When you manage a small business, you need to spread the word to attract clients. Marketing is critical to your business’s success, and it encompasses a variety of different activities. From digital ads to customer service, every component of your shop that your customers see helps them decide whether or not to buy from you.
While marketing techniques incur varying degrees of expense, this does not mean they have to be extravagant. Certain critical concepts must be implemented by small organizations. Whether you’re just getting started or looking for some refresher ideas, we’ve compiled a list of simple marketing techniques to help you see results from your campaigns.
Make Use of Free Resources
There are numerous free tools available to help you with the marketing process. Adobe Spark, a free design tool, enables you to quickly create visuals for use on free sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Social media platforms are ideal for mass marketing and one-to-one communication. If you’re conducting a discount or campaign, using a striking image to promote it on social media can help you attract both existing and new customers. Why not promote your posts via your platform’s advertising function for a tiny additional fee? You can select your budget and objectives, putting you in complete control. You can also seek assistance from an agency that provides effective social media management services.
Creating a recognizable presence is another effective marketing tactic. Commenting on posts – both about your business and about general issues – and liking photos that your customers have tagged you in is an excellent way to communicate with them even when they aren’t physically present. Additionally, customers want to be recognized and acknowledged for their assistance.
Organize a Raffle or a Competition
Hosting a contest or competition on social media can be a low-cost approach to generate a lot of interest. Your gifts do not have to be costly – you may simply offer one or two complementary products or services. It’s more than enough to excite potential buyers’ interest. Your rules, such as sharing to their profile or tagging friends, will also help spread the word to a much larger audience. You may gain numerous new clients for the cost of a few complimentary products and a few minutes of your time.
Establish a Loyalty Program
For small businesses, establishing a customer loyalty programme is an excellent marketing tactic. Not only does it aid in client retention, but it also enables the collection of vital consumer data, allowing you to identify areas where your business may be failing. Additionally, you can use the data to influence purchasing behaviour. Customer retention is critical for small businesses because it is five times less expensive than acquiring a new customer. Small merchants say that repeat customers account for between 70% and 80% of their sales, and the likelihood of selling to an existing client is much higher.
There are numerous sorts of loyalty programmes available based on the nature of your business, but all programmes can assist you in achieving high client retention rates. Additionally, with data reports readily accessible within your loyalty system, you may immediately access a variety of information with a single click.
Establish relationships with customers.
Customer retention is ultimately determined by your ability to develop great relationships with your customers. From the moment consumers become aware of your products or services through their post-purchase experience, you must ensure that they receive the highest possible quality of service. The customer loyalty ladder idea applies to all types of customers at various phases of their relationship with your organization.
It is critical to move each customer up the ladder as rapidly as possible, as this ensures that your connection will be considerably more durable in the event of a terrible encounter. The loyalty ladder is composed of multiple distinct rungs and three distinct thresholds, each with its own set of ramifications. It is critical to apply the principle while developing retention techniques since it can assist you in sustaining a lifelong relationship. Having a loyalty programme in place can also assist you in moving clients quickly through each step.
Boost Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are an easy-to-manage marketing tool. This can be done on your website or through a third-party review platform, and it will assist potential buyers in completing their purchasing journey. You can invest as much money as you like, but it’s critical to only build legitimate reviews. If you own an e-commerce firm and want to minimize the possibility of false reviews, set up a service that sends requests only to customers who have placed an order with you. Additionally, it is critical to respond to the reviews your firm receives.
According to research, 53% of customers want businesses to respond to negative reviews within a week, while 63% have never gotten a response. While it may be tempting to brush off a negative review and move on, it is critical to craft a well-worded answer, as it could be the difference between a potential customer purchasing with you. Consumers believe they are more likely to visit a company that responds to negative reviews.