When sales grow, do you take a break from marketing? That’s a huge mistake small businesses make when sales start to pick up. One second, everything’s booming, then a few slow months leave you scrambling for new clients.
There are lots of reasons exist why marketing often gets pushed to the side.
You don’t have to be paranoid about marketing; you can easily tailor it to your budget. And you already have a leg up on the big brands. You uniquely differentiate your products and services as a small business owner. As a result, local marketing enables your community to get to know you more. Here are some simple ways to get started.
1. Join a Chamber of Commerce
Chambers are located in all major cities and many small towns. Most of these organizations hold networking events monthly where you can pitch your services and trade referrals. Once you join, most Chambers publish a listing of your business. To promote your business in your area, you can also advertise in our exclusive member section or sponsor a Chamber event.
People reach out regularly to Chambers for recommendations on businesses. A market study by the Shapiro Group, Inc. and Market Street Services has revealed that customers are 44 percent more likely to buy from chambers of commerce than from non-members.
Chambers builds a connection between local entrepreneurs. Get to know your neighbor-entrepreneurs outside of your industry. For example, let’s say you own a hardware store. Consider working with a plumber or contractor to cross-promote services. You can join more than one Chamber to grow your network.
2. Get a Website
A website is essential for every business, regardless of how old-fashioned it is or how old its clients are. It is the go-to place for current and prospective clients. If your business is even slightly mentioned on social media or on Google, customers will want to visit your site. Like your Google listing, your site serves to advertise your business at all times.
Besides serving as a promotional tool in and of itself, a good business website tells the story of your organization and the products and services provided, provides contact information, and accurately reflects the brand’s personality and distinguishing features. Nevertheless, it is equally important for measuring and improving the success of your other promotion tactics.
Do you need a website for your business? Try our web design services today!
3. Create and Verify your Google Business Profile
Having a Google Business Profile allows your business to show up in Google Maps results, the local results list in Google Search results, and on the right-hand side of Google results when someone searches for your business. Since Google is getting better and better at catering its results to the searcher’s location, it should be a top priority to get a free listing there.
You can use your Google My Business listing to promote your business by confirming ownership of your listing through your Google My Business account, which is free. Your listing will be optimized once you have ownership to appear higher on search results for more relevant searches.
4. Implement Search Engine Optimization
SEO is meant to align your business with Google’s ranking algorithm, not yours. Optimized content is one thing, but optimization aligns it with Google’s algorithm. However, the algorithm has evolved to take into account both machine learning and user behavior to provide the most accurate and relevant results for searchers. When it comes down to it, search engine optimization is just optimizing for your customers, particularly those looking for the sort of things you have to offer.
There are many tactics that collectively improve your rank that is used in SEO. You still have a chance to show up on the first page of Google with great location-based results, which is just as good as paying thousands of dollars for a website.
As an SEO company in Spokane and many other areas in the United States, we can guarantee that it has the best long-term benefits.
5. Run Google Ads
SEO will help you get top rankings, but it usually takes weeks, even months to see any noticeable results. If you want more immediate exposure, and if you have the budget available, Google Ads are the best option. Organic and local listings appear below Google Adwords ads on search engine results pages. And Google is the most popular search engine available not only because it controls most of the search engine traffic, but also because it has a very high level of flexibility and ad building features, as well as detailed performance metrics.
Although mastering Google Adwords will require time and much trial and error, an optimized campaign will far outweigh the investment.
6. Get Online Customer Reviews
Reviews ought to have their own section because they’re so important for local businesses and small businesses.
Your website testimonials and official platforms such as Yelp, Google, or Facebook are equally as strong and powerful ways of promoting your business as word of mouth. Testimonials on your own website are great, but reviews on these platforms are the best.
7. Join Online Communities
A good way to get something done is to help others with their problems. Join communities and groups relevant to your business or industry on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit, and offer helpful advice when they have questions. Keep in mind that your profile information should include your business name as well.
You’ll cultivate lasting relationships with people whose interests and professions are relevant to yours. What goes around comes around. Don’t forget that when you’re helping one person with their query someone else may be observing you in silence.
Summing Up…
Well, these are not all. There are plenty of other ways of promoting a local business in the community. Furthermore, the way of promotion may vary from business to business. We have tried to cover the basics and common most-effective ways of letting people know about your business.
Keep an eye on our blogs and do share!