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Brand your Promotional Material
With fierce competition in the small business arena, the best way to armour up against the rest is to think of an imaginative and memorable brand that will stick with the customer.
Global advertising agency Havas reported that when brands invest the time and effort to connect with customers, it pays. Recognised brands enjoyed increased sales, better brand awareness and higher annual returns than other businesses.
So ensure your customers can recognise you! Once you’ve come up with an attention grabbing logo you’re proud of, don’t’ be afraid to show it off. Flyers, posters, pens, mugs, business cards… you want your brand in circulation and people to see it.
If you need help making the final tweaks, check out our guide on How to Fine Tune your Brand.
Get up close and personal
Attending local events to promote your business will help put a face to a name, and allow the greatest advocate of your business to showcase their passion directly to customers. You’ll stand out locally, and can use this opportunity to hand out business cards and flyers to attract new customers near you. Personally networking with others in your industry can also increase your chance of developing partnerships in the future.
Get in with the right crowd
Being ignored sucks, so talk to people who want to listen! Find out where your target market hangs out (offline and online) and choose these channels to stem your promotional efforts. Conduct market research, find out what your customers are searching for and what events they attend. Cake making business? Head down to your local Food Market; don’t waste time and money at the Motor Show down the road.
Get Online
81% of customers conduct online research before buying according to the Social Times.
However small your business, an informative and well-designed website is key. Your website is your best promotional tool as it represents your brand, your service and what you stand for. Make sure it looks clean, easy to use and professional.
Show off your expertise
Writing about your industry and products shows customers that you’re an expert in your field which is an immediate form of self- promotion. Include information in booklets about your business, and even try your hand at writing a blog!
Writing a blog shows potential customers that you’re an expert in your field which is an immediate form of self-promotion and also helps boost your website’s position on search engine searches. In fact, 82% of businesses who blog daily acquired a customer using their blog, as opposed to 57% of marketers who blog monthly (Hubspot). Sites such as Wordpress are suitable for the most novice of bloggers and are a great start for your business blogging journey.
Be a Social Butterfly
You can reach thousands of people through social media in the time it takes to shake a hand.
iScoop state that in 2015, 78% of companies have dedicated social media teams, up from 67% in 2012. Even without the manpower for an entire team, meet the rising demand for social media presence and allocate enough time to promote yourself online.
Create active Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest accounts with promotions to initially draw in your market and get them interested in your products.
Ask for an email in exchange for these discounts to build your email list to ensure you can keep in contact after they’ve shown interest. You can send amazing discounts and promotions to the people who are most likely to be interested in your product, and get them hooked with your business’ news and information.
Lights, Camera, Action…
Youtube has taken the silver position as the second largest search engine in the world (behind Google), and according to Hubspot, by 2018, video will control 79 percent of consumer internet traffic. If you video it, they will watch it. Embrace your inner Scorcese by creating promotional videos that will entertain and entice potential customers and don’t worry… you don’t need a Hollywood budget. With Twitter launching video autoplay and Instagram’s 15 second video limit a short, snappy and witty video showcasing your product or service is an easy way to reach a huge audience quickly.
