When you own a small business, marketing is essential. Getting your name out there in the community is the best way to attract new customers, grow your brand, and ultimately increase your revenue. But one of the truths about small businesses is that money to reinvest in growing the company is often tight. As a result, many entrepreneurs and small business owners are left wondering how to best get the word out when they don’t have much (or any) money to spend. Here are some of the most effective ways to reach your audience when you’re on a budget.
DIY Web Design
Whether you own a hair salon or a mechanic shop, one of the first steps that a prospective customer will take is looking at your website. It’s easy to look at the fancy websites of Fortune 500 companies and feel discouraged. Consider designing your own website using a DIY web design software. There are many options on the market that are extremely affordable, and provide templates that you can customized for a professional and attractive website. Focus on providing accurate contact information, simple details about your business, and basic information on your service or product offerings and the cost. Doing web design yourself can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Expect to pay basic fees for the software access, hosting, and registering your URL.
Claim Review Site Profiles
Today customer reviews online play an important role in attracting new customers. Sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor allow customers to quickly share their love or hate for a variety of businesses. As a small business owner, it’s essential that you monitor these sites and have an active presence. As the owner of a business, you’re able to claim your company’s profile. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to update your contact information to ensure that it’s accurate, customize your profile with text and photos, and respond to reviews. Take the time each week to thank customers who leave positive reviews, and respond to any negative reviews in a professional way with an eye toward resolving the concerns.
Use Social Media
Social media is an important aspect of any company’s marketing plan. Social media networks include everything from the major platforms like Facebook and Twitter to visual marketing systems like Pinterest and Instagram. There are also a number of smaller, niche networks that let people connect around specific topics such as cars, antiques, and job searching. Having an active profile on social media is a great way to keep in touch with customers, share sales and new product information, and promote content that you write for your business. Come up with a schedule for how often you’ll update your accounts and stick to it. The more active your profiles, the better chance you have to meaningfully engage prospects.
Marketing your business is possible when you’re on your own. What’s important is that you be willing to experiment and focus on technology that can give you significant leverage without having to invest a lot of money. Get started today to make sure that your online profile is actively promoting your business.
About the author: James Carney is an experienced digital marketer. He writes extensive about how to businesses can use the web to grow their impact and reach.