If you have started a small business, then one of your main focuses will be getting customers in who will buy whatever you are offering. That is why, in the early stages of development of a business, it is vital to do proper advertising. This is what will make or break your business. But, you may not have the budget to run TV ads. So, here are some ideas that a small business can use to start drawing in customers.
Business cards are fairly cheap to produce en masse, and you can turn them into an effective marketing tool. You can add a coupon on the back, so that if they bring in the card they will get a discount. You can also advertise an opening party or any other event to draw people in. Just make sure your cards are professional-looking and well designed, with text that will encourage people to visit your business. Then, hand them out as much as possible. Place stacks in strategic locations, and give them to anyone who you think could use your business's product or service.
Next, you want to make sure you are listed in all of the local business directories. This includes the yellow pages. Make it your top priority to get into the yellow pages - preferably with a large ad. If you aren't sure how to do that, look in the current edition for a number for the office that you can call to find out information about how to list your business.
Lots of business owners advertise their business on their vehicle. With a proper artist, you can get a fairly nice-looking logo on your car. It may seem far-fetched, but this sort of advertising actually works, and with the right eye-catching logo you will begin to see an increase in the number of visitors to your business.
Public transportation systems offer many chances to advertise in a way that will not be too expensive, but will reach a huge audience. You can advertise your business on benches, bus stop walls, or on buses themselves. It depends on your city specifically, but it is worth checking out the possibilities.
Finally, you can cross-promote with other businesses. This is one of the most powerful methods of advertising, and it is free if you can work out a deal. If you can find another local business that compliments your own, you can offer to promote them if they will promote you. There are many ways that this can work out, and may lead to the ultimate success of your business.
These are just a few ways to consider advertising for your business. However, you should be creative. The most successful businesses are the ones that figure out how to fill markets in new and creative ways.
In its simplest terms, email marketing means communicating with consumers through email. But there's a big difference between trying to talk to consumers who never asked to be talked to in the first place, and talking to your own customers, who at some point have said, "Yes, I'd love to hear from you."
That's where permission email marketing comes in. Permission email marketing means giving valuable information to consumers who have requested to receive it. It is the ONLY legitimate way to send an email marketing campaign, and it is the only way your small business can benefit from email marketing.
But how do you get your customers to say "I do"?
If you have an online business, or if your offline business has a website that receives many visitors, compiling subscribers can be as easy as adding a subscription box to your website. You would offer users something valuable, like a periodical newsletter or emails with discount coupons and, in return, your users would subscribe to your mailing list.
Sounds great. But what if your business is primarily offline, and what if you don't even have a website?
Many businesses think that's reason enough to step out of email marketing altogether. But what they're missing here is that compiling a permission email marketing list offline can be as easy, if not easier in some instances, as building a list online.
We have advised many clients on tips to collect email addresses at the point of purchase. Here are some of our favorite tactics:
- Collect business cards, Offer a prize. This is one of the oldest, most proven methods of collecting customer information in-store. Your prize doesn't even have to be huge. If you own a restaurant, it can be as simple as a free dinner for two. If you own a hair dresser, it can be as easy a 50% off coupon towards their next cut. The beauty here is that customers who submit their business cards have expressed genuine interest in your products or services. So when you contact them by email with further offers, you know you're talking to people who want to buy what you're selling.
The one thing to keep in mind here is that you MUST inform users that by submitting their business cards, they are agreeing to receive email communication from you. This can be as simple as adding a sign to the business card drop-off box saying: "We will send you an email to notify you if you have won. We may also send you periodical emails with special offers and announcements. If you do not wish to receive emails from us, please write 'No Email' on your business card."
- Start a V.I.P. Club Many consumers like the idea of belonging to something exclusive, and receiving offers that are extended only to a select group of people. The labor on your part is minimal. It's as easy as keeping a notebook by the cashier. As a customer comes up to complete a purchase, casually tell them about your businesses' V.I.P. Club and ask them if they would like to join. Customers will appreciate this if you position it as a rewards club, or a way to say "Thank you, we love to have you around" to your most loyal customers. Of course, you should offer V.I.P. Club membership to any of your consumers, as you may find, once you start emailing them offers, that's a great way to build your most loyal customers. Make sure the offers you send them are, in fact, exclusive, and that you email V.I.P. Club members often enough, but not too often to become annoying (once or twice a month is usually a good interval).
Again, when you're collecting customer emails for the V.I.P. Club, make sure your customers know they're signing up to receive email offers from you.
*** These are just some ideas to get your permission email marketing subscriber list started. The best news here is that compiling a list is actually the toughest part of managing an email marketing campaign. As long as you're using an email marketing manager program that's specifically designed for small businesses like yours, the rest of the process is a breeze.
Creating a campaign involves little more than selecting a professionally-designed template, typing text and choosing a few good images. Your campaigns will be scheduled and sent automatically, so you'll never have to worry about being involved in that part.
What you will get to do (and this is probably the most exciting and most rewarding part of email marketing), is analyze your campaign after it's been sent. You'll be able to see how many people opened your email message, how many people clicked on each link within the message and, best of all, exactly who did what. Now that's what we call accurate, detailed, and immediate consumer research (you actually get to track your consumers' actions from the exact moment they happen). And while you would previously pay a fortune just to get this research data, today your small business can send professional email marketing campaigns and track detailed consumer behavior for less than it would cost you to print store flyers.
It's the new age of marketing, and there's never been a better time for your offline small business to get into the game.
Both Adrian Adams & Robert Burko are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.