Business marketing is significant to you, but what you can do about it that will make a difference without costing you a bomb.
Where are you in the business cycle?
Startup.
Growing from early on is the easy one because you are new and enthusiastic.
You probably have a low base so growing it just takes a few fundamentals.
Growth Phaze
Here we are all established and concentrating on issues like staffing, finances, systems and leadership, however, sales are still a priority.
Funding time
We grow out of our little boy's pants and need to go to the big time but need an input of money to take us to the next level.
Then to acquisition.
We discovered it is easier to buy than to spend money on growth, so we are looking for target opportunities to increase our turnover.
Finally, to the exit possibility
Selling is where you recoup a lot of your endeavours.
Read more at Wikipedia
Growing out of your cycle
Throughout your journey, you will have idle times when growth is minimal, and you don't have the answers.
Growth techniques for business
You can explore old-style ideas and internet choices, and you can mark them off as you go. You need to be doing about ten things that will make a difference. If they make a 1% difference, you will grow by 10%; however, the growth is incremental, and you will soon have triple-digit growth.
Chatbots can deliver big
Chatbots are the latest marketing on the Net. The little boxes that pop up when you are on a website that says “hey, can I help you?”
You will be surprised to learn that they can increase conversions by an estimated 20%
There is a trend that chatbots optimise conversion rates. Those at Medium seem to agree, and we think so too. They do so by optimising the customer experience of the business and shortening the time it takes to reach the end of the sales funnel.
Medium marketing
It may be hard to measure, but everyone counts.
I wrote more on Chatbots in a recent blog.
Newsletters make a difference.
You will understand the term lifetime customer and the importance of bringing people back. Keeping in contact with customers and at top-of-mind is essential and newsletters offer a cheap and easy solution.
They are not a selling tool. Newsletters are information and entertainment media that will always have a soft close.
I use newsletters regularly, and many of my more elite clients have joined the idea and adopted a regular cycle.
Email marketing is still alive
The use of emails and autoresponders is another low-cost avenue for more sales. If you are smart, they can deliver instant results that are measurable and easy to monetise.
I email most days to a selected group promoting one of my products. I had a sale recently from a client that had been getting mail for just over twelve months. It is a long term contract, so my payback is worth the while.
You can get email addresses from your materials like bills and website queries and have your staff ask the question.
A friend of mine owns a ladies dress shop and actively tries for every contact. An employee recently let a client out without giving contact details, her excuse was that it was a cash sale so not necessary. Training has now fixed that issue.
Internet marketing
Business marketing can include everything internet taking you to the modern side of marketing. Old ways still work but new ways may be better.
Rewards programmes
Rewards programmes must work, why do I say that?
I say it because all the premium stores use them.
Go grocery shopping and use a card, go and buy electrical goods and use a card, clothes right down to a coffee.
Everyone has a VIP or frequent shopper card because it keeps people coming back time and time again, lifetime customers.
Rewards programs also gather contact details so you can double up and email them, newsletter or SMS, thus increasing your exposure.
When is the customer contact overdone?
Let me say upfront that too little is much worse than too much.
You try to stay top of mind and irritate them into a decision.
Well, not irritating, but you know what I mean.
Those that are over you will opt out of your list, leaving space for a new contact.
If you are running an email sequence everyday or the second day, however, a newsletter would be two weeks or a month.
Social Media
There are lots of forms of social media and ones that will suit you and what you want to achieve. However, they take up a lot of time to be current and topical.
Everyone should be on Linkedin, which is mandatory and without debate. It would be best if you are out in the open.
Then choose one of the others as your primary media. They all have a target market, so choose the one that attracts your demographic.
If you are unsure, then use Facebook the biggest of them all. This will help with your business marketing.
My warning consider not to use TikTok
Pick your marketing
All marketing will depend on where in the business cycle you are.
Some will want to spend money and use advertising, page positions or retargeting to gather leads. The new ones will invest a bit more time and save the funds for daily essentials.
Most of the above ideas are essential for every business and are low-cost expenditure and high return formats.
Other marketing ideas
The list is long, but let's look at a few things that still work.
Cold calling or better still warm calling still gets the worm.
I can still generate reasonable returns targeting a list armed with a bit of background information. Depending on the value of the sale, you should be able to outsource this procedure.
Letterbox mail
Hard mail. Just like you, I would have thought this was a prior art, however, I see a resurgence from respected businesses that must be achieving results.
One example is the men's tailor Charles Tyrwhitt. If you have bought from them, you are on a hard mail list worldwide. They are great marketers and would not spend the money without a return.
Business marketing is worth the effort.
SMS marketing
Sending SMS messages is an excellent form of instant results.
You can test the market and work out returns very quickly by doing a small batch of samples.
People quickly react to a mobile message.
In specific markets, you can achieve massive results with a simple message.
I had a swim centre that contacted prior customers with a new offer. One hundred thirty messages returned over 50 bookings which meant a considerable dollar return.
Mobile billboards
I generally refer to vehicle wraps that carry your message wherever you drive. The effect may be on a van, truck or private car. The result is the same. you are seen and believed.
Other considerations
There are give away gifts that work, flags and banners on fixed properties, letterbox drops, supporting local sporting and recreational groups.
You can market in suburban newspapers at a low cost.
Then you can market yourself in groups and clubs spending time at meetings and meals.
Chasing referrals is always a must-do, and you have a program in place that works for you.
Conclusion
The blog is not a full marketing proposal. However, I trust I have opened up a few valuable ideas that you have forgotten to try.
In my daily business, nearly all of the above examples participate along the way. I can then determine the best return on time and money invested.
Investing in your future is marketing today, and I always return to my favourite saying. “Do nothing and get the same”
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Business marketing by Peter Hanley
If you had to change one thing what would it be?
