This is a guest submission on updating your small business marketing initiatives by digital strategist Lorna Van Straaten. It's the second guest submission on the LocalTrifecta Inbound Marketing Blog. If you've got an idea for a guest submission, send it to guestpost@localtrifecta.com!
It seems the marketing landscape changes daily right now, but if you want to at least pretend you are marketing in the 21st century make sure that you have included some or all of these components. Is your small business marketing up to date?
Are you risking your business by being out of legal compliance, out of touch with customers and out of sight in today’s digital business world?
Small Business Branding
Is your brand up to date? What that means is… have you done the work to determine what your business wants to say in the first place? What is your message to your customers? Are you consistently telling your story the same way in every way that you market? Why would people chose you over a competitor? Is the look, feel, tagline, logo, colours, fonts and visual information consistent throughout all channels that you market and advertise on? Before you splash yourself all over the place, make sure that you are consistent so that people understand the message you want to give right away.
CASL: The Canadian Anti-Spam Law
It shouldn’t scare you… Canada is the latest G20 country to enact anti-spam legislation, what does this mean for your e-mail marketing efforts? Why still use e-mail to market? E-mail still targets customers directly. Not all your customers are on social media. YES you now need an “Opt-In”. You have to be clearly identified in the email as the sender You have to provide an “opt-out” link that allows a person to unsubscribe. If you are using a program to manage your emails like Mail Chimp or A-Weber, these three functions are built right into the program. So don’t let new legislation stop you from marketing via e-mail. Even if open rates range between 15-30% this is still a solid tool to build your lists to target market to.
Social Media For Small Business
Do your homework and figure out where your customers are and where your products or services could best be showcased. Then spend a few hours and figure out how it works. Then put your business on it and share. The fact is, if you are not on some form of social media you are a dinosaur. Sorry… You do not have to do everything, just do one or two channels of social media consistently. And unless you know your customers like an obscure social media site, feel OK about sticking to the mainstream. You still want to hit where most the population is sitting. Try Google+, it is showing surprising growth and resilience, and many of my Facebook friends are starting to migrate over.
Content Marketing
The new ‘hot kid on the block’, marketers have actually determined that providing value through education builds trust and relationships with customers. Content marketing provides information for free, customers like the information and find it useful, therefore come to you when it is time to purchase. Tie your content into your social media. Post it on your pages, share it with friends and let it build your credibility in the market. By the way, this does not mean post a blog that reads like advertising copy. This means figure out how you can provide some value to your customer and HELP THEM FOR FREE.
Local Press
If you are the new kid on the block, do not forget that the quickest way to establish yourself in a community is to connect with the local press. Write press releases, letters to the editor, put an ad in the paper once in a while. Yes it is old fashioned, but it does still work. It also builds visibility with customers that are not on social media.
Marketing Collateral
Collateral is your visual handouts, your business card, brochure and other information pieces. Ensure they are branded strongly, repeating your colours and containing all the information someone would need to meet you. This includes your social media addresses.
Have A (GREAT) Website
I am still shocked weekly by the number of small businesses I find that do not have a website. Or if they do, it is amateurish and kind of sad. I have actually been able to make a small business out of working with business owners who have no online presence. In one case a client told me that he lost a job because the customer could not find a website for his company, so decided that he was not to be trusted. GET A WEBSITE. And make it half decent. Tie it to your social media and a blog. Write weekly updates on what is going on, or use your blog to develop your content marketing and share it EVERYWHERE!
Collect Customer Data
A customer data base would include your e-mail opt in list, but also people that walk into the store, enter contests you run, contact you from your advertising. In all cases you need their “Opt-In” to communicate with them, but most customers do not mind receiving communications from brands and businesses they like and use. SO ASK if it is ok to add them. Have them sign a little Opt-In form. From this data you can build a loyal following if you handle it right.
The Famous Elevator Pitch
You are your own best advertisement. How many people a day do you come across? How many ask you what do you do? Have a 3 line prepared statement that at least intrigues them…start a conversation.
Small Business Events and Networking
Finally, one source of ‘marketing’ that never goes out of fashion is plain old networking. Show your face at events, host events, talk to people at events. What used to be called “glad-handing” is still the preferred method of human contact. So although your other marketing methods will give you more reach, it is still the relationships you build through or over these channels that will keep your business marketing up to date. Today’s marketing options are a bit more complicated than they used to be, but if used right are a lot more effective. It’s worth it to bring your small business marketing up to date!
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