Making it on your own can seem almost impossible from the outset.
But for the few who have managed to make it work, it’s just the norm, and we don’t know any different. But we all need a little help though sometimes, right? Whether it is help with getting off your feet, with a new venture or re-establishing yourself in a new place, marketing yourself is a way of getting your name out there.
However, now that the world of marketing includes new landscapes like digital marketing, not to mention internet marketing, marketing is a completely different ballgame to what it once was-which can be intimidating for just one person.
Using the internet as a marketplace for your business could get you several new clients each and every month. Sounds ideal right?
If only you knew where to start.
The internet can be a scary place for those who have only used it for the bare essentials.
Here are 5 easy-to-follow action points to get your marketing campaign started online…
Set up a Blog or Website
As intimidating as building a website sounds, it is rather crucial in today’s ‘climate’ to have one of any description- having no online presence is almost frowned upon these days. Technology has made it possible to have a decent website, at virtually no cost at all. 85% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses. What if you don’t have a website for your small business? Essentially, it is the equivalent of being a ghost.
There is nothing worse than someone looking up your goods and services to find no record of your existence online. This brings us on to the next crucial step of your online marketing strategy. Some basic search engine optimisation can help you show up on Google results pages for your identified keywords which match the description of your goods and services most aptly. Even though optimising a page for exactly what it sells may seem slightly obvious, it can do wonders for your search engine visibility. For example, this very niche, sandpiper pump page on Tri-Ark Ltd.’s site has been optimised with keywords and with convincing marketing copy on the webpage itself.
Testimonials
Have you ever gone to buy a product online and seen an overwhelmingly low 5 star rating-and in effect been put off entirely? Due to the a little something called ‘social proofing’ (whereby people online are drawn to the notion of doing what a majority of other people approve of) having a five star review, or something similar can help drive your sales. What is more, a high rating can evoke trust. In order to get your hands on these short testimonials, you can offer a small incentive or reach out to your oldest and dearest pals who are familiar with your line and standard of work, to write something up for you to get the ball rolling. This e-commerce website, who sell electrical test equipment, ISSWWW have adopted Trustpilot in order to showcase their glowing customer reviews.
Social Media
Approximately 53% of people recommend companies and products on Twitter, and other social media platforms.
How you say?
To start off with, by having a presence on these platforms. Consistently carrying over your brand and information to at least one social media account will expand your business to that side of the World Wide Web. Social media is a good way of sharing recent information through photos or quick statuses to your market who search for businesses on social media. Coming up blank is definitely not a good indication of your dedication to the online world. Consumers say that social media plays almost as big a role in purchasing decisions as television.
Apply for Local Business Awards
Being a nominee or winner of a local business award can have more of an effect than you may initially think. Whether you have established a new service which benefits the local community (and beyond) or if you are selling a product unlike any other, getting recognition from an award scheme like this will without a doubt do wonders for your brand awareness. Winning an award will also boost your legitimacy online and within your local community.
If at First you don’t Succeed, Don’t Worry!
Online marketing and marketing in general is a process of trial and error, which involves continuous testing and improving of your website, your ads, and all your marketing. In order to increase the engagement rates and the conversion rates, I would advise A/B split tests, whereby you monitor the impact of each variation in the campaign on user behaviour and conversion rate to drive the most potential client enquiries.
No one gets it right first time. It’s all about constantly striving towards your targets and testing every possible route, and just keeping a note of what works and what does not.
