The Internet has become a great equalizer of businesses where marketing is concerned. Big or small, well-established or new, businesses have more or less the same chance to reach their target audiences today. By using various marketing solutions, it has never been easier for new brands to sprout and blossom in the digital world. So, what should an owner of a new business focus on?
Marketing solutions
Before you start developing your marketing strategy, make sure you know your digital audience. Then, you should focus your resources to boost your online presence. Knowing your audience well will tell you which strategy to adopt and which approach to follow. To promote your brand, product or business, try these marketing solutions:
- Content marketing
- Social media marketing
- Email marketing
Content marketing
Nowadays, content marketing is inseparable from SEO. Search Engine Optimization involves optimization techniques that will rank your website high in search results. Also, it helps the right readers find you more easily. Its base is an official website that represents your business.
To establish and strengthen your online presence and drive traffic to your website, you should regularly update your website with blog posts. Properly optimized posts are vital, but they need to capture and hold attention with well-written unique content, too. As it goes with every strategy and every marketing solution, you should do your homework and avoid common SEO mistakes, as well.
A regular inflow of fresh, interesting content will tie visitors to your business and make them your best ambassadors over time. Even though it takes time to build a reputation your loyal customers will be eager to promote, a referral program is the most reliable and least expensive marketing strategy.
Social media marketing
There are companies that can offer you specialized software to help you control all features of your business. However, there is also a lot that you can do on your own, especially regarding social media marketing. Reaching out to potential customers worldwide through social media platforms is a certain way to improve your brand’s visibility.
If you know the strengths and typical users of every social media platform, half of your work is done. It will light the way to the best line of approach. It is not enough to own a social media account and post occasionally. Frequent online presence is the key to an engaged audience and, thus, increased sales. To summarize, social media marketing is one of the best marketing solutions but only if you
- choose the right channel
- set your goals properly
- make an appropriate strategy to demonstrate your brand
- engage with your audience and understand customers’ needs
- connect all your profiles and accounts
Moreover, you should avoid spamming with numerous hashtags. The overuse of hashtags on Instagram and Twitter will make your posts look amateur. Hashtags greatly help increase outreach but can also easily turn against their ignorant users. Hence, Twitter marketing tips and guides are a great asset.
Email marketing
Marketing doesn’t serve businesses to grab a client or two. It focuses on building and maintaining customer loyalty. Also, it strives to inspire customers to buy again. Luckily, this is where email marketing steps in, with a variety of email types every business owner should carefully prepare, plan and send. Each of the following email types is a seed for an interesting campaign that will attract visitors and buyers to your website.
- Engagement emails
- Welcome emails
- Tips & tutorials
- Customer stories
- Brand stories
- Re-engagement emails
- Transaction emails
- Cart abandonment emails
- Time-limited promotions
- Order confirmation or receipt emails
- Post-transaction updates
- Review or testimonial requests
Engagement emails
The purpose of engagement emails is to tell a story about your brand, to attract and engage customers. Feel free to be creative; after all, this is your first contact with your subscribers and you should leave a good impression. Once they decide they need your product or service, subscribers will feel they already have a connection to your brand.
Welcome emails should make potential customers feel like they know you and your product. Share a behind-the-scenes story about your brand, or offer a trial, discount or free shipping to stand out.
Tips and tutorials are a great way to point customers’ attention to your product and don’t seem aggressive. If you’re selling cookware, share a recipe; if you’re selling make-up, send a contouring tutorial.
Customer stories are what builds the sense of community around a product. Every successful experience with your product that customers share is a huge bonus to your engagement. Customers trust other customers.
Brand stories, on the other hand, are stories that you or your employees create. These inside stories speak to customers on a level where it’s easier to connect with your brand. How-it’s-made stories or an origin story of your business are a good start.
Re-engagement emails are a part of the campaign to reconnect with inactive customers. Even a low percentage of customers won by re-engagement emails is a job well done.
Transaction emails
Transaction emails help you close the deal. Often, their purpose is a call to action.
Shopping cart abandonment is inevitable, but reminder emails intend to encourage indecisive customers to complete the purchase. Your buyers just need a good reason to do so.
Time-limited promotions create a sense of importance and urgency. They are usually difficult to ignore. You should inform your customers about the expiring offer in the subject; otherwise, they’ll likely miss it.
Order confirmation emails don’t have to be merely informative. Use them to motivate customers to return to your website, either to leave a product review or use a coupon you offered.
Follow-up emails should inform the customer about the status of the order but are also an opportunity to provide contact information, vouchers or helpful tips.
Reviews and testimonials help build your brand reliability and you shouldn’t hesitate to email satisfied customers and kindly ask them to share their good experience with others.
Conclusion
The best marketing solutions are at the same time cost-effective and help your business grow. You don’t have to apply them all, of course, but you are free to do so. They are all popular for a good reason.