Marketing Mind Dump

Marketing Ideas to Promote your Business

Once you know who you’re talking to, where you need to reach them, and what you need to say, you can make smart marketing choices. Here are just some of the things you could do – but don’t spread yourself too thin.

Try a couple at a time and see what works. If the results aren’t there, experiment with something else. You’re probably already wondering how you’ll start a business with hardly any money; the last thing you need is to waste cash on ineffective marketing. You’re better off doing just a few things really well.

Put in the time to promote your business

Schedule at least an hour a day on promotional activities. Spend some of that time reviewing what’s working and what’s not.

There’s nothing wrong with trying something different and finding that it didn’t work. But it’s important to cut your losses when something isn’t performing well.

And don’t forget to steer some of your marketing effort toward your existing customers. It’s a lot easier to keep a customer than to attract a new one. But you have to show them some love. Demonstrate your appreciation for their business from time to time.

Brainstorm as many ideas as you like, but only act on two or three things at a time or you’ll run out of energy.

Create a Free Listing with Google

Set yourself up at Google My Business to improve results when people search for businesses like yours.

Get Active on Social media

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter … You can try to build a following by putting out interesting content, or you can pay to push ads and posts to specific audiences. But be careful not to spam.

Use SEO to Attract Prospects to your Site

SEO / Search Engine Optimisation – To build a website that shows up when people search for the products or services you sell, you’ll need to use the right keywords and get other sites to link back to you. But the payoff can be big.

Share your Expertise

Create articles, videos or podcasts with useful or interesting information and use them to bring people to your site. Blog/news updates on your website is a perfect and simple way to do this

Offer Tutorials or Webinars

Offer to guide prospects through an issue or a problem for free. You can do it in person, on a video call, or via a webinar.

Create Effective Email Marketing Campaigns

These are usually informational or promotional messages sent to people who asked you to keep them updated, such as prospects, clients, reporters, vendors, affiliates, etc. Marketing emails encompass a variety of content, but most are used to send newsletters, sales promotions, announcements, press releases, follow-ups, and surveys.

Online platforms such as MailChimp and The Newsletter Plugin are a simple and free way to achieve this. They offer paid upgrades as your requirements grow. See Email Marketing for more information or contact us to help you get setup.

Some tips:

• Build and maintain your subscriber database list
• Encourage readers to reply
• Make it personal
• Leave a ‘cliffhanger’ in your subject line – get them hooked
• Utilise pre-headers effectively to get the readers attention
• Use call-to-action buttons and links
• Send when you have something valuable to share
• Integrate your email campaigns to social media platforms
• Think about your audience and be as relevant as possible
• Limited relevant content, promotion and offers – keep it short
• However, promotions aren’t everything
• Make sure your emails look clean and crisp
• Include interesting links and calls to action
• Build your subscriber list
• Make emails mobile-friendly
• Track your data

Be aware of the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007.

Turn your Email Signature into a CTA

Build an attractive CTA (Call to Action), and including it in the signatures of your company’s emails will expose it to a great number of people providing a great marketing opportunity.

Ask for Referrals or Testimonials from Happy Customers

Positive reviews or testimonials from real people count for a lot. It’s a perfect way for potential clients to trust a business more after reading a positive review.

Giveaways

Let customers see how good your product or service is by giving away free samples. If you’re a consultant, make up a nice certificate for one hour of your time for free.

Get Networking

Interact with prospects, in person or online. Don’t forget to put time into old relationships too. There may already be people in your network who can help build your business.

Publicity

If you have a cool story, see if a local paper, radio station, or trade magazine wants to cover it.

What Works for You?

Every business is different. What marketing have you done in the past? What has worked? What hasn’t? How do you know – can you quantify it?

Branding

Make sure the brand you portray to clients and customers is all up-to-scratch. Remember We live in a time when consumers are spoiled for choice. Make sure your brand and how you showcase your business is solid. Do you need to rebrand to keep things fresh and current? See some of our graphic design samples.

Ask yourself … Does your brand represent your company? Does your brant represent you the best it can in the marketplace, and effective toward your target market? How do does it compare against your opposition?

Advertising

Adverts can be anything from a poster on a bus stop, to a video on social media, newspaper or local magazines. Choose the right place for your audience and keep your message as simple as possible.

Flyers

Stick them in residential mailboxes, Post office drops or hand them out in the street to promote a local business. It often helps to include a special offer, such as a discount or two-for-one. See our price list for pricing options.

Video Marketing

Video marketing is one of, if not the, most important marketing trend today and likely for the next 5-10 years. People are more likely to stop and watch while scrolling on social media opposed to a static image. It is a great way to convey the whole story.

Online Advertising

Via platforms such as Google Ads , Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. These can be target marketed to your perfect customer.

E-Commerce

Sell your products online – and it’s available to everyone 24/7. We can offer simple shopping cart websites, up to complex beasts to promote and sell your products and services. It can be simple using third-party platforms such as WooCommerce or Shopify and payment platforms such as PayPal or Stripe.

Brain-Storm Ideas as a Team

Buy-in from your employees will be much greater if they have had input into marketing ideas. They know your customers too. Employees will be more motivated if they are involved in the decision making.

Invest in a Quality Website

A website is a great way to provide value-added service to your customers and clients and is a great way to keep them coming back to you when they need your products or services.

Consumer behaviour changes over time to adapt to modern technology, and consumer behaviour has changed to adapt to the digital age.

• Your business will gain credibility
• Customers can be kept informed
• A website is always accessible
• A website enables you to target a wider audience
• Attract new customers
• It allows you to hone your companies brand and image
• It can help grow your business
• Would consumers consider a business without a website?
• People are searching for you online
• Easy to find relative information
• Stand out on your industry
• Social media reach is limited
• Affordable compared to ongoing traditional advertising
• Up-to-date current information
• Your website stays open 24 hours per day
• Make sure good SEO (search engine optimisation) is covered for the  best possible site rankings in search engines
• Your competitors probably have one

Already have a website? Ask yourself is it performing at it’s best possible state to attract customers. Is it up-to-date? Is it mobile and user friendly? If you were a customer or client looking at your site for the first time would it be appealing, showcase your company and is easy to access quick, relative information?

See our simple website and full website service. We also offer domain and web hosting solutions. Get in touch if we can help.