When you run a small business, it might seem impossible to compete with larger corporations. They have more money, more know-how, more recognition, and so on. However, just because you are small doesn’t mean that you can’t be seen – it will just depend on how good your marketing is.

One of the most important things to determine when it comes to your marketing is what strategies you should use. There are a number of different ideas you could choose from, and some will work better than others depending on what kind of business you run and how people buy from you. Even something as simple as printed business cards can make a significant impact on your marketing efforts regardless of what business you own. With that in mind, here are some important marketing strategies to think about and implement if you feel they would work.

Social Media

All business owners should have at least one social media platform dedicated to their business, and a lot of the time, they should have more than one. The platform or platforms you choose will depend on your target market, so you need to determine where they spend their time when they are online. Whether it’s Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, or anything else, you can then ensure your posts are relevant and interesting.

The key to good social media marketing is to be consistent. If you post a few times and then forget about it for a while, your customers will forget too. If you post every day, people will get used to seeing your business and your brand, and they’ll get to know you better. Engagement is also crucial; you can connect with your audience and keep them loyal to you, helping you grow even if there is a lot of competition.

Email Marketing

The great thing about email marketing is how cost-effective it is. You only need to collect people’s email addresses – they will need to give permission for this, so make sure you understand all the regulations and don’t fall foul of the law here, or you could damage your business’s reputation – and then you can send out regular marketing emails to attract their attention and, crucially, remind them that you sell things they might be interested in.

These emails need to be interesting and useful to the customer. Otherwise, they will just delete them unread and maybe unsubscribe from your mailing list. You can include new products and services, business news, and competitions where you give away custom hats from Anthem Branding, for example. You might also add discounts for those who read the newsletter or introduce a loyalty scheme. Give your content relevance and meaning, and this can be a hugely successful marketing tactic.

Work With Influencers

Influencer marketing has risen to prominence thanks to social media, but it’s not actually a new concept. It’s about finding people who have a large fanbase and working with them to promote your business.

These days, influencers will usually be found on social media, so you can see who has a large following and connect with them for collaboration. Each influencer will want different things from such a partnership, so it could be worth speaking to a variety of those who might be able to help until you find someone you’re comfortable partnering with.

Jane