Marketing may be a business expense that you just don’t think is worth it. When money is tight, or you are just starting a business, you may think that not a lot of time or effort needs to go into marketing. But that is wear you are dead wrong. Traditionally marketing has been expensive and it has been hard to measure the success of it. But there are so many tools available to businesses that it is too important of a step to cut out of your business.
You should be ready at all times with a pitch for your business. The average attention span of an adult is 6-8 seconds. Not very long. That is all the time you have to grab someone’s attention. So you need to practice your sales pitch. You need to make sure that it is engaging. You literally have seconds to let a stranger decide if what you have is worth it or not. Practice, Practice, Practice. It will pay off if what you say has value.
Start with thinking locally. How is your business going to do in your community. You could try sponsorships. There are many opportunities within your community. It can be helpful for businesses to start small and within their own community before branching out farther. Getting your name out there locally helps promote community value.
Networking is huge! The best way to build a business is to get out there and get to know people. It does require your time, and it definitely isn’t an instant gratification. But if you belong to a strong network of businesses, it is one of the greatest assets you can have.
Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals. Customers are usually willing to give referrals or even reviews. But they aren’t likely to give them on their own. So make sure you take the initiative and ask for them, that is how businesses grow, word of mouth. When you have a referral it is much easier to get in the door with a new customer.
It is important to keep building your relationship with customers. It is a lot easier and cheaper to keep customers than it is to find new ones. It is important to build strong relationships with your customers. Let them know that you value their business. Send them chocolates, or a card letting them know that appreciate their business.
Don’t be afraid to give products away. If people are given the opportunity to experience your product or services, and it is a good one, chances are they will be back for more. In today’s world, people are more likely to purchase something they have already had a chance to sample.
These are just some basic, inexpensive marketing ideas that you can use to help boost your business. It is important to engage with customers and build relationships with them that last. It isn’t always about the money and how much you spend on them. Customers want to feel valued and want to feel like you appreciate their business. So make sure that you take the time to keep the customers that you have, while always trying to grow your business.
