There are so many things that can be done in marketing, that it is sometimes difficult to identify which ones could have the best impact on your business. This is especially the case if you are self-employed or run a small business, and you don’t have a marketing department, your marketing budget is limited, or you just don’t have the time. to focus on your marketing. So, what can you do to keep your services and products competitive?
Luckily, there are plenty of marketing strategies by an inspirational speaker for small businesses can adopt to promote their business without having to break the bank!
Let’s start by saying the beginning: There is no magic recipe for having a marketing strategy that works. The same marketing strategy will not have the same impact or result whether you are a restaurant or a coach, for example. Before asking yourself which marketing strategy to adopt, you must ask yourself the right questions. This will help you define which marketing strategies to prioritize:
- Who is your target?
- Where is your target?
- How to reach your target, online and offline?
- What makes your product or service unique for your target, compared to the competition?
- Who does your target listen to about whether or not to buy your product?
As an entrepreneur, you must have an idea of how to answer these questions. If this is not the case, we encourage you to contact a marketing consultant who will help you define your target, and their behavior and ensure that you offer an optimal service or product for your market.
The marketing strategies we’ve listed below are suitable for most small businesses that have a small budget and not a huge amount of time to spend on their marketing, but it’s up to you to find the strategy that will have the best impact on your business. hearing.
1. Branding
The first step in a good marketing strategy when you’re a small business, and a crucial step that can save you a lot of money later: branding? What do we mean by branding? The name of your company, its visual identity, and its logo. Choose them carefully. They must:
- Be easy to remember and spell
- Match your business strategy. If you plan to expand your business abroad, be sure to check whether your name works in other languages. As recently as this week, we saw an American music school going viral on Twitter France because its name was “Prout Music School”
- Not be used by a brand (ideally)
- Match your brand identity, what you do, and your values
- Be available as a domain name as well as on social networks
- Have the right colors. The emotional impact of colors should not be underestimated. Here is a very interesting article on colors and their meanings in psychology
2. Site internet
Whatever your industry, your website is the showcase of your company to your potential customers, partners, or future employees. A poorly designed website could serve you poorly and limit your conversions. Your website should include:
- Who you are and what services or products you sell
- How to find and contact you
- Your competitive advantage (why your target should choose you over your competition)
If your website is easy to navigate and you have the right information, you’ve won! Not all entrepreneurs are HTML or coding experts. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be. You can create simple and functional websites via WordPress platforms for example.
3. SEO
OK, so now you have your brand and your website. Visits and conversions should happen quickly, right? Well, not so fast! You need to put in place a natural referencing strategy, commonly called SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and this does not require any budget, but a little bit of time. To be sure that your site finds its target, here is the action plan:
- Find the keywords your target uses to find products or services like yours.
- Use these keywords on your website, as well as your various digital platforms (Google My Business for example).
- Create the content on your site (eg blog posts).
- Ask other websites to publish your URL.
- Create visibility on the various listings and directories where your target is likely to find you.
Although natural referencing is an effective and low-cost strategy, it can be quite time-consuming. Do not neglect this, and if in your sector of activity, it is particularly important to be well referenced, do not hesitate to ask for the help of a consultant who will be able to help you while remaining within the limits of your budget.
4. Content creation (blog, broadcast podcasts, online workshops)
Content creation can have several purposes. On a blog, this can improve your natural referencing but also increase your conversion rate by highlighting your expertise. If you participate in or create broadcast podcasts or online workshops, you will increase your referral traffic, for example. Whether your goal is to attract customers or business partners, select the content your target uses.
5. social media
Using social media for a small business is important. If people can’t find you on social media, they’re going to look at your competition. You don’t need to be on every social network, luckily there are so many. Pay attention to the ones your target uses and publish REGULARLY. This infographic should give you an idea of which platforms are best for your business. Do you have a doubt? Do not hesitate to take advice from one of the French-speaking digital experts that we recommend.
6. Infolettres
Sending newsletters is a marketing strategy that has many advantages. Easy to set up and automate, this strategy allows you to communicate instantly with your contact list. A good way to re-engage former customers, convert prospects, or maintain links with business partners… if you have their consent. Sending newsletters to people who haven’t requested anything could damage your brand image, have no results, and even worse, you could expose yourself to legal problems. The rules on this subject differ from one country to another, and we recommend that you inquire, especially if you do business with the European Union whose rules are even stricter than in Canada.
7. Referrers
Whether online or offline, chances are that other companies offer services or products that complement yours. Identify these companies and find collaboration opportunities together. An accountant can bring clients to a lawyer for example, or a real estate agent has everything to gain by collaborating with a mortgage broker. Blog articles, co-sponsored events, publications on social networks… Prospects from business partners have a high conversion rate, so work on your network!
8. Networking
Join groups, communities, events, seminars, and conferences where you can get in touch with your target, but also events where you could meet business partners. It may take a bit of time, but it’s worth it. In some sectors of activity, networking is even the first source of prospects!
9. Motivate your teams
You love your business, and your employees too. Your team can play an important role in your marketing strategy. They are probably already talking about your company around them, make sure to motivate them to continue. Hold training sessions and teach your teams how to speak well about your brand but remember that it only works if they are happy in your company. A happy employee can become your best marketing ally, but a dissatisfied employee can destroy your efforts just as much.
10. PPC (Pay Per Click)
The different strategies we mentioned earlier are either free or low-cost. However, depending on your competitive environment, industry, or target, paid or motivational speaker may be the marketing strategy you need. Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads, LinkedIn Ads or Google Ads, different platforms exist, at different costs this you’re targeting. PPC strategies give short-term but immediate results, while strategies such as natural referencing give long-term results after several weeks see me.
Focus on what works for you and your business to achieve its goals. Test different strategies and channels. The mistake many entrepreneurs make is not including paid advertising in their strategy because it comes at a cost. However, the time you spend on free marketing strategies also has a cost. Your time is valuable, don’t forget!
