Promote Your Business by Following These Simple Yet Effective Techniques

Promoting your business doesn’t have to be expensive. There are many simple and cost-effective things you can do to reach your target market and generate sales. These five steps will enhance the visibility of your business, giving it the boost it needs to grow.

1. Get a website. If you still haven’t invested in a website, then make this a priority. Website searches are one of the key ways people find products and services today. If you’re not online, you’re missing out on a significant portion of business. The cost of a website varies greatly depending on what is required. If your budget is limited, you can get a basic website for a very reasonable price. Shop around to find a quality website designer who listens to your needs and can give you what you want.

2. Develop a social media strategy. Social media is an easy and cheap way to build your profile. The major platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are free, and they give you the ability to reach millions of people. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of them? Many business owners don’t make use of social media because they don’t know where to begin. Social media engagement can be as simple as retweeting industry related news stories or posting weekly updates about your products and services. Develop a social media strategy that is realistic and allows you to build on your skills.

3. Run a competition. A giveaway is a great strategy to get attention and create brand awareness. The prize should be directly related to your business and showcase what you do. The purpose is to create desire and encourage people to find out more about you. A competition can be an integral part of your social media strategy as it provides unlimited opportunities for posts and updates. Give your competition a unique element to make it memorable. You can even create your own hashtag for the competition, but be careful that it can’t be misconstrued in any way. Many well intentioned hashtag promotions have backfired because not enough thought went into them.

4. Collect testimonials. What better way to tell people about your business than through testimonials from satisfied customers? Genuine testimonials will give you credibility and promote trust. You can include testimonials on the landing page of your website and promote them through social media. The key to a persuasive testimonial is authenticity. If your business is B2B, then include the full name of the person, role and company details. This makes it possible for people to verify that the testimonial is real. If you deal with non-business customers, then ask if you can include their details. It’s so easy to contact people via social media today, and there are many happy customers who would be happy to put in a good word for you.

5. Invest in printed materials such as business cards, flyers, posters and stationery. With so much focus on the online world, it can be easy to overlook the basics, but printed materials are a key marketing element. Business cards with your website address and other contact details can be handed out at industry events. Company stationery is professional and can also be given to clients as gifts. Flyers and posters can be used in different locations to raise awareness. Poster printing in Manchester and branded stationery are not as expensive as you might think, and they give your company the edge that can take it to the next level.

These are just some of the easy and cost-effective ways you can promote your business and reach customers.