meet the expectations of your clients!

It seems that every successful tiny company has an competitive edge. You need to discover a way to differentiate yourself, maybe it is sending them a handwritten postcard or giving them a unique offer to buy. You may have a lifetime warranty or you can understand by name all your clients. Think of the most creative way to surprise your clients and they will not only become loyal customers, but they will also spread the word for you.

6. Establishing an email list 

According to eMarketer, 80% of retailers in Small and Midsize Business (SMB) Report that email marketing is the best marketing method for buying and retaining customers. Email marketing is an excellent way for your clients to have a permanent connection. However, you need to construct a significant mailing list first to take complete advantage of e-mail marketing.

Start with the establishment of a lead magnet. Lead magnets are fundamentally attractive offers offered in return for contact data which provide customers with some value. This might include a request to register for a VIP loyalty program for local companies or sign up for an email list for unique discounts.

You can develop an email marketing plan once you have an email list. Decide which kinds of messages you want to send, from newsletters and business news to promotions and suggested purchases. The kinds of e-mail messages rely on your objective of brand recognition, increased retention of customers or increased sales.

 7. Add an app to your portfolio 

An app isn’t just a mobile app, it’s a full mobile commercialisation solution. If used in the correct manner, it is a strong marketing tool. By providing a mobile ordering or a loyalty program, you can use an app to attract fresh clients. With promotions and news about your company, you can re-engage current clients. You can begin constructing your e-mail list by setting up a lead capture form in the app. Furthermore, an app can assist you to review so that you can invite clients to share their thoughts about social media, make internet feedback or submit a reference.

If you want to be even more creative, with an app launch party, you can pull out all the stops. In turn, this will spark word-of-mouth and attract more individuals to your company.

 Conclusion

All these marketing policies can contribute to the acquisition and growth of fresh clients by SMEs. Work together to distinguish your company from the crowd: to add a “WOW factor” to your company. The favourable reviews can trigger and reinforce your internet presence in turn. You can use a fresh app to create an e-mail list, get your press coverage locally, etc. These are simple and accessible methods to boost your small business marketing.