Today, thanks to the advancements in technology and the social sphere we live in, the way in which people connect with brands, absorb new products and services, and the way they make purchasing decisions is a whole lot different than before. Today, modern marketing techniques are replacing traditional approaches, and the stats show they’re highly effective. It has never been easier for companies, big and small, to reach their target customer and communicate with them on a social level. And, never before, has this been so quick, easy and affordable.
The reason these modern marketing channels are so effective, is because marketing is about positioning your brand in a way that’s favorable to the potential customer; it’s about aligning yourself to their needs and wants and relating to them, their way of life and their lifestyle – and in this global village, with every second person on social media and looking to the internet for answers, building a relationship with your existing and potential customer is made possible without having to put in much effort at all. This is why businesses, whether in startup phase, or established; need to rethink their marketing approach, and align themselves to the modern consumer.
Let’s take a look at just a few highly effective ways of marketing your small business and aligning yourself to your target customer:
Improve your online presence
As mentioned, almost every second person has a social media account, so it’s highly likely the majority of your target customers can be found there. And even if they’re not signed up or active on social media, you can bet your bottom dollar they’re surfing the web and likely turning to the internet for answers. Most people looking for a specific product or service (that cannot be found in their local supermarket), will do a quick google search of whatever they’re looking for, and whichever company pops up on the first or second page, will more often than not reel in that customer. Why? Well, not because they’re necessarily more superior than other companies offering the same thing; it’s simply because they have an online presence; they pop up on the first or second page of the search, and they fulfill the customers need quickly and easily. This is exactly why your business needs to improve their online presence – because if you’re not online, do you even exist? To the modern customer, no.
Implement SEO strategies
Now, it’s all good and well committing to building your online presence, but it’s unfortunately not very easy to make your mark on the web if you fail to implement strong SEO strategies. SEO, also known as search engine optimization is a set of tools and techniques that, if implemented, help websites to feature/rank on the search engines such as Google. SEO has become one of the most important digital tools. With millions of websites fighting to be noticed when someone searches for a particular keyword in line with what they’re about, it’s difficult to rank without optimizing your page. Yes, SEO can be rather confusing and tricky, but luckily you don’t need to fret about mastering this art, as there are many great SEO companies who will do the leg work for you. SEO gurus, Ruby Digital, have in-depth experience on what the search engines are looking for, and are up to date with the techniques that get you to prime position. SEO is well worth investing in if you are serious about creating an online presence, and you can be sure it will boost your traction and at the same time boost your revenue.
Network
Don’t underestimate the power of networking. Though this may be a traditional approach, it will never go out of style and will forever remain highly effective. Marketing is about building relationships and making your brand a household name in the industry and on the street. Networking doesn’t just mean attending industry conferences or rubbing shoulders with big names, it can be as simple as collaborating with similar companies, offering support by lending services or products, sponsoring or giving advice – it’s about making your brand known in any honest way possible.
Utilize modern marketing techniques
Modern marketing techniques include: social media marketing such as Facebook ads, an active and well managed Instagram account with attractive content, email marketing such as biweekly or monthly newsletters, internet ads on YouTube for example as well as creating a company blog. As your business grows, so your marketing channels will develop, but as a small business trying to build a brand and attract your target market, it is essential that you create social media pages that are interactive, build a blog with informative content and strong copy to help generate an online presence, and seek to improve your SEO strategies to rank on reputable search engines.