Know Your Audience
A search engine typically offers two million search results, and of these millions of pages, the highest-ranking site receives, on average, 31.7% of the traffic. This statistic goes some way to explaining the vital need for small businesses to focus on targeting a relevant audience. Niche focused, targeted marketing is necessary for small businesses to connect and grow their brand with a relevant audience. Having a deep understanding of your target audience should inform every aspect of your marketing strategy to ensure your efforts will connect you with potential customers.
Create Quality Content
Consistently publishing quality content will offer two distinct rewards; it benefits search engine optimisation and increases audience engagement. To ensure that you are using this inbound marketing technique most effectively, you must focus on your target audience. Knowledge of your target audience should drive your choice in subject matter and keywords.
Use Email Marketing
Many small businesses focus on growing their customer base. While this practice is important for long-term success, pursuing it exclusively is likely to impact operations negatively. Research suggests that it costs, on average, five times more to find and convert a new customer than keep an existing client. Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective forms of direct marketing. You can use email marketing to incentivise customers by offering exclusive offers or promotions, or as a method of building more meaningful relationships with clients. Email marketing can also be used to follow up with a customer after they have made a purchase, not only will this solidify their relationship with your brand but it can also be a way to encourage reviews. Since 40% of people search online for reviews almost every time before making a purchase, encouraging reviewing is a valuable practice.
Partner with Influencers
Businesses that have budgeted for paid advertisements should consider partnering with an influencer. Influencer marketing is a form of peer-to-peer advertising than is perceived as much more genuine and trustworthy than paid digital adverts. Not only does influencer marketing enable you to increase your brand awareness with a relevant audience, but it has a very real impact on sales. Studies have found that influencer marketing returns, on average, $6.5 for every $1 spent.
Use Analytics
Digital marketing analytics provide invaluable insights for small business marketers. Your analytics are the best ways for you to assess, analyse and measure the success of any digital marketing effort which enables you to make more informed decisions in future. When consulting analytics, you should focus on both audience behaviour with your brand and lead generation.
Summary
Content marketing, email marketing and working with influencers are low-cost marketing tactics and you can easily scale up the campaigns based on your goals and budget. Marketing doesn't have to be expensive, you just need to work smarter, always experiment, measure and review. Finding the right marketing mix that gives you the highest return of investment for your business is not as difficult as it might seem.
Image by Anna Sullivan
