Tag: Marketing

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. A major component of your business is you marketing. It’s good enough just to market though. You have to do it effectively. The following contributed post is entitled, How Do You Get A Better ROI From Your Marketing Strategy.

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What does ROI mean? For those that are unaware, it stands for Return on Investment, relating to what you gain from investing your money. In marketing terms, it basically addresses how much you earn as a result of a marketing campaign/strategy. As a basic example, let’s say you spent $1000 on a marketing campaign, and it yielded sales totaling $2000. Here, you’re made a positive ROI as you essentially gained $1000.

With that in mind, how do you get a better ROI from a marketing strategy? Marketing and advertising cost lots of money nowadays, meaning many small businesses struggle to profit. Nevertheless, here are a few worthwhile ideas:

Utilize free marketing as much as you can

The first step is to be more frugal in your approach to marketing. There’s no need to splash the cash all the time – many marketing tactics are free! Think of things like social media marketing; this can be done without spending a penny. Word-of-mouth marketing works well for small businesses – get people to spread the word for you. You’ve also got ideas that initially cost money, yet provide free marketing afterward. Handing out branded products is a fine example; give customers a free tote bag with your branding on it, and they basically advertise your business whenever they go out with it.

Switch from traditional to digital marketing

Traditional marketing includes loads of classic ideas like billboard ads, newspaper adverts, flyers, etc. Nowadays, these methods aren’t as effective, meaning they provide a lower ROI. Instead, it’s worth venturing into the realm of digital marketing. Now, what is digital marketing? In short, it relates to all the different ways of promoting your business through digital channels. Again, social media falls under this umbrella, as do SEO, PPC, etc. Digital marketing helps you get a better ROI because it’s easier to tweak and measure the success of a campaign. You have access to all kinds of metrics that tell you what is working and what isn’t. Therefore, you can make adjustments to ensure you see a positive ROI.

Plus, most digital marketing tactics are more affordable than traditional ones. Do you know how much it will cost to get an advert on the TV during a prime time show? A fair bit more than paying for an advert on social media!

Set a strict budget

Finally, you should set a strict budget and stick to it. Many people see a negative ROI because they keep paying for more things. Your campaign isn’t producing results, so you increase the budget and keep promoting as much as you can. In the end, you spent far too much to make it possible to gain a positive return. A strict budget forces you to think smarter and make your money go a long way. It limits your spending, which could help you see a better ROI.

In summary, it’s all about being wise with your spending. Think of ideas and tactics that don’t cost much money, yet provide excellent results. Contrary to what you might believe, you don’t need to spend a fortune on a good marketing strategy.

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When it comes to business, marketing is major component to your business’s success. Marketing is a complex aspect in and of itself. The following contributed post is entitled, What To Do If Your Inbound Marketing Strategy Fails.

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You can have spent a great deal of time and effort on your inbound marketing strategy for your business. You will have launched it expecting great things, sure in the knowledge that it is exactly as it should be to bring you the most value for any money spent.

Sometimes, however, those results don’t come. Occasionally inbound marketing strategies, as good as they may have seemed on paper, don’t work in the real world.

When this happens, don’t give up and don’t be disheartened. Mistakes happen all the time, even in business, and the best thing you can do is to work out how things went wrong and start again. If your inbound marketing strategy didn’t do what you had anticipated it would do, here are the next steps for you to consider.

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Re-evaluate Your Target Audience

When you first create your inbound marketing campaign, you need to know who your target audience is. If you don’t know who you are selling to, there is no way you can create content – blogs, social media posts, even videos – that will appeal to them. And this, of course, is the whole point of inbound marketing; you need to create content that makes those who are most likely to buy from you do just that.

If no one is buying, despite the content you are creating, then it would appear that one of two things has happened. Either the content is wrong, or the audience is wrong. Either way, your inbound marketing strategy is not going to work and won’t give you the results you need.

The easiest thing to check is your target market. This will require in-depth market research to determine what demographic is most likely to buy your product or service; you’ll need to know their age range, gender, location, and the struggles they might be having that your business can solve. Your content must be relevant to these people, so once you have the right target audience, create more content for them.

Ask An Expert

If you’re not a marketing expert, you might find the entire concept of inbound marketing frustrating and confusing. If you’ve tried to create a campaign and it didn’t do what you needed it to do, or you’ve yet to come up with anything because you don’t know where to start, asking an expert for help is the best alternative. Finding a marketing agency specializing in Saas, or any other kind of specialty that will help you, will be ideal.

When you have an expert on board to outsource to, you no longer have to worry about making a mistake in your marketing. The campaign will be created for you, and although you won’t necessarily be deeply involved, you will have the final say over what to use. Your inbound marketing campaign will therefore be slick, professional, and it will work. Whatever you paid to get it done, you should see returned when you start to make sales.

Start Again

Even if starting again is the last thing you want to do, sometimes it’s the very best thing you can do. If you are struggling to make your marketing campaign work and it is truly failing, there is no point in continuing with it. Instead, stop it completely right away, and try something else.

Business is often about trial and error, and not many people can get everything right the first time. Having this in mind will help you to know when it’s time to cut your losses and start again. As long as you don’t give up altogether, it’s not a failure.

Two of the focuses my blog is Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. One of the keys to being successful at business is your marketing. As critical it is, not everyone understands the marketing aspect of business. The following contributed post is entitled, Five Ways To Market Your Business.

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2020 has been a year unlike any other, and with the future uncertain, it is more important than ever that you leverage your business to get ahead of the competition. If you don’t currently have a marketing plan or are unsure whether you are doing all you should be to get your business promoted, now is your chance. Whether you are a small business who has just set out or a large business, a good marketing plan is vital to keep yourself in the best position. This year might have seen you have to cut your budget or reign in your spending due to the current pandemic, but you don’t have to spend lots to get great results. Trial different techniques and find out the ones that work best for you and your company. Here are five top ways to market your business for optimal success this year.

Create a marketing plan

No business can successfully market itself without a marketing plan. With a marketing plan, you can ensure that you schedule out everything you need and have a clear direction to follow. It allows you to measure how your marketing budget is being spent and to try out every area to see which one works the best for you. You will know exactly what is going out when and can measure and track success and results. Whether you are a technologies company like Kapa Technologies LLC, a restaurant, bar, or manufacturer, your business will benefit from a marketing plan.

Sort out your website

Your website is essentially your shop front, and so it is important that not only is it functional and informative, but also that it looks good too. If people turn up and your website is slow, laggy, and looks old, it will give them a bad impression of your business and service. People can think if you don’t make an effort with your website, you won’t make an effort with whatever you are trying to sell or offer. Websites are so easy to create these days that there is no excuse for one that is poorly done. Just by searching online, asking for recommendations, or looking at local groups on Facebook, you will be able to find someone who can create you a stunning looking site that isn’t too expensive. You can also find someone who will do up your current site if you don’t want to opt for something completely new; this might save you money if you are looking for something that bit cheaper in the current times.

Focus on your SEO

If you don’t have an SEO plan, it is time to create one. SEO is vital for getting your business seen and showing up on search engines. By having a strong SEO strategy, your business will show up on Google, and you will get found by those who are looking for the services you offer. There are many ways you can improve your SEO, from improving the metadata and on-page SEO on your site to targeting specific keywords, getting backlinks, and more. This side of SEO can be quite technical, so it is worth getting in touch with an SEO company or hiring a specialist to sort it out for you. They will have the knowledge and expertise to conduct a proper plan. If you don’t have the money to hire a specialist, you can also do research on SEO online that will show you how you can improve your presence.

Implement a Social media strategy

Social media is vital to market your business, and there are many different strategies depending on the services you offer. The important thing to remember with social media is that not every social media platform will work with all businesses, and it is best to focus on a few niche ones rather than spread yourself too thin. Think about the types of audience you are looking to attract with your service and tailor your social media to this. Twitter and Facebook are great for sharing news articles or information, while Instagram is very visual so great for sharing images of your product. TikTok is also another very visual platform but is more aimed at a younger audience. If you have a more cooperative service, consider looking at Linkedin as this is where a lot of business professionals have profiles and look for information. You can use trial and error when it comes to social media and see which platform gets you the most engagement – you might be surprised at what works and what doesn’t! Remember if you are posting similar content on all of your platforms to change them to suit each one.

Have a strong newsletter strategy

Newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with your clients and customers and showcase your latest news and offers. It also allows you to stay in their mind and prompt them to visit your site when they might not have done otherwise. Try not to send out too many newsletters that your customers feel bombarded, but don’t do it too frequently that they don’t bother opening them. Always be sure that your email mailing list is compliant with GDPR. When it comes to creating your newsletter, be sure that it ties in with your branding and the tone of voice of your business.

These are just some of the ways that you can market your business. In uncertain times such as this year, it is very important that you get your marketing strategy up to scratch and make it as easy as possible for new customers and clients to reach you, as well as retain your current clients. Remember, your website and your social media are the first things that people see when they come to your business and are the initial selling points. These need to be aesthetically pleasing, technically effective, and really showcase what you are about and what services you offer. Don’t be afraid to try multiple techniques, and if some don’t work as well as expected, to try something else.

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Most will argue that the most important part of business is not the the actual idea or service, but instead the marketing. Many entrepreneurs don’t focus on this aspect enough. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Masterful Marketing Tips For Generating Local Leads.

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We are living in a digital age, and many companies now focus their attention on trying to reach a wider audience. However, stretching your nets further afield isn’t the only way to increase leads and sales. Learning to maximize conversions from your local demographic can be equally beneficial.

It’s easy to forget about the value of the customers on your doorstep. Here’s how to get more out of them.

1) Focus On Local SEO

The only thing better than reaching out to clients is to have them reach out to you. Even before COVID-19, a growing number of Google searches were focused on local businesses. The popularity of “near me” searches underlines the need for you to place added emphasis on local SEO. Targeting geographic search terms is essential, but you must also consider the growth of voice searches. Finally, a strong Google My Business listing will send local visibility through the roof. Traffic will soar.

2) Use Offline Marketing

Digital marketing trends are an ideal way to grow an audience and increase interest levels. However, offline marketing has a key role to play too. Many businesses rightly worry about the proposed costs. Direct mail advertising that targets local leads that have a genuine possibility of conversion can solve this issue. The healthy leads and contacts can subsequently point them towards the sales funnel. This is where personalized interactions can take success to the next level as selling practices can be tailored to them.

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3) Support The Community

Consumers don’t only judge companies based on their products. Brand image is an increasingly important feature for a socially-conscious generation. Therefore, you must do your bit for the local environment as well as the economy. Improved waste management should sit at the top of your agenda. Meanwhile, going green and supporting community causes will serve you well too. When potential leads can relate to the company and its brand message, they will be more likely to complete a purchase.

4) Be Accessible

While this step isn’t limited to local marketing, it has a telling impact on local audiences. Multichannel marketing can ignite interest in the business and its products. Sadly, it counts for very little if the leads cannot get hold of the sales staff. Social media channels can become a great portal for responding to questions. Meanwhile, call redirecting services facilitate great customer care even when you cannot afford to hire a team of agents. All contact details and information relating to your business opening hours should be clearly stated on your site too.

5) Join Forces

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of thinking gall other local businesses are your competition. But they’re not. For example, if you’ve started a PT business, it may be possible to work together with a local health food store. Your joint marketing efforts can double the visibility and professionalism. Crucially, you can share an audience without negatively impacting the sales of your partner. Marketing isn’t the only area where you can join forces. Joint orders on business services can also work wonders.

6. Use local social media groups

In addition to using email marketing to target local customers, you can also use various local media social platforms. This is where a company joins local social media groups to access in-depth information regarding their customers’ wants and desires. It also allows you to target the right customers for your products. If you want to reach a specific niche, you can do so through local social media accounts such as Facebook, or a WhatsApp group.

One reason why you should use social media to master marketing is that it can help you create a positive brand image. Besides, it can increase your brand’s awareness since today’s generation relies heavily on social media information. And the best thing about it is that you can use different channels to target customers based on your marketing goal. For instance, to increase brand awareness, you can use accounts such as Facebook, while those that want to generate leads that can result in sales should consider LinkedIn. It would be best to also look out for what channels your competitors use to select one that suits your business.

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Marketing is a critical piece to your business. While many business owners have good ideas and services, marketing doesn’t necessarily come easy. The following contributed post is entitled, Little-Known Techniques You Can Use To Better Market Your Business.

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Marketing your business can seem like a massive challenge sometimes. Getting the word out about what you do is tricky in a world where millions of other people are doing the same thing.

There are, however, a bunch of little-known marketing tricks that you can use to swing things in your favor. Mostly your competitors don’t know about these, so it often pays to use them whenever you can. But what are they? And how can you deploy them successfully to improve your business?

Referral Programs

If you want to build your audience fast, you’ll want to launch a referral program.

The idea here is to get your customers to market your business for you.

This strategy has two main advantages: it costs very little compared to traditional advertising, and it helps get around any branding issues. Prospective customers are much more likely to trust the opinions of their peers than they are any official marketing messages from you.

All you need to do is get a hardcore of customers who are entirely loyal to you and your brand. Startups, in particular, often generate a loyal base of people who are willing to stick with them through thick and thin. It is these people you want to target. Provide them with a kickback for every customer that they sign up and then wait for the revenue to start flowing.

QR Code Embeds

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Digital marketing is a great tool, but it is not the only way to get the word out about your business. You have many other options.

Modern companies, for instance, still like to use direct mail. It tends to have higher open rates and more impact than traditional email marketing, making it highly worthwhile, even in today’s business environment.

Providing links to your business website through flyers you send out in the post sounds impossible, but it is not. All you need to do is use QR codes.

QR codes are essentially two-dimensional barcodes that can contain a vast amount of information. What’s more, most modern smartphones can read these codes. Thus, you can send out correspondence in the post with printed codes, have your customers scan them with their mobile devices, and then forward them to the relevant product, service, video, or article online.

Finding the best QR code generator can be a challenge, but there are plenty of options out there.

Make Your Beta Exclusive

If you’re a company that develops software, you might want to offer an exclusive beta. This marketing method allows you to attract the type of people who are most likely to want to sign up for your full service in the future. Plus, they can provide you with valuable feedback on the current state of your technology.

Give Away Stickers

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Giving away stickers might seem like a ridiculous way to market your business, but it is highly effective. People naturally love stickers because it reminds them of their childhood. Plus, both you and they can put them in places where they will give your brand a lot of exposure.

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. To optimize your business’s performance, one piece that will need to operate at maximum efficiency is your marketing. You have to effectively get your message and your products/services out to your customer base. The following contributed post is entitled, Master Your Marketing in 6 Simple Steps.

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Having the right marketing strategies can help grow your business. However, when marketing is done wrong, it can be similar to lighting a money bonfire. As a business owner, you have to provide whatever your business needs all the time. However, sometimes it can be challenging to master all the fine details that go into sales and marketing.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Tips to Help You Master Marketing in Your Business

Know your business

Knowing your business is not only a way of making your marketing successful but also your business. Ensure you understand your business in its entirety. Understand clearly the goals and objectives of your business. Knowing your business will help you to choose marketing strategies that are in line with the mission and vision of your business.

Know your customers

For your marketing strategies to work, you must understand the people in your target market. Examine your existing customer base and take down all the information of previous customers you have already worked with. Examine whether your existing customer base shares the same tastes and preferences and determine all the common traits that your customers have. This information will help you in creating buyer personas. Your marketing strategies should now be aligned with the tastes and preferences of the buyer personas.

Know your competitors

It is also crucial to know and understand your competitors with whom you share the same market. Examine their marketing strategies and determine how they do it. Determine how effective those marketing strategies are, and acquire as much information as possible to help you form those strategies. Implement the best strategies carefully without violating intellectual property rights.

Don’t sell a comparison, sell the benefit

Most marketing managers make the mistake of implementing marketing strategies that imply how their business offers products at a lower price compared to their competitors. The marketing strategy you implement should focus on what extra benefits the consumer will get from purchasing and consuming the product. Therefore, ensure your marketing strategy emphasizes more on how your products are going to improve the life of your customer.

Continuous generation of ideas

Marketing can be categorized as an art as well as science. Your marketing team should continuously generate creative ideas that will reach more and more potential customers. For creative idea generation to happen, you need a team with a healthy imagination. A healthy imagination can be triggered by factors such as constant reading and research. Additionally, find podcast guests who will produce podcasts for marketing purposes.

Marketing automation

Marketing automation is a technological innovation that automatically manages all marketing processes and campaigns across multiple channels. Marketing automation is made possible by specially designed software such as HubSpot Marketing Automation. Marketing automation saves you a lot of time, energy, and money as it replaces all the tedious manual marketing strategies with automated ones.

Bottom Line

Marketing plays a significant role in the success of any business. It helps create awareness in the market about the existence of your product. Therefore, the marketing discipline is significant to your business. As a business person, ensure that you continuously improve your marketing strategies for the growth of your business.