There are many things you can do to drive your business success. The internet is filled with tips. One thing you can do it to be more specific and tailor your marketing based on your industry.
- Home services
Plumbers, electricians and most trades and small businesses that serve their customers in the industry of home services often have a lot of competition to go up against. How do you stand out?
- Search engine authority: In this industry, the way it works is that customers give you a call when something is broken or needs maintenance, so it is crucial to rank well in search engine results. Build your authority, and rankings as a result, with website search engine optimization (SEO) and authoritative content about your business and services.
- Email marketing:These days, people are spammed with emails. Despite this, it is still a good way of reminding your potential customers that you can help them out. Every campaign should be sent for a reason, such as educational or newsworthy content or a promotion for your services.
- Educational content:Good content has the potential to build your website’s authority in search-engine rankings and it can also do some selling for you, or at least save you time educating your customers about your business or services.
- Professional services
Lawyers, real-estate agents, accountants and other small business professionals that provide services to individuals and other businesses must compete with several othersimilar providers. Standing out and finding clients beyond word-of-mouth advertising and referrals can be difficult and usually requires hard work and a big marketing budget. But there are things you can do to make your business stand out online without breaking the bank or spending too much time.
- Search engine authority:The easiest way to gain new clients online is to appear in the top couple of search engine results when your potential clients search for keywords associated with your service.
- Video:Video is a great marketing tool as visuals are king. People are engaging more and more with videos, therefore it is the best type of content to share on social media in the way of expanding your reach and increasing engagement from clients.
- Educational content:As part of your website SEO strategy, you should publish educational content frequently (once a month, minimum). The easiest way to do this is to update your website blog with informative posts about your services, trends or updates in your particular industry, educational posts about things your clients may not know, etc.
- Retail
After the holiday season, it is tough to keep the level up as there is a sudden slowdown in business. You can strengthen your business with a strategy for supporting your business using online tools and tactics.
- Mobile-friendly e-commerce: Regardless of your industry or business type, mobile marketing is essential. For retailers, mobile-friendly websites are a great feature for showcasing your products when your customers aren’t physically present in your store. With an e-commerce website, you have the ability to increase sales locally and even nationally.
- Reward program:Most retailers find it a challenge to build loyalty and increase their return customer base. Get creative about options you can put in place as an incentive for customers to come back, such as including a coupon with every purchase (or purchases above a set amount), providing stamp cards to work toward a discount or giveaway item, etc. You could even offer a discount or free item for customers who sign up for your email list.
- Email marketing:A proven method of reminding your customers to visit your store is email marketing. Create a list through a pop-up on your website or sign-up form in your store, and send monthly campaigns to showcase new products, offer a monthly discount code or coupon, and announce any upcoming sales or events.
These marketing strategy tips are just a few to get you started in your small business marketing endeavors for 2016. Your year will be off to a successful start if you implement the right tips for your industry, no matter what industry you’re in!