Once you’ve started a business, you’re probably asking yourself: “What now?” Managing a business doesn’t end with you, day 1, counting everything you’ve earned for the day. It goes on and on and on. Not only do you need to constantly deliver stellar customer service, you need to reach new customers.
Getting your business out there takes a lot of effort. If you’re strapped for cash, blatant advertising might not be the action you need to take. But if you’re a bit creative, you can spread the word without spending much.
Here are some crafty ways you can market your business to new customers.
Start a Blog
If you have a website, write about how your product, goods or service can help solve the problems they’re currently having. Content marketing can be one of the cheapest ways to market your brand. However, it’s very time- and resource-consuming, especially during the early stages of your blog. You will need to consistently churn out articles and posts that engage potential customers and, as much as possible, create deeper connections with your loyal clients. The more effective effort you exert, the better chances to spread the word about your small business.
Aim for the Visual
Sometimes people crave for the visual. What attracts them to buy a product is how visually appealing the product or the promotional materials are. Promotional merchandising aims to not just draw in customers, it wants them to recall the products. Thus, from your product’s packaging and presentation to the store’s design, the showcase layout and the pamphlets and paper bags you use, your brand must be recognizable, remarkable and memorable. When a customer walks out with your merchandise in hand, potentially, other people will be drawn towards it.
Go Local
Instead of marketing to a catchall, global audience, aim for the lowest-hanging fruit: your location. Aim for building strong business relationships with the people where your business is. Partake in community events—town festivals, shop local events, or even Small Business Saturdays. Add discounts and other promotional materials. If you know someone who’s knowledgeable in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), optimize your blog or website to be on top of the Google searches. Putting your business’s name on the map—physical or digital—can help you be recognized by the community.
Be a Bit More Social
Almost everyone in the world is connected through social media platforms via the Internet. If you want to make your business more accessible, visible and connected to potential clients and loyal customers, then you need to create a social media page for your business. With your target market in mind, pick the right social media platform for your needs. If your audience is primarily on Facebook, then it’s best to make one over there. The right mix of social media knowledge, personality and the drive to build customer relationships will help you succeed in this endeavor.
Give them Free Stuff!
The best things in life are free, so let people have free stuff. You can give something informational—whitepapers, eBooks—or even something physical (free samples, promotional materials, gift packs). Combine that with retail merchandising tactics and you can spread the word about your business further. Such giveaways can build brand awareness and create new, meaningful connections with customers.
Sometimes, the best way to market your brand to a whole lot of people takes a bit of ingenuity and fostering meaningful interactions and relationships with your customers. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to draw customers your way if the customers themselves are spreading the word, after all.
