For many small businesses, marketing isn’t always a top priority due to the time it takes to think about the strategy, create content, and execute. And, as a small business owner, it’s probably not something you’d imagined you would need to think too much about either.
Marketing is a valuable piece of the small business puzzle, especially if you’re looking to gain exposure for your business as well as attract new clients and/or retain existing ones.
You certainly don’t need to be a marketing guru but it’s important to do a few things and try and do them well.
Know your audience
Firstly, you must understand what your objective is. For example, do you want to grow your client base, or is it more about educating and informing your existing clients? Once this has been determined, you’ll need to consider the type of content you’d like to share with your audience – more on that later.
Which marketing channels should you choose?
There are various channels to choose from when it comes to marketing and the most common for small businesses is either through your website, social media platforms, or via email.
Something worth considering is knowing which channel your audience would prefer to receive information from you. For example, an older demographic may prefer receiving newsletters via email or finding information directly from your website, whereas a younger demographic is more like to consume information via social media.
Why is social media so effective?
Social media is a simple, easy, and cost-effective way to communicate and connect with an audience and with more than 20 million social media users in Australia, you really can’t afford to not be in this space i.
It certainly doesn’t need to be complicated. You can use this avenue to not only build brand awareness and generate leads, but you can also gain trust with your clients if you are producing ‘thought leadership’ content as well.
One thing to remember – marketing isn’t solely about your business and the service it provides. You should consider posting inspiring quotes, budgeting tips or even fun facts about you, your staff, and the business itself to make the content more personable and engaging.
Your audience must be able to relate to you.
Tips for using social media for your business
Here are a few simple rules to follow when using this channel:
- Mix up your formats – use graphics, videos, links to articles
- Frequency – post regularly, but not too often – don’t overwhelm your audience
- Change the content regularly – keep the messaging simple
- Interact with your audience – pay attention to the comments, it’s a 2-way conversation
- Know your competitors – see what works and what doesn’t work for them
It’s also important to know that this channel is a great way to network with other businesses – LinkedIn especially. By connecting with like-minded businesses, you could also broaden your audience reach which could potentially lead to new clients.
How we can help
While social media is easy to use – especially when it comes to using it for personal reasons – however, you may need a little help when it comes to your business.
At Advant, we have a team of marketing experts who specialise in creating social media content specifically for our clients which is updated regularly.
If you need help with your social media marketing, or you’re not sure where to start, contact us today.
i https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2021-australia
