To put it in plain and simple terms, “there is no shortcut to success.” Any small business owner knows that it would take a lot of hard work, discipline, and a knack to cater to customer needs to be viable.
Sadly, many business owners find it hard to cope with implementing this same approach into their business plans. That is if they even have one. More so, their attempts at marketing the business are often relegated to employing outdated processes whose reach is often isolated to the locale where the business is.
The development of a sound marketing strategy is often overlooked or set aside due to the daily chore of running the business. If they eventually shift their focus and realise that for their business to grow and expand, they would need to step up their marketing strategies.
Digital Presence is Key
A good business plan for any modern business entity should include a digital marketing strategy apart from the traditional marketing approach. Yes, there is a difference between the two. A traditional marketing strategy is done offline, while a digital marketing strategy is done in the virtual space.
Have you been searching for solutions or tips on how to improve your marketing strategy? Chances are you would do it online, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if most or all your searches were geared towards the use of digital platforms.
Build a Website
According to Small Business Marketing Statistics and Trends (2021), 35% of small businesses believe that they are too small to have their website, many of them even say they don’t need a website in the first place. They can never be more wrong.
Having a website should no longer be considered a luxury, but a necessity. Consider this, not tapping or hooking up to this vast global resource means you are missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. Additionally, having a website makes you more reputable and trustworthy.
It does not matter what products or services you offer, if your existing marketing team can’t hack it, your presence will be almost nonexistent unless the right people hear your message at the right moment. Luckily, some top-notch professionals can do it for you and can quickly become your most valuable and efficient assets.
Develop Your Brand
There are ways to develop a strong brand identity. Simply picking colours and slapping them on a design won’t cut it. You need to approach it carefully and with tact, and you would need a team of experts with impeccable design and communication skills.
It may sound like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Hiring an Ad Agency to do it for you doesn’t always cut. You need someone who can guide you and move through the process to bring a killer brand identity.
Send Your Message Across Carefully
It’s not enough if you have content to be put on your new website, but there was no planning involved before you decided to put it up. You must provide something useful and helpful for your target audience to learn about you, the industry you are in, and the products and services you offer.
Each piece of content you put out must be worth their time in answering some of their needs and questions. Research what your customers need, understand who they are, and what difficulties you can help them overcome.
Optimise
Your digital marketing efforts will be for naught unless you optimise all your content for search engines. To attract the right audience, your content needs to rank well in search results to be in front of queries made by your target audience when they are looking for products and services.
Use Social Media
Make it a point to be where your target customers are, including social media. However, focus only on channels that cater to your industry and are preferred by your target audience.
A big chunk of possible customers can now be reached online. Facebook for instance has 2.45 billion users and is growing. In Australia alone, 15 million of those are on Facebook. What about other social media platforms like Twitter?
Imagine the possibilities it can bring for your business if you reach these 15 million individuals with the right message, uniform branding and a solid strategy. More and more businesses are turning to social media to stamp their online presence. This could mean you would be able to tap this market with unprecedented return and value, both for you and your customers.
Build Your Virtual Home
So you finally decided to make your mark on the internet. Any construction is only as strong as its foundation. Marketing your business operates on the same principle. All that we already discussed above may not produce the result you envision if you have no proper foundation in place.
You would need a secure and fast website. Websites require some form of hosting to ensure you remain visible online for the public to find your business. Your choice of host would be crucial in this.
You would need a host that can provide you with high-quality and dedicated VPS with added security, uptime monitoring, and ongoing backups to protect your online investment and even assist you in registering your domains.
Conclusion
Traditional marketing practices do have advantages, but they can only go so far. Incorporating digital marketing into your business plan can potentially bring even bigger gains if done right.
Digital marketing strategies are for everyone. Invest in educating yourself on the tools and tactics; there is plenty that you can find online. Ride the wave of digitisation and see your business thrive.
We, at Accentuate Web Design and Marketing, have been in the digital marketing space for years, and we understand what works and what doesn’t. We can collaborate with your team to provide you with all of these and be handled by our team of experts at your disposal. Request a quote today!
