Reaching new customers and keeping your connection to your existing customers strong is an important aspect of any business. Whether you’re building a daycare business or are a web designer, the marketing you do today can keep your business going for years.
Marketing is a never ending process though, and you must be able to keep at it in order to see your hard work pay off. However, some entrepreneurs and small business owners struggle to come up with new ways to market their business. Mixing tried and true marketing tools with new trends in marketing will keep your marketing ideas fresh and your prospects interested.
Contact Directly through Mail Marketing
Companies big and small have been utilising direct mail tactics for years and for good reason; it still works. Brochures, postcards, newsletters and even business cards through the mail are tangible pieces of marketing that prospects can hold on to and show to other interested parties.
If someone has a vested interest in your company, be they a customer or a vendor, sending them the latest literature or news through the mail will reach them as well as anyone they pass it along to. If you are holding a big sale or have upcoming changes to the company, store or website, a newsletter in the mail can brief them on this information, give them valuable coupons and entice them to visit to see all the new changes and features you are offering.
Going Viral With Social Media
Social media marketing is being hailed as the newest step in marketing tactics and tools for companies. The potential to reach millions of people a day is not only realistic but thousands of companies are already doing it. IBM uses the widely popular online virtual game Second Life to introduce customers to virtual world technology and making the world a greener place to live. It’s interactive and informative for anyone who visits.
Webcasting and podcasting is becoming the growing standard of media marketing. Through the Internet, companies are able to tell you more about what they have to offer, and they have made it interactive through live streaming video online and live chats. Have a question about a product or service? Ask in a chat and the questions can be answered. There is vast potential to meet and connect with your biggest customers as well as new ones.
Make Your Marketing Personable
Have you ever ordered something and received a little something special along with your product? That’s the company’s strategic marketing to connect with you on an intimate level. Whether you received a personal note, pens, a pad of sticky notes or even a small bag of goodies, that company wants to make sure you remember them and will come back again. Everyone wants to feel as though they are the most important customer a company has and the personal attention that a business owner or entrepreneur can give speaks volumes to potential customers and existing ones.
Web Based Marketing
So what if think your customers may be tossing your brochures and direct mail straight into the bin? You still need to reach them but if you’re marketing is getting thrown out, consider moving to web based tools such as email newsletters. You can track the success of your email marketing and get feedback sooner than traditional marketing if you need results faster. Often email marketing can give your customers a glimpse at how knowledgeable you are on your products and services as you can provide informational articles, current information and resources for your readers.
A few things to keep in mind when using email to market your business; send your emails only to those who have specified that they are interested, otherwise you become a spammer. Keep your information on point and don’t go overboard with your email. A little information can prompt your customers to contact you for further details.
Giving Back to Get More
One way to get your business noticed and to give back to your community is through a charity event. Whether you host the event yourself or participate as a sponsor for one, potential customers and current customers get to see another side of you and your business.
Whether you host or participate in a charity event, choose one that you truly care about. You will come across as more genuine to all involved rather than someone who is simply looking for an easy way to market their business. Events like these are excellent ways for you to get familiar with other companies which could lead to new partnerships and powerful marketing across the board. Ways to get your name out during a charity event would be to provide materials that the event may need, a bonus to this would be to brand these items with your company name. Also supplying the event with prizes or promotional items that they can give away are popular tactics when you market through a charity event.
Marketing your business doesn’t have to be a chore. You should constantly be creating new marketing strategies and rolling out new campaigns in order to keep your customer list fresh and keep yourself on the minds of your current customers. Don’t be afraid to be creative with new marketing ideas: your creative ideas will make you stand out among your competitors.
Recommended Reading
For more information and advice on how to market your own business, take a look at the following books:
Power Promoting: How to Market Your Business to the Top!
The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself
How to Use the Internet to Promote and Market Your Business with Little or No Money
Thinking Like a Kid and Earning Like a CEO: Start, Market, and Run Your Own Business
101 Ways to Market Your Business: Building a Successful Business with Creative Marketing
Join us
The best part of Female Forum is our community. Take a look at our forums and join the most welcoming and friendly online community around.
Share this article
Email Tweet This! Share on Facebook Stumble Digg Save to Delicious
If you enjoyed this article, you may like to subscribe to Female Forum. Subscribing is free and ensures you won't miss any future articles.
What do you think?
Discuss this article here, or chat about other topics in the forums.