When first building your business, you were aware of the usual marketing techniques that others often used and were advised to follow in their footsteps.
After you have been in business for awhile and your confidence has grown along with it, did you stop to think about your methods of marketing or did you stick to the same way of advertising your services and products?
In the long term, there are some techniques that will work better than others and knowing them inside out will help to keep your business growing.
Automation
Once set up, a well organized, automated marketing campaign can save you time and help to grow your business if done properly. Combined with email marketing and set up so that each contact receives information and offers that are relevant to them, your buyers will be making informed, smart decisions on the products and services that are of the most use to them. Educating new clients on your business and promoting feedback can all be done without losing that personal touch.
Email Marketing
Email marketing has always been the most useful way to reach your customers. Whether or not you decide to automate this part of your campaign, reaching out to your customers by email is very cost effective and provides them with information while still feeling personal. Your subscribers can be grouped by age, location, male or female, interests and more. If your business isn’t virtual but is a brick and mortar business, set up a way to collect email addresses from your customers. Make sure your newsletters are relevant to your subscribers and target your offers to your most loyal customers.
Telephone
Actually speaking to your customers and potential customers may seem like an outdated method but with social media overload and many people tiring of the constant emails and technical advertising, you could find that a certain number of your customers appreciate the chance to speak to a real person. This way you can answer any questions they may have and at the same time find out what your customers really want. Sometimes this can put you a step ahead of your competition.
Integration
A newer method of marketing is to integrate your advertising and communication by combining social media, email and mobile. Some companies also include print. Emails cans also be designed for mobile phones and if you haven’t yet looked into this, it is a good method of reaching customers who are very attached to their smartphones.
Outsourcing
One method of setting up any new marketing campaign is to outsource it to someone who is familiar with the different techniques. This will give you the time to work on other things in your business and leave the details of marketing to the professionals. Consider a virtual team who is familiar with the type of marketing you are most interested in, set up a call and discuss where you would like to go with your business. They can take care of the rest, keeping you informed of all details and decisions.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2013
image courtesy of www.ors.od.nih.gov/
