Boost ROI With Targeted Advertising That Fits Your Business
When it comes time to consider the most effective ways to advertise your small business, one of the most common questions you might have is, “Which method of advertising is best for the amount of money and time I have to spend?”
That depends.
No one single method of advertising works for all businesses. A dry cleaner might have a different way to reach his clientèle than a clothing retailer, a gift shop owner or a furniture store retailer. Analyzing different means of advertising before starting a campaign is crucial. It also minimizes trial-and-error expenses.
Carefully consider the following points, and you’ll be on your way to better advertising and bigger returns.
SEO Explained for Small Business Owners
Let’s face it. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a complicated subject—and not only is it complicated, but the professionals don’t even agree about what works best.
On the other hand, it’s become pretty obvious that SEO is no longer something businesses can ignore. Especially small businesses.
Where does SEO fit in with small businesses, home businesses, and freelancers? How can a small business owner make sense of the many parts? Is SEO practical or effective for small business?
These are all questions I’ve been asked repeatedly by clients, and I’m pretty sure they are questions that are on the minds of many business owners out there. With that as my motive, I’ve created this article to explain everything a business owner should (and shouldn’t) know about SEO.
How Much is a Smile Worth?
Do you prefer to work with someone that turns your mood sour? Or do you like to buy from people who brighten your day?
The attitude you use to market your business can attract customers like a magnet, or repel them like nasty in-laws.
How friendly is your attitude? Do you smile enough? Even more importantly, do you show that smile to your clients?
The crushing effect of a bad attitude
Having a bad day? A rough month? Make sure to maintain your smile—or you might end up like the tool rental shop in this story…
Sell Benefits, Deliver the Goods, and Get Happy Repeat Customers
Knowing the benefits of your products or services and using them in your marketing campaigns is crucial to getting a good response. People buy what they want, not what they need. You need to convey to people that you can fulfill those desires if they buy your product or use your service.
But if your business makes promises that it doesn’t keep, you can guarantee that you’ll leave the customer feeling cheated and disappointed. Disappointed customers don’t buy twice or refer their friends.
It’s important to know the benefits you offer. It’s crucial to back up those benefits, too.
10 Nearly Free Ways to Advertise Your Business
Finding ways to advertise your business without breaking your budget is at the forefront of every business owner’s mind. We all like free, and if free helps us make more sales, then so much the better!
Advertising and marketing doesn’t have to be expensive. Plenty of marketing ideas cost nothing (or nearly nothing). All you need is a little bit of time and some creativity.
How Misbranding Can Hurt Your Business
Branding a business means creating a personality. It is about taking the qualities, values, and unique parts of your business and creating an attractive image that reflects them.
Get it right, and your business becomes remarkable or memorable in the mind of your target market. Get it wrong, and you may discover that you have a business that isn’t earning what it should, or attracting the clients you want.
Misbranding creates a false sense of perception in your potential customer’s mind. It develops expectations that aren’t correct and misrepresents your business identity. It can cause an impression that doesn’t reach the people you’d like to buy from you.
It also hurts your sales because it doesn’t target your best market.
Marketing Strategy: How to Plan Your Next Big Move
When I started SmallFuel marketing it was with one intention—to provide a complete marketing system that would actually work really well for small business. Nearly a year later, I’m pretty happy with what we’ve created.
But, I stumbled upon another problem.
It’s really difficult to figure out what to do next. There are too many options, too much advice, too many people claiming to have the solution, and entirely too little money.
Over the past year, it’s become increasingly obvious to me that one of the biggest challenges in small business isn’t just having an effective marketing system—it’s finding a marketing solution, adapting it to fit your needs, working within your budget, and creating a realistic method to implement everything.
In short, it isn’t just the marketing that’s difficult. It’s the overhead and decision-making that surrounds it. So, how do you plan your next big move?
