Position yourself as an expert
Customers approach your marketing company because they require assistance. What motivates a customer to call a business after seeing a faceless advertisement in the newspaper? merely the service However, if they are looking for a service and come across an article written by an authority (YOU) that addresses some of their main concerns, they are more likely to trust your business since you have already provided them with something of value.
To be an expert, you must
- project confidence in your voice and physical posture,
- have thorough knowledge of your products and services,
- BRAG a little!
Here are a few ideas that will take some of your time, produce outstanding results, and cost you NOTHING but will help you become an expert.
30-Second Elevator Pitch
When you meet a potential customer, being able to rapidly and precisely summarize the benefits of your goods and services demonstrates your expertise in your field, your self-assurance, and your organizational skills. Spend some time developing a sales spiel that explains your value to the market, and have each of your staff memorize it. Once completed, it will enable an unflinching projection of confidence whenever you or your workers speak about your business. It is a priceless tool.
Expert Articles
Locate a trade journal and get in touch with the editor. They are constantly looking for new editorial material! Consider starting a column. Make sure to get a professional marketing! Take copies of your pieces and post them on your blog, website, and media kits. Your skills and status in the field are instantly recognized as a result. You will soon be asked to give speeches and write articles for various outlets.
Speaking Engagements
Speakers are always needed by business chambers, industry organisations, and Rotary Clubs. Enter the room and let them know you are there and what you can provide. They will find it easier to find materials if you write a one-page profile explaining the subjects you are qualified to speak on. Watch for “Call to Speakers” notices for conferences and other events as well.
Media Interviews and PR Gigs
HARO – Help a Reporter Out is a great resource for PR opportunities. Be sure to sign-up for their daily emails and respond to any inquiries that are relevant to you.
Winning Contests
Learn about the competitions and contests taking place in your field of expertise. Businesses can typically enter and receive votes for themselves. There are frequently few companies who enter the competition, which greatly increases your chances of winning. An honor bestowed by a third party must be acknowledged on websites, in press releases, and in the workplace.
If used effectively, LinkedIn offers incredible potential, just like in-person networking. A wonderful method to establish yourself as an authority is to join groups, offer stuff, and respond to questions that are asked. A excellent method to reach potential customers is through expanding your network, getting in touch with prospects, and changing the status of your profile.
Testimonials
Establish a follow-up procedure so that each happy client gives you a written recommendation that you can use on your website, email templates, and brochures.
Create and showcase your professional image and brand
Your brand image reflects who you are and inspires confidence in your customers. Why should a client trust you to handle their project with a higher level of care if you didn’t take the time to carefully create your brand? A professional designer should be enlisted to create your logo, letterhead, business cards, and website. Your investment in these technologies will ultimately result in considerably more profits for you. You may create a thriving business by combining a professional brand and website with a solid operational framework and marketing strategy.
Consideration should also be given to brand consistency. In order for your client to remember you amid the tens of thousands of other brands they see every day, every branding item you choose—from business cards to vehicle wraps—must have a consistent appearance and feel.
Many small and medium-sized businesses are unaware of the power of mobile advertising and automobile wraps as branding tools. Due to the frequent usage of mobile billboards and vehicle wraps by large corporations, small and medium-sized businesses likely perceive the cost of this form of advertising as being prohibitive. This is untrue, and I strongly advise using this method of promotion in a variety of sectors. If you drive, you should be promoting your company to the thousands of passersby you pass every day. So a customer will think, “I saw them on the highway; they must be a renowned company,” when they see your emblem.
Collect and store critical customer and potential customer data
What do you do with all of the business cards you get from attending networking events? You most likely put them in a box and forget about them, just like the majority of marketing business owners. What about the database of past clients you have access to? or the viewers of your website? All of these people have interacted with you, and you are losing the opportunity to get to know them better and conduct future business with them.
Here are some simple ways to setup a system to collect and use this data:
FREE OFFERS
Have a pop-up box with a free offer on your website’s main page. All they have to do to access the offer is enter their email address, and you’ll send them a copy of the article in.PDF format. They won’t just become another website visitor thanks to the fact that you now have a way to get in touch with them!
E-Marketing
Join a service that offers email marketing, such as iContact.com . You may easily send out monthly emails in this manner without annoying folks. I advise communicating with your clientele at least twice every month. Make the information marketing compelling so that readers will want to share it with their friends!
Newsletter Sign-up
Have a place on your website for them to sign up for your e – Marketing newsletter.
Consistency
Consistently touch your client base so they don’t forget about you. You never know when they or someone they know may need what you offer!
Generate content and have multiple channels of distribution
In a world of digital communication you MUST use social media, blogging, and PR outlets to compete. If you are not, know that your competitors are.
Blogging
Search engine optimization is the primary advantage of blogging (SEO). Given that Google owns blogger.com and that it can quickly help you rank well for important keywords, I highly recommend it. It is simple to use and will benefit your marketing company right away.
LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook
Every time you create content, you need to have a clear distribution strategy in place. Send it to your current client e-marketing list, publish it on Facebook, create a blog post, and tweet a link to the blog article.
Content creation and the methods utilized for content distribution are two important aspects that keep a business on the cutting edge and in front of your clientele. Content that mentions finished projects, contracts, honors, offers and promotions, articles you’ve written, new website debuts, new items, and pretty much anything else deemed newsworthy is considered content. If you don’t tell them, how will they know? Your prospective customers don’t frequently check your website to see what’s new. It is your duty to inform them, and to inform them frequently. This ongoing contact fosters customer community and increases brand loyalty, not just chance encounters!
Consistency
Establish a timetable so you can communicate with your clients on a regular basis and stay on marketing course. Erratic touches don’t produce reliable revenue. Budget cuts should be made last for marketing even when business is slow. Because it creates a window of opportunity for you to increase your market share when all of your rivals lower their marketing expenses!
Be Easily Found on the Internet
Your company is doomed if it can’t be found online. The yellow pages are no longer useful, and building your firm just through word of mouth would take too long. Use these easy techniques to get found quickly.
Google Local Business
You are losing out on a TON of business if your company is not included in Google Local Business. You know those links to the right of the map at the top of the page, beneath the banner advertising? For that role, those companies do not pay anything at all! All they did was put their companies on Google Local Business! They appear whenever a customer searches for a company in their category nearby—FREE of charge.
Blogging
The biggest advantage of blogging is search engine optimization, as I mentioned earlier and cannot emphasize this enough (SEO). Given that Google owns http://www.blogger.com and that it can quickly help you marketing rank well for important keywords, I highly recommend it. It is simple to use and will benefit your company right away.
Keywords
Make a keyword list in ten minutes. The search terms that your customers will use to find you online are known as keywords. Be innovative. To help people find your products, some of your keywords should be typical misspellings of words. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times Google searches for “vehcile wraps” as opposed to “vehicle wraps” led to sales for us. Press releases, your website, blog posts, articles, and responses to forums online should all contain these keywords.
Directories
Make sure you are aware of the places your clients look for the services you offer. Calling them and asking is the simplest marketing approach to learn more. They’ll share with you the resources they use, including blogs, magazines, and publications you might not be familiar with. Additionally, make sure you register with free online marketing directories. How will you be able to locate the directories? Google your own terms and behave like a customer.
Track what works
Why spend money on ineffective strategies? Know what you’re doing, and track each technique in your project management software or an Excel spreadsheet. Asking your client “Where did you hear about us?” and getting their response will make it easy. Go over your sales at the end of the month to determine where the majority of your revenue is coming from and where it isn’t. Then, focus more on the areas that are producing results.
I hope these marketing strategies have helped you realize that marketing and PR doesn’t have to be expensive or hard. If you work smart and implement a clear system of executing these tactics it will be reflected in your bottom line. Even in this economy.