Starting Your Small Business
Basic Marketing Strategy
Trying to get more clients, customers or subscribers but you’re struggling with where exactly to start? In my opinion, sometimes the hardest part of trying to market yourself or your business is in the PLANNING & EXECUTION phases.
Your small business can restructure its marketing strategy by covering the basics of advertising, business development and building your market presence. Market Presence is how influential and known by your target consumer.
It is not surprising that so many ENTREPRENEURS are unfamiliar with the basics and WHERE TO START. It can actually be insanely frustrating just trying to piece together the basics when you’re busy actually RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS. Time can your best friend AND worst enemy!
If you start with these BASIC MARKETING TIPS & STRATEGIC TOOLS, you’ll be setting yourself up for success!
Marketing Materials
- Business Cards
- Business Flyers
- Brochures
- Promotional Products (pens, magnets, shirts…)
Have a Schedule of Marketing Events
Grow your clientele and awareness of your business’s existence by putting in the time and physical effort to connect with your targeted consumer! NETWORKING! NETWORKING! NETWORKING!
1. Local Festivals & Events
- Perfect for passing out marketing materials
- Great for meeting potential clientele
2. Industry Conventions/Conferences/Expos
- Invest in purchasing vendor space to set up a booth or designated area for advertising
- Attend and network whenever you can
- Sponsor events that are frequented by your target market
3. Community Involvement
- Lend your time and support to great causes around your city or region
- Join or attend walks, benefits and other charity hosted events (wearing your promo products and representing your brand)
4. Schedule Your Own Brand Events
- Host showing parties and group events that showcase your products or services
- Advertise EVERYWHERE using multiple communication channels (social media, radio ads, TV ads, billboards…whatever is in your budget)
- Start with small gatherings and branch out
Digital Marketing/Online Presence
It is a MUST to generate an online presence no matter your business. People want to have something to see that shows you exist and aren’t some scam but are actually a reputable business operation.
1. Build a Website
a. Choose what KIND of website you want:
- E-Commerce (costs more than regular websites) to sell products
- Blog to showcase a gallery of work (can be articles or images or both)
- Contact Page for people to visit to just see that you exist and where to reach you
b. Choose a web hosting provider (Go Daddy, Wix…) and buy a domain name(URL)
c. Hire a graphic designer and/or website developer & content/copywriter team
2. Social Media Account Maintenance
- Create accounts on major, beneficial social networks
- Create a schedule of posts, updates
- ENGAGE with other industry influencers by Liking, Sharing & Commenting on their posts and pages and they will do the same!
3. Email Subscriptions
- Newsletters, Sales & Discount Announcement Emails, Promo Email Blasts…
- Build a list of subscribers by getting email addresses (don’t flood their inboxes!)
