How To Improve Small Business Marketing

During a time of economic slowdown, many businesses slow their marketing efforts. They may think the effort isn’t worth it since people aren’t spending money.

Actually, the opposite is true. A recession is an excellent time to ramp up your marketing efforts to let people know you are still here and still eager to assist them. Right now is the time to make smarter decisions on what your marketing strategy looks like. At CAEDC, we practice what we preach, too. We recently began ramping up our own marketing efforts.

Digital marketing is especially effective because of its low cost, plus you can usually implement new strategies yourself. Here are six tips you can use to sharpen your marketing focus.

1. Improve Your Social Media Presence

During hard times, communicating with your audience is critical. Social media allows you to speak directly to them, engaging them in discussions about your product, your business and your future. Post frequently across all your social media channels, and designate one employee to be in charge of answering questions and following up on queries you receive on the platforms.

2. Invest in Video Marketing

One of the biggest trends in online marketing is video marketing. Video provides a dynamic way to showcase your products for customers and position your business strategically. You control what is shown on the video, and you can distribute it across a range of channels to gain traction.

A well-made video makes your business look professional and trustworthy. Spring for a videographer if you can. Their understanding and expertise will showcase your products and merchandise much better than a shaky handheld effort, though amateur video can also have its charms. If not, you can look to on-line resources that can provide guidance for businesses to produce their own video to use as a marketing tool.

3. Consider Email Marketing

Most businesses have a mechanism for collecting customers’ email addresses, but do you use those addresses once you have them? If not, you could be missing out on a valuable chance to connect. Starting an email newsletter allows you to reach out to potential customers and engage them with interesting content. Your newsletter might address topics relevant to your niche and, at the bottom, offer a call to action, such as a merchandise discount code.

You could make sales you wouldn’t otherwise have achieved. Make sure you send the newsletter consistently, so your customers know to look for it at the same time every week or month.

4. Focus Your Efforts on Your Main Goal

If you don’t have a goal in mind for digital marketing, you are just throwing money at a problem. You should enter every digital marketing campaign with clear aims, so you will know once you have achieved them and can move on to the next goal. Discuss your aims with your employees to get broader input. Goals might include:

• Gaining 100 new email newsletter subscribers
• Selling $1,000 more of merchandise each week
• Bringing 10 new customers through your door by advertising sales digitally

5. Learn More About What Your Customers Want

You can use web analytics tools to see where your customers go on your website as well as monitor which email newsletters they open. These digital tools can help direct where to put your time and money, showing you what will be most valuable to your customers. For instance, you may find traffic flows to a page you didn’t expect, suggesting a greater audience for that service or product.

6. Reach Out for Assistance

A grant can help you refocus your money and efforts on the essential parts of your business, including marketing. Browse our list of grant and financing options for businesses during this difficult time. While it can feel daunting to reach out for assistance, we want to help and can advise you on the best programs to apply for.