As a Business Advisory practice, it is not unusual that our clients seek for our advice, not only how to control their finances, but ideas on how to reposition their businesses or help them to boost their sales.
Developing a client’s holistic journey sometimes involves that our practice goes the extra mile, and these are some ideas that we would like to share with small-medium businesses on basic marketing techniques which they can adopt to help drive sales.
ONLINE PRESENCE and WEBSITES
- Develop a Google Business Profile.
This is free to create and provides consumers with access to your contact information, opening hours, and link to your website as soon as they find your business through a Google search. This can be done through both a direct search for your company for existing customers or through a generic phrase that fits the description of your company for new customers.
- Respond to online reviews.
Google reports that consumers view businesses that respond to Google Business Profile reviews online are 1.7x more trustworthy than those that don’t[1].
- Develop a Q & A section
Don’t assume that the consumer knows all they need to about your product / service. Preempt the questions and objections your customers may have about your business and place both the questions and responses in your Google Business Profile to provide them with an idea of what to expect and reduce uncertainty about your business. You may wish to place the same on your website and/or social media accounts.
- Optimise your website for mobile devices.
With the internet being easily accessed at quick speeds through a variety of means, mobile optimisation is proving more important than ever. Google reports that mobile searches represent the searches on Google.com and that the visitor is five more times likely to leave if the website isn’t mobile friendly[2].
- Include a call to action on your homepage.
Take time to consider what your goal is when a visitor reaches your homepage, be it following your blog, signing up for your email list, or providing their information to be contacted by you. Once you have decided on this, place a clear call to action on your homepage to assist in directing the visitor towards your goal.
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Create a profile and community through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Whilst creating a profile on each of these platforms is free and may be considered easy to do, it is essential to put time into these to create a community of followers. How have you felt when a company has responded to a comment or query you’ve posted on their page? Engaging with your followers creates a positive relationship and connection; even better, you may develop a community of followers who not only engage with you online but also encourage others to link in along the way, expanding your online presence and customer base.
- Advertise through social media.
Posting promotions and information about your company is free to do on social media, however there is also the additional opportunity for paid advertising through these mediums. Through paid advertising, you are given the opportunity to show your brand to a more targeted and larger audience.
CUSTOMER RELATIONS and REFERRALS
- Request feedback from customers.
Request feedback from your customers to confirm your strengths and identify areas needing improvement. Present positive feedback in an attractive visual manner that’s easy for customers to read and view when accessing your website. Build trust and credibility through reviews that provide feedback on the result of your product / service, demonstrating your expertise in the area.
- Use the language of your customer.
Many of us are tempted to use jargon to ‘show-off’ our expertise and while this may be beneficial in an environment with others in the same field, it is not considered so for many consumers. Adjusting your language provides consumers with the opportunity to build trust in that you can not only empathise with and recognise their problem but will also help them find the solution in a way that they understand.
- Partner with complementary businesses.
Find businesses that complement the products / services you provide to increase referrals at a low cost, such as the combination of a small gym with fitness gear or personal trainers, or an accounting firm with accounting software or other business support.
MARKETING
- Highlight the benefits of your product / services, not the features.
Audit your content to ensure you are highlighting how your product or service benefits the customer and therefore improves an aspect of their life, rather than providing only a description of what they can get.
- Email marketing.
While advertising through social media is a growing trend and can build a brand’s online presence, one must not forget the importance of email marketing. Forbes’ research in 2017 found that more than half of those aged between 18 and 24 checked their emails while still in bed[3] and YouGov discovered that emails were the very first thing to be checked by 25% of those between 18 to 34 (before Facebook or text messages!)[4].
- Create a sense of urgency.
Particularly relevant for enticing new customers, creating a sense of urgency with limited-time offer promotions or benefits for being one of the first to sign up for your call to action encourages consumers to respond quickly, whilst you maintain honesty about the product / service you provide.
- Regular promotions.
Regular promotions are beneficial to engage and excite existing consumers as it gives them something to look forward to on a consistent basis as well as being able to share and encourage with their network, broadening the number of people you are able to access.
- Present information visually.
Visual communication serves many purposes, including simplifying complex information such as data and processes, presenting information quickly, and creating a reference for the consumer to retain and return to in future. Presenting information visually to the customer allows them to quickly take in content that you want them to read and understand, assisting you in standing out amongst the competition.
Feel free to bring your business challenges to us and we look forward to partnering with you towards a successful business journey.
[1] https://www.google.com/intl/en_au/business/business-profile/
[2] https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7323900?hl=en-AU
[3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/wesgay/2017/08/29/millennials-email-adobe/?sh=1fcfd51752f8
[4] https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/zq7e04ls8c/Email,%20Oct%202%202017.pdf