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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
Internet marketing is no longer an option, even for small brick and mortar businesses. The days of relying on refrigerator magnets, small ads in mailbox flyers, and the “Yellow Pages” are over. (Who even gets a phone book anymore?). Developing and implementing good web-based marketing strategies, however, can be pricey, if professionals are hired, or ineffective, if the business owner has no experience and “goes it alone.”
Here, then, are 3 simple marketing tools for the small entrepreneur on a tight budget.
1. Invest in a Functioning Website
Instead of phone books, consumers now search for local businesses on the web. A Google search for Chinese restaurants ‘near me’, for example, will result in an immediate listing, and, if the restaurant has a website, one can check out the hours, the menu, and the phone number to call for carry-out – all very convenient and efficient! It is easy to see, then, why even the small business owner, must have a website, ideally constructed by a professional, but, in absence of that, constructed through the use of a good software package that even a novice can use! Here are the minimum criteria for a good site:
- It should be reliable. If a website is constantly suffering from technical issues, or cannot be accessed due to hosting issues, customers will move on to the next company. Invest in reputable web hosting and regularly monitor the website for functionality. When verifying functionality, it is especially critical to verify that all interactive features are working as planned.
- It should be searchable. Customers are rarely willing to scroll more than a page or two when reviewing online search results. Some business owners opt to purchase ad space that guarantees them first page presence, while others utilize search engine optimization strategies to accomplish the same. SEO is a key part of effective website design, but that takes expertise
- It should be secure. The minute customers suspect that they are on a website that is unsafe, they will click away, and they will not return. A secure website only processes customer transactions through secure connections. However, that is only the beginning. It is also important to avoid pop up advertising, routing to external websites without warning, and requiring visitors to download tool bars or software. No visitor will stay if those irritations are present.
2. Use Social Media in a Smart Way
Think Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Creating social media accounts as part of an internet marketing strategy is no longer optional either. Customers expect companies to have a social media presence nearly as much as they expect them to have a company website. Of course, when one considers the free marketing opportunities that are available on social media, why wouldn’t every business owner want to take the time to create and manage social media accounts?
While social media should be a part of every business owner’s overall internet marketing strategy, it is important to use social media in a way that attracts potential customers rather than repels them. Social media is unique in that direct marketing strategies are generally ineffective. Instead, social media should be approached as a way to develop relationships with potential customers and business contacts, and to provide a space for existing customers to share their thoughts and experiences. Here are few tips on using social media effectively:
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- Seek out other businesses in the community. Like their pages on Facebook. Share their content, and post positive comments on their posts. Eventually, in many cases, they will reciprocate. The result is a wider audience for both companies.
- Never use social media to make inflammatory remarks about other business owners, even if they are competitors.
- Have (tasteful) fun on social media. Link to funny content. Encourage employees to share funny anecdotes. Sometimes this isn’t feasible due to the nature of the business or the customer demographic. If this is the case, posts containing informative or inspirational content can be just as effective.
3. Start a Blog
Who is more of an expert on your products and/or services than you? Who has information to provide, and who is more able to educate current and potential customers? You get this information out to customers through a blog, and this strategy is virtually free. It may take a bit of research and a bit of self-education to establish and maintain an effective blog, but as a marketing tool, it is invaluable. Here are a few tips, however, that will put you ahead in this “game.”
- Get a good blog platform, like WordPress. It is easy, user-friendly and will virtually “walk you through” creating a good blog post.
- Commit to 2-3 blog posts a week; if you cannot write them, get someone who can! And, given new parameters, they must be longer than most people think – at least 700-800 words!
- Traditional blog posts relied on lots of keyword tags that would bring visitors via search engines, no matter how useless the post information was. This is all “history.” Major search engines now have features that will find low quality blogs that have been “stuffed” with keywords and will penalize the site for it. While others are still relying on this tactic, you can commit to high quality content, invite guest posts, and post on other blogs; you can add great media to your blog; you can connect your blog to your social media profiles. The entire business of blogging is evolving, and, with high quality content and a bit of effort, your blog may become your most important Internet marketing tool!
These 3 strategies are cost-effective, easy to implement, and will give you a solid online presence!
