By Dania Mahmoud
Success in business might start with an innovative product or reliable service, but only a loyal customer base can sustain longevity. This is especially true for small businesses. Establishing a tight-knit community that will look to you to meet its needs will give you an edge over bigger companies.
So how do you convert one-time buyers into long-term customers? With a marketing plan that is true to your brand, tailored to your target audience, and in-tune to your followers’ needs and interests.
Marketing can be a time-consuming process, which is why for a lot of entrepreneurs who have their hands full maintaining their business’s regular operations, outsourcing makes sense. At Small Business Innovation, we help our clients build a company brand that marries its product with its mission and values. Then we express that brand so that customers will relate to it and eventually commit to it.
Interested in how we do this? Check out these 5 strategies that are sure to strengthen your business’s marketing plan:
1. Think of your business in story terms.
Your business might still be in its beginning stages, or maybe it has a long family history behind it. Either way, your business has a story, and your target audience wants to hear it!
Think about how your business was founded, why your mission and values were born, and what you want your business to be doing years down the road. Defining your business’s beginning, middle, and future will allow your audience to feel it has embarked on your journey with you. That means your followers will be more encouraged to play an active role in your story, whether that means interacting with your business on social media, recommending you to friends, or becoming customers themselves.
2. Decide what makes you shine above the rest.
What gives you an edge over your competition? Is it your customer service? Your game-changing product? A history of satisfaction? Your business has something that’s better than anyone else in the industry can offer. Zero in on it, then don’t let your target audience forget it.
Integrating your stand-out factor into your campaign will help your audience understand what you can do for them that no one else can. If what you’re bringing to the table meets a big need your audience has, you’re on your way to building a loyal community of customers.
3. Have a website that wows.
Once you’ve put together your story and understand which stand-out factors you want to emphasize, you’re ready to build a website that is consistent with your brand.
You will make your first impression on many of your prospective customers through your website. That means you need to make it stellar. Telling your story well is important here, but don’t forget that a sleek, eye-pleasing design is just as crucial to capturing attention. You also want your site to be straightforward and easy to use; too many clicks or long pages that have involve a lot of scrolling will turn off time-sensitive users.
Don’t forget to cross-promote your website on social media and vice versa so that your followers don’t miss any of the material you’re putting out for them.
4. Remember the 80-20 rule on social media.
While you’re composing your 140 character masterpieces, keep in mind the 80-20 rule. Only 20% of your content should be promotional material that is specific to your business. The rest of your content--80%-- should be about investing in your followers’ interests and figuring out their needs
People who constantly talk about themselves can be annoying. Don’t annoy your followers; show them that you are paying attention to their interaction and feedback, and that you’re branding your business accordingly.
If you’re constantly promoting your product or service by throwing prices on your social media, your followers are not going to feel a sense of community. They’re going to feel like they’re being sold to, which can cause many to put their defenses up. Creating a community is more nuanced than straight selling. The process will take time and patience, but it will also win you a loyal set of customers, which is something you can’t put a price on.
5. Put a personal touch on emails.
Large scale emails have their purpose, but if you want to take the sense of community you’re building a step further, try personalizing your emails.
You can use tools like MailChimp to group your target audience based on their previous interactions with your emails. Then, send each group content that you think would resonate best with them. MailChimp even allows you to address your emails to individual recipients, further personalizing interaction with your customers.
And if you want to be even more personal, send out individual emails to customers who have made a particular impact on your business. You’ll let them know that their patronage is important to you, and that you want to continue meeting their needs efficiently and effectively.
Want to learn more about Small Business Innovation can take your business’s marketing campaign to the next level? Fill out our contact form or call us for an initial consultation at (832)887-7634.
Sources
Forbes
Success in business might start with an innovative product or reliable service, but only a loyal customer base can sustain longevity. This is especially true for small businesses. Establishing a tight-knit community that will look to you to meet its needs will give you an edge over bigger companies.
So how do you convert one-time buyers into long-term customers? With a marketing plan that is true to your brand, tailored to your target audience, and in-tune to your followers’ needs and interests.
Marketing can be a time-consuming process, which is why for a lot of entrepreneurs who have their hands full maintaining their business’s regular operations, outsourcing makes sense. At Small Business Innovation, we help our clients build a company brand that marries its product with its mission and values. Then we express that brand so that customers will relate to it and eventually commit to it.
Interested in how we do this? Check out these 5 strategies that are sure to strengthen your business’s marketing plan:
1. Think of your business in story terms.
Your business might still be in its beginning stages, or maybe it has a long family history behind it. Either way, your business has a story, and your target audience wants to hear it!
Think about how your business was founded, why your mission and values were born, and what you want your business to be doing years down the road. Defining your business’s beginning, middle, and future will allow your audience to feel it has embarked on your journey with you. That means your followers will be more encouraged to play an active role in your story, whether that means interacting with your business on social media, recommending you to friends, or becoming customers themselves.
2. Decide what makes you shine above the rest.
What gives you an edge over your competition? Is it your customer service? Your game-changing product? A history of satisfaction? Your business has something that’s better than anyone else in the industry can offer. Zero in on it, then don’t let your target audience forget it.
Integrating your stand-out factor into your campaign will help your audience understand what you can do for them that no one else can. If what you’re bringing to the table meets a big need your audience has, you’re on your way to building a loyal community of customers.
3. Have a website that wows.
Once you’ve put together your story and understand which stand-out factors you want to emphasize, you’re ready to build a website that is consistent with your brand.
You will make your first impression on many of your prospective customers through your website. That means you need to make it stellar. Telling your story well is important here, but don’t forget that a sleek, eye-pleasing design is just as crucial to capturing attention. You also want your site to be straightforward and easy to use; too many clicks or long pages that have involve a lot of scrolling will turn off time-sensitive users.
Don’t forget to cross-promote your website on social media and vice versa so that your followers don’t miss any of the material you’re putting out for them.
4. Remember the 80-20 rule on social media.
While you’re composing your 140 character masterpieces, keep in mind the 80-20 rule. Only 20% of your content should be promotional material that is specific to your business. The rest of your content--80%-- should be about investing in your followers’ interests and figuring out their needs
People who constantly talk about themselves can be annoying. Don’t annoy your followers; show them that you are paying attention to their interaction and feedback, and that you’re branding your business accordingly.
If you’re constantly promoting your product or service by throwing prices on your social media, your followers are not going to feel a sense of community. They’re going to feel like they’re being sold to, which can cause many to put their defenses up. Creating a community is more nuanced than straight selling. The process will take time and patience, but it will also win you a loyal set of customers, which is something you can’t put a price on.
5. Put a personal touch on emails.
Large scale emails have their purpose, but if you want to take the sense of community you’re building a step further, try personalizing your emails.
You can use tools like MailChimp to group your target audience based on their previous interactions with your emails. Then, send each group content that you think would resonate best with them. MailChimp even allows you to address your emails to individual recipients, further personalizing interaction with your customers.
And if you want to be even more personal, send out individual emails to customers who have made a particular impact on your business. You’ll let them know that their patronage is important to you, and that you want to continue meeting their needs efficiently and effectively.
Want to learn more about Small Business Innovation can take your business’s marketing campaign to the next level? Fill out our contact form or call us for an initial consultation at (832)887-7634.
Sources
Forbes
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