Many small businesses are intimated by creating a marketing strategy themselves, but are also hesitant to approach a marketing company for help. Getting a marketing plan up and running is essential to growing your business, but you don’t need to over spend to start seeing some results. There are a few ways that you can increase your reach without investing money upfront.
1. Google
It is important to improve your position results with Search Engines. Optimizing your website for results is a continual process that takes time, but there are a few tips that can help you get started right away. Check out Google My Business here.
Map Results
Especially if you are a business that relies on local traffic, appearing in Google map results is a huge advantage. It shows your potential customers where you are, a few photos of your establishment or product as well as your hours and links to your website. So much information is packed into a small space and it gives you a great chance to set your business apart.
Reviews
Now that you have yourself positioned on the map, the next step is gain yourself a 5 star rating. In order to receive a star rating on Google, you must have at least 5 reviews. This is where you can’t be shy. You need to ask your customers to leave you a review. This can be done in a few ways. You can personally ask your customers to leave you a review once you have made a connection with them or you can blanket ask for reviews through tags on your product, email newsletter requests or on social media.
Respond to negative feedback
Getting a bad review or comment about your business can fee like the end of the world, but it is part of servicing a dynamic group of people. These comments can actually provide great feedback on how you are doing as a business. The important thing is to respond and see what you can do to make it right. You can then use the experience to improve the experience for future customers.
2. Get Creative on Social Media
This is a big one. There are so many strategies and ways to use the different platforms that are now available to you. The key is to find the ones that work the best for your business. Here are a few ideas that you can try out.
Contests
Contests can be a great way to connect with your social following. It can be as simple as sharing a post to get a discount off your product or service, or tagging friends to win a larger prize. It is also an opportunity to increase brand recognition. What about increasing engagement by running a selfie contest? Have your followers take a selfie with your product and use a custom hashtag to enter the contest. If you want more ideas on contest, check out our blog on engaging through giveaways.
Snapchat Geofilters
Snapchat is growing so quickly and as a small business you don’t want to get left behind. There is a great opportunity for local businesses to take advantage of Snapchat Geofilters. You can customize your very own filter that can be used locally within your establishment. A restaurant can show off their specials or upcoming events. This is a relatively cheap way of creating brand recognition with a targeted population.
3. Loyalty Programs
Turning a first time customer into a repeat customer is a great way to ensure longevity for your business. Loyalty programs are a great way to show customers that you appreciate their business. These programs can range from coupons, free merchandise or discounts. Find the best way for your business to recognize your customers for their repeat business. We can help you to spark the creative ideas and develop the execution that can lead to major growth in your business.
Hiilite has many different options when it comes to developing your business. Take a look at our SEO packages that range in price to fit the needs of your business. Make a coffee date to discuss your options today.
