Technological innovations have opened up new ways and places for businesses to market themselves. The challenge however has been in deciding which marketing strategy to adapt for startups as well as mid-sized companies due to their small budget.
Digital advertising is just as expensive as the traditional print advertising method. Marketing through social media has proven to be quite time consuming. So which marketing methods should startups go for?
The following strategies are worth investing your time and effort to take your business to the next level:
1. Social media marketing.
Leveraging on social media can be a powerful marketing strategy. It can get overwhelming when it comes to managing the different accounts. The best way to go about this is by identifying the networks your startup will benefit the most from then trying out with one or two networks to post content that followers are likely to share. Having less accounts when starting out helps you to be active in responding to the replies on time. The recommended approach is by starting with the mostly used networks such as; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and YouTube. Remember to highlight the benefits that your products or service offers.
2. Keep your website updated.
Create words that are suitable to your business and the products you offer. Stay relevant in the online domain by doing a SEO research on your keywords for it promotes visibility in search engine results. The good thing about SEO is that it has the dramatic effect of drawing potential customers checking out your website.
3. Network with bloggers.
Grow your online network by having bloggers sharing your brand and amplify your business. Find out bloggers with a huge following who can relate to your products and persuade them to have your product on their blog. One of the ways to get their attention would be by following them on social media networks, sharing their content with friends then engage them. Once you engage them, you can be specific on why you love their blog and then explain why you feel your product would be good for a review on their blog. Present a free sample of your product and also offer to provide a giveaway sample for a reader if you can afford it. This will be a win-win scenario for everyone. You will get a review and a reader will have a free sample.
4. Regularly provide offers.
Offers are not only used to reward a customer but also to lure in new customers, promote repeat sales and also get former customers coming back. These offers can be in the form of discounts, deals and free promo codes. They can be a real bonus to a customer as the business can offer free shipping or a percentage off on goods sold.
A good promo code should be beneficial to both the shopper and the business. To promote customer loyalty, making your promo code presentable is important. To do so you will need to make it easy to remember, calculate and apply.
5. Link up with other local business owners.
Find out who the other local business owners in your area are and introduce yourself. Engage with them and see whether they would be willing to put flyers for your business in their premises. Be sure to do the same for them. For startups that are only in the online arena, find out if there are businesses that sell their goods at local events or even festivals. Then, check if they would allow you to put flyers on their table and do the same for them on your website.
