When you launch a new business, how you market and promote your products and services is key to success. If your target audience isn’t checking out your offerings, you can’t expect fantastic results. Any business owner will tell you the importance of marketing and how it can be the difference between a profitable venture and failure.
Here are some important marketing lessons that all startups need to know and master, which will help keep your business thriving and make sure it is seen by the right people.
Create Engaging Content
Sure, your business website and blog may be filled with blocks and blocks of text, but if it’s not relevant, engaging, or appealing to the eye, you can’t expect readers to stay on the page. Your content needs to be exciting and captivating from the beginning, so if your talents don’t lie in writing, it may be wise to hire a freelance writer to take over proceedings.
Whether you’re talking about a product launch, creating a bio, or giving an update of what’s going on behind the scenes, quality content is what will lead to an increase in sales and more brand awareness.
Choose a Brandable Domain Name
To flourish in a competitive market, attention to detail can make a huge difference. When it comes to your business website, getting a brandable and relevant domain name is an excellent marketing strategy that can propel your startup to new heights. There are domain extensions you can use like .tech or .online which helps your brand stand out and boosts your page’s SEO game.
For instance, if you’re an online food store, you can use a domain name like .store. It pays off to research the different brandable domain names, as you’ll want consumers to easily spot you in the crowd and do business with you.
Use Social Media Wisely
For startups who want to make a real impact on the scene, you’re going to need to use social media channels to spread brand awareness. Once you’ve set up a Facebook and Instagram business page, now the hard work begins. Billions of people all over the world use these platforms every day, so to lead them in the right direction, you’re going to need to post regularly and get consumers sharing your posts.
If you’re not tech-savvy, it’s wise to leave this job to a social media expert. No one expects you to be behind a screen 24 hours a day either. Instead, you can schedule posts in advance that will go live while you’re concentrating on other areas of the business. Make sure there is always someone there to man your social media feeds, as customers may want to get in contact or have a query.
Consider Influencer Marketing
For startup owners who want to attract the attention of their target demographic, it may be wise to look for someone who resonates with your audience. Influencer marketing enables you to leverage the power of an individual with high credibility and a dedicated follower base that aligns with your target group.
Whether it’s a social media star or a celebrity, having someone invest in your brand and speak about your products or services in a positive light can do wonders for attracting new customers and getting your startup off the ground. In fact, influencer marketing is so powerful, over 40% of people have reportedly purchased products after seeing an influencer advertise it on social media. As you would expect, each influencer’s services will be set at different prices, so if you’re on a shoestring budget, you can’t expect to get the A-listers flocking to your brand.
Create Brand and Product Videos
While engaging content is a must for getting your startup noticed, lots of consumers prefer to watch videos to find out more about a product or brand. This means you’ll need to up your game and create professional, high-quality videos that let people know who you are, what you do, and how you differ from others in the same field.
Engaging and informative videos can increase your website traffic dramatically, which has a direct impact on sales. If you want to grow your customer base and get people talking about your brand, publishing videos on your website, blog, and YouTube is essential. It’s worth hiring a professional videographer who can bring your content to life.
Host Competitions
If we’re honest, we all love a freebie. As a startup, you’re going to need to look at different ways to get people invested in your brand. One great tactic to use is by hosting competitions and handing out freebies. Whatever field you specialize in, hosting a competition will get people talking about your brand. To increase awareness of your competition, make sure you ask viewers to share your posts and tag their friends.
Hosting a competition doesn’t need to cost a ton of money either. Thanks to social media, you can do this for free. Contests give you the chance to build brand awareness and put a smile on a customer’s face in the process.
Invest in Email Marketing
We all have an email address, so use this to your advantage! Your business website and blog should have an option for consumers to subscribe to your mailing list. This means readers can receive tailored emails to their inbox which let them know more about your brand and what you offer. If used correctly, email marketing can be a fantastic way to get your message out there and increase traffic to your page.
Just be careful not to flood your audience’s inbox! While you may think you’re doing a good thing sending out constant emails, this can soon become a nuisance and result in people unsubscribing from your mailing list. You can personalize emails by addressing the reader by their name too.
If this is your first business venture, you’re going to need to pull out all the stops to get consumers on board with your brand message. With the right marketing tactics, you can elevate your startup and get people buying your products or using your services.