Friday 19 July 2013

Online Marketing Strategies Small Businesses Can Use

Marketing
Businesses these days are more fortunate than they were 10-15 years ago, as they have use of the internet to help them. It can be useful for researching aspects of your business, looking at competitors and for advertising the services and products you offer. This can be done in a variety of ways, and the sooner that you learn how to use them, the faster your business will grow!

  • Social Media Campaigns - The social media network is a fantastic tool to use, if you know how to do it wisely and safely. It is free to set up Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages, and you can hit your target audience that will buy your products or services. You can upload images and video links to show off your products, or give links to your website, so it will prove an asset to your business. You can also use your social media site to promote interest in your e-book that you currently have on sale. You could give them a taster page to encourage them to look for more!

  • Create an e-book - With so much interest in e-books these days, it would be worth your while to write or dictate a blog, article or several pages on your business products or services to promote interest. You do not have to be an accomplished writer to do this, as there are several sites, such as E-lance or Odesk, that can ghost write your piece for you. You will not make any profit from your e-book, as you want it to be used as an advertising and information link to your website for further information for interested parties. Websites such as Amazon, will allow you to upload it free, taking a percentage of the sales for this service. Set a low price to encourage readers to buy your book, and make the first two or three pages grab their interest, in case they choose to look inside before buying.

  • Pay-Per-Click - It is also sometimes known as Cost Per Click advertising, and will be worth investing in, as the search engine will lead researchers to the paid website links first. It means that your business will appear on the first pages of searches, so people are more likely to select your business and look at your website. If you are not computer literate, then you could use a freelance web consultant/designer to help you to set up your website initially, then your social media and pay-per-click pages afterwards. It may cost initially, but with their expertise, your business will get noticed, and soon start to grow!

  • Special Offers - Supermarkets often use special offers to encourage people to buy more, and you can do the same with your business. Buy One Get One Free, (BOGOF), on products that do not always sell well. Buy 3 for the price of 2, again will help to get rid of slow selling stock. If you offer a service, rather than products, give 10% off their first booking, or if they recommend a friend who needs your business too, you could give them gift vouchers. There are numerous ways to offer something to attract customers, but once you have their custom, make sure they come back for more!

  • Video and Email Use - You can add videos on YouTube, to show prospective customers your products or services. If they see you in action, it instils confidence in people, and they are more likely to use you. If you have email addresses for clients, then send out mail shots to them all to let them know you are available to them. You can find email addresses for other businesses from company websites or business directories, to advertise your services or products to.

Make sure that you have a reliable internet provider and the correct package for your business. If you use an IT consultant, they will advise you on different options available to you. Many people shop online, and search the internet for whatever they need, so to help your small business be a success, you need strategies in place, to market it online. Plan what you want to do, set your targets, then put your strategies in to action, and be prepared for the extra interest you will get for your business!


About The Author: Ericka Bergeson is a writer and small business coach. She advises potential business owners on what type of business would suit them best and how to startup.

Did you find this article helpful? Do you have any online marketing tips to share? Please let Ericka and myself know by leaving us your valued comments in the comments section below.

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Until my next post on Monday discussing if content decides your ranking in recent Google Penguin update, have a relaxing and fun-filled weekend! See you back here on Monday!



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5 comments:

  1. Big fan for ebook and Video. I've found video to be increasingly powerful in building a big email list quickly, Putting a face to a name is super personal.

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  2. This is interesting! I enjoyed reading your great post.Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have shared here.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Social media is one of the most important techniques these days. It's effective and fast. Almost all the digital agencies are focussing on it.

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  4. Giving your small business the desired sales heights can be difficult as you start it online. This is mainly because of the high level of competition and the various expenses associated with the promotion of the product online. But the good part of online marketing for small business is that opting to go online can make the process of promotion smooth. Nowadays, more and more people are learning the benefits of using the internet and online marketing and opting for it for their small business. Some of the positive effects are it is cost effective, result oriented, obtaining unswerving support, convenience, improving credibility , viral marketing and lasting exposure.

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  5. Online marketing can provide a platform to any new business that any other marketing strategy cannot provide. It opens the huge market for small business and helps them to create a brand name for themselves. In online marketing everyday new marketing techniques develop like the newest marketing technique is video marketing. Video marketing provides a common platform for business and its customers that help the business to gain the trust of its customers.

    ReplyDelete

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