Promotion is integral to the success of a business, as it is through advertising that a business can expand its clientele and thus gain new opportunities. There are many ways to do this and each differs in terms of time, effort and cost. Many business plans use a combination of methods, based on individual needs and circumstances. Here are some tips on how to promote your business.
Steps
Step 1. Create an image for your brand or logo
Widespread brand recognition must be your goal because it gives your business credibility and will inspire others to talk about your business. Make your brand known by including it in your office stationery, business cards, email signatures, flyers, signs, website and advertising material.
Step 2. Create your network of acquaintances
Meeting professionals from other activities related to yours is a great way to promote your business as it gives you the opportunity to get to know your competitors, to ask for references, to create partnerships between complementary sectors and to spread the knowledge of your business to the within a group of like-minded people. Do it in the following ways:
- Attend group meetings. You can find them online, in newspapers or in trade magazines.
- Introduce yourself to the people present. Explain what your business is about, what sets you apart from the competition, and what you are looking for from a professional relationship perspective.
- Ask relevant questions in group discussions. In addition to promoting your business, you can learn a lot during these meetings. Also, asking open-ended questions encourages others to join the conversation and puts you in a position to be introduced to other people.
- Hand out your business cards. Organize private meetings with those who want to know more about your business.
Step 3. Advertise
Consider the following methods for promoting your business:
- Billboards. You can choose from shop window signs, posters, awning or roadside signs.
- Press. You can place advertisements in magazines, newspapers, coupon booklets, trade and trade magazines. Choose properly where to print your ads. For example, if you run a technology component recycling warehouse, you might consider placing ads in computer and technology magazines.
- Commercials. TV and radio commercials are effective ways to advertise your business to a large audience, but they are also quite expensive.
- Advertising material. You can choose to distribute promotional material at specialized trade shows, shops, parking lots or any other highly populated area. Some companies, such as nightclubs and entertainment venues, hire people to flyer and attract new customers.
- Direct contact. You can buy mailing lists specific to your market sector and send letters, flyers, catalogs or postcards. This method is effective when you intend to provide potential customers with discount coupons, vouchers, business cards or promotional materials.
- Public Relations Agencies (PR). You can also rely on public relations firms to promote your business in the form of reviews and press releases.
- Internet. To promote an online business it is necessary to have a website, participate in discussions on industry forums, have a blog, set up accounts on social networking sites, use advertising banners and pay-per-click, enter your business data in the business directories and use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques. Every business, regardless of its size and scope of work, can obtain benefits from online marketing which, often, can be done for free.
- Augmented Reality. This type of advertising helps to enrich the user experience by bringing "life" to the prints, when it is embellished by a further level, the digital one.
Step 4. Create partnerships with other organizations
Specifically, get carried away by the success of another business. Taco Bell recently unveiled Doritos Locos Taco, a masterstroke for both Taco Bell and Doritos. Whenever one of the two is mentioned, the other will also come to mind and vice versa. These partnerships can be very effective advertising methods.
Note: It's hard to partner with successful companies when your business isn't yet. Companies understand the added value you can bring (or not bring) to them and may want something in return, or not even consider you.
Step 5. Trust the power of social networks
Social networks have become the preferred method of advertising because most of the work is done by fans, for free. You can pay someone to advertise on your behalf, or you can create a community of fans who can advertise you by word of mouth, with little or no cost. What will you choose?
Try harnessing the power of viral campaigns. Dollar Shave Club did a great job creating a fun and exciting music video. It has taken off on social networks and now has a total of more than a million subscribers between Facebook and Google+
Step 6. Offer gifts
Provide items with your company name or logo to anyone you meet at events, trade shows, customer meetings, and even personal social gatherings. Items like pens, magnets, and calendars are great ideas because they tend to be used and stay in sight for a long time.
Step 7. Develop relationships with your customers
Customers are not numbers, and it is important to make a commitment to create personal relationships with them. For example, sending Christmas greetings every year means not only gaining customer loyalty, but also encouraging them to advertise your business to people they know.
Step 8. Encourage customers to talk about their experience using your business
No tool is more powerful than people who speak well to friends and family about the quality of your product or work. It is important to be aware that this may not be automatic and sometimes a little stimulus can work wonders. Don't be afraid to ask them to spread the word.
