Published on: 22 March 2019
Last Updated on: 30 May 2019
Marketing is vital to every company’s success. Without the correct marketing strategies employed, no one will know about your business. Even if you have high-quality products, no one will care about them since they do not know that your business exists in the first place. It is true especially for small companies that are yet to create a name in the industry.
Allotting money for marketing plans could boost your success. Make sure though that you spend it wisely; otherwise, you will be wasting the opportunity to advertise.
You started marketing without a strategy:
Not all marketing strategies work. Some of them are expensive, but you do not see the results. Others are free, but the tactic could attract a lot of people. The marketing plan is a long process that begins by researching the people that you are targeting. You need to know what they want and what advertising strategy appeals to them. For instance, if you decide to release a video ad online, it needs to be short and concise. Within that short time, you can capture attention if you have a strategy; otherwise, no one will watch it.
You are not spending enough money:
If you think of using a portion of your budget for marketing, you need to go all-in; otherwise, you are wasting the opportunity. Some marketing strategies are expensive and require you to invest a lot. However, you also build your company’s name in the process. For instance, if you want media coverage in a massive event that is going to happen in your area, you need to spend money to be a major sponsor. If you are going to release a TV commercial, you need to spend money on quality production. You still need to be smart in determining how much to spend, but you cannot keep reducing the budget.
You expect quick results:
The problem when some people spend money on advertising is that they expect results right away. It does not work that way. When you advertise, you need to wait for a while before you see things go in the right direction. The reason why it is essential is that some people decide to give up and stop spending when the advertising efforts are still going on. Once you choose to use an advertising strategy, you cannot abandon it in the middle of the process just because you think it is not working.
You are spending everything on one strategy:
It would be a disaster if you invested all your money in one marketing effort, and it failed. Diversifying your tactics will help a lot. If you think that online marketing works, you can invest in it. However, you cannot assume that it will be successful. As such, it also helps if you spend money in other areas like the use of conventional marketing methods. You can try garment t-shirt printing since it is a proven technique that many businesses still use. You may also start giving out flyers and posters.
Be careful in using your money for marketing and make sure you are investing it in the right way.
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Nowadays, content marketing can be found just about anywhere online. It might be challenging to distill the meaning of a commonly used term and figure out how to apply it to one's own small business when the term is bandied about so carelessly.
However, for today's owners of small businesses, content marketing is not only an option but also a necessity. Many business owners find that the problem of marketing their brand is practically insurmountable because they have limited resources and there is a lot of competition.
In point of fact, sixty percent of these companies all businesses do not have any web presence whatsoever.
According to a report published by the market research company Aberdeen Group, content marketing can be an effective solution in this situation because it can lead to conversion rates that are six times greater in comparison to non-users.
Content Marketing Campaign Strategy For Small Business:
In case you haven't heard of it before, content marketing is a strategy for spreading the word and interacting with consumers through media like blogs, podcasts, videos, and social media posts. The goals of a company's content marketing strategy are to increase brand awareness and trustworthiness.
Here's how to begin a content marketing strategy for a small business if you're a marketing novice.
1. Identify your target demographic.
It's counterproductive to put out something that no one is interested in reading. If you want to successfully market to your target demographic, you need to learn as much as possible about them, their preferences, and how they make purchases.
There are a variety of methods available for gathering information on your target demographic. Conducting surveys among your current clientele is one approach. Inquire about their thoughts on your company, offering, and messaging as a whole.
During this step, it is important to gather as much information as possible on your target audience. Finding out demographic details like average age, gender, income, and spending habits might spark ideas for your content.
Share surveys via social media or email to encourage participation from customers who would not otherwise hear about them. Also, you might use an incentive like a discount code or a freebie. Make sure your survey is concise enough that people can complete it in a few minutes while yet providing you with useful feedback.
2. Create a website with a primary focus on conversions.
A website serves as the hub of your overall content marketing effort. You'll lose potential customers if you try to save money by cutting corners here.
When more than half of your customers look into your company online before making a purchase, it's crucial for your business, no matter how big or little, to have a solid online foundation.
It's not easy to make a professional website if you have no experience in copywriting, coding, or web design. If at all possible, hire experts. Details, details everywhere: these are what make or destroy a website.
Consider the importance of speed as just one example. If it takes more than three seconds for your website to load, you risk losing a significant portion of your audience. Lack of mobile optimization, boring web text, malfunctioning features, and perplexing navigation are additional causes of high bounce rates on websites.
When it comes to your website's success, your choice of hosting provider is crucial. You should take your time to decide which one to use.
3. Make sure that your content is easy to find.
The greatest method for a small business to achieve its content marketing goals—increased sales, new customers, or brand awareness—is to provide content that people can use to better their own lives.
Once you have identified your target demographic and launched a stellar website, you can turn your attention to developing engaging content to entice new users.
Although you want clients to gain insight into your business, you don't want to come off as pushy or self-promotional. Customers may get quite dissatisfied as a result of this. Instead, focus on writing about the business sector, relevant research or statistics, or helpful tips for advancing your company's goals.
Incorporate keywords and phrases that lead readers directly to the content they need. Never start a content creation project without first conducting thorough keyword research; this is the bedrock of internet marketing. The Google Keyword Planner is a great tool for this.
Analytical tools can help you decide whether to promote content via paid search, organic search, or a combination of the three.
The Content Template tool in SEMrush examines your rivals' organic search data to inform you of the best keywords to utilize, the optimal content length, and the best places to obtain backlinks, as well as assisting you in selecting the platforms to focus on.
In the end, the value that branded content conveys is what matters most. It's important that the information you provide points out a specific issue and provides helpful, personalized suggestions about how to fix it.
4. Put your content out there.
What you're looking for is already in your possession. Currently, what should be done?
You won't have to worry if you're one of the rare people who have a massive email list, a sizable, devoted readership, and an army of passionate admirers.
But if you're a small business owner like the majority of those out there, you know the hardship of trying to bring in new customers. It resembles a convoluted form of courtship. Connection, a real want to aid, and true and ongoing participation is the content marketing equivalents of roses, dinner, and a movie.
Pro Tips:
Don't be reluctant to use paid promotion. Don't be afraid to use paid advertising to market your content if you have invested in its creation. While organic traffic acquired without spending a dime is invaluable, there is much to be gained by combining the strengths of content marketing and more conventional forms of advertising.
Conclusion
There are several ways in which businesses of all sizes can profit from engaging in content marketing. Trust in the brand, purchases, and repeat business are all boosted if this is executed well.
A content marketing strategy for a small business is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning and execution. It may make a tremendous difference for your small business with some preparation, investigation, and a concentration on producing high-quality content.
There is a learning curve associated with content marketing, just like there would be with any new company endeavor.
Try not to be too hesitant. Never be too proud to try and fail. The finest information tends to be repetitive. A progressive content marketing strategy that strives for content excellence rather than simply more noise can be achieved through a focus on development and evaluation.
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Every marketer would tell you that there are reasons why text marketing continues to become a mainstay in marketing agencies.
In fact, both conventional and modern companies highly rely on their efficacy when it comes to reaching out to their target audience. Because when you think about it, every person checks their text message inbox every time they receive a ping.
Leveraging communication strategies like an effective SMS marketing campaign allows you to grow your brand more, target more audiences, and even build closer relationships with prospects.
There are a lot of things that SMS marketing can help you with in terms of achieving business goals. But before you partake in this marketing tactic, it’s important to understand the concept behind this marketing practice. Use this guide to make successful SMS marketing campaigns.
What Is SMS Marketing?
It’s crucial to understand first the concept behind this old but gold marketing strategy. SMS marketing refers to a short message service you send to your customers to build relationships with them. It’s important for text marketers to communicate with their target audiences in a respectful and compliant manner.
No matter what your business goals are, SMS marketing puts you one step ahead of achieving them. For instance, you can drive more leads, introduce new products, lead them to check your website, and so on. The ideas that you can do with this marketing method are limitless.
Compared to email or push notification marketing, SMS marketing has several advantages. For instance, every person who receives an incoming message in their phone inbox will surely take the time to check and read them one by one.
While some people might check their emails at least once a day regarding text message inboxes, people often check them as soon as they receive a message.
Your message can be concise and clear with SMS marketing. There’s no need for lengthy advertising messages. With brief sentences that can take up less than 160 characters of the SMS limit, you can already deliver what you want to say to your prospects.
Choosing The Right SMS Marketing Tool
Now, it’s time to understand the tool to use for this marketing strategy. With the advent of technology, there is now text marketing software at your disposal. For one, you can take advantage of Drop Cowboy Ringless Voicemail service and some other brands that offer reliable text messaging as marketing services.
Text message delivery depends on the tools and services you choose. Such software comes with pricing plans that fit your marketing budget and goals. Unlike any other conventional marketing promotions like print ads, TV ads, and billboards, this marketing campaign is priced reasonably better. Also, consider partnering with the best SMS marketing service provider to automate your text messages to your target recipients.
How To Maximize On SMS Marketing Campaigns
As mentioned, a high percentage of people open text messages every time they receive one. By sending promotional messages via SMS, you ensure your customers will read them because they will arrive directly in their inboxes.
Check out these ideas in which you can maximize your SMS marketing campaigns.
1. Limited-Time Promotions
You can use an SMS marketing strategy to encourage your customers to avail of coupons and discounts or even redeem incentives or gifts. Offering these incentives for a limited time makes them even more effective.
Announcing that the campaign only runs on a promo period is an effective call-to-action strategy so your customers won’t miss out on such opportunities. It’s one effective strategy to get your business to high ranks.
Considering SMS marketing's high open rate, it’s the most effective way to communicate time-sensitive offers with customers. As a result, you ensure your customers don't pass up a good deal. This yield win-win situations for both the customers and your brand. They get discounted rates, and you could convert your sales funnel more effectively.
2. Reminding Customers
One good purpose for SMS marketing is when you could send notifications regarding the recent actions of your customers.
For instance, whether they checked your website, changed passwords, or linked different payment modes, an SMS notification will be sent to inform them that the activity is successful. Sending notification messages is essential for many businesses, and they’ve realized how effective it is in retaining customers.
By relaying notifications about their recent purchase or online activities, the customers will grow their trust in your brand. It could lead to continuous patronage. Also, they will feel at ease by getting reminders of how your brand is already dealing with their orders or purchases. Receiving reminders is valuable, especially for customers who are always busy with other things and obligations.
Make sure your brand is always at the top of your customer's minds. It’s a job that SMS is best suited for. With SMS marketing, you can remind your customers about everything from their most recently liked products to the purchased ones that are going to arrive soon.
3. Order Updates And Confirmation
An SMS is also useful for customers to receive updates regarding their orders. Once they make a purchase, a message will be sent regarding the successful transaction. It ensures peace of mind for the customer.
Also, the confirmation messages sent via SMS will allow them to use them as proof or evidence regarding their purchase. If products don’t arrive as planned, they can refer to the SMS notification.
4. New Product Release And Launches
SMS advertising is also useful for announcing new product releases. It’s the most cost-effective way for marketers to advertise new product launching. Without paying for the expensive talents of celebrities to promote new products, a large number of users will discover your new product offering through the message they can read in their SMS inbox.
Using this method will generate buzz and interest, and you could even entice old customers to come back and check out what's new. You can also use SMS campaigns to drive traffic to your website or storefront. Thus, you can simply include a link they can visit to check your new product or any offers.
5. Send Welcome Messages
Send your customer a welcome message once they subscribe to your SMS marketing campaign. Companies must start building relationships with their customers. As a result, you will be able to communicate with them right away, as they will know they have been subscribed.
It also alerts them to expect a few messages from your end every now and then. There’s no need for lengthy or complex welcome messages. Sometimes short but sweet thank you message about their subscription are already enough for your customers to remember your business.
6. Customer Service Tool
SMS is not limited to being a marketing tool; it’s also a customer support tool. In this era where customer service should be at the forefront of any business, SMS strategy can be used to ensure customer satisfaction.
It’s imperative that your work processes are as transparent as possible, and you can achieve this by constantly sending them SMS in case necessary. After all, a text message is the easiest way to communicate with pre-sale customers and post-sale tech support.
7. Collect Customer Feedback
It’s essential for businesses to receive customer feedback to determine what they are doing well and what they need to improve. And it’s something that’s being offered with SMS marketing. You can send out surveys through SMS, and customers can answer them timely and convenient.
There are many ways to create survey forms for them to easily fill out. The key is to attach the link to your SMS. Another option is to ask customers to rate you using a ranking system that’s easy for them to use.
8. Announce VIP Programs
By offering a VIP program, you can encourage loyalty among your subscribers and customers. If you want to make your VIP customers feel special, offer them VIP-only discounts. This sense of exclusivity allows your customers to treat your brand with more respect and value.
Also, use this program for customers to gain early access to sales and other promotions. One way for them to qualify for your VIP list is to encourage them to fill out a signup link. However, since it’s VIP, make it seems more challenging for them to enter this list. The harder it feels to qualify, the more special and valued they would feel.
Tips To Apply Effective SMS Marketing Strategies
Applying SMS marketing strategies require effective implementations. When done right, they can produce the best outcomes for your business. Here are some tips to apply effective SMS marketing strategies for your brand:
1. Ensure That Your Customers Opted In
Your customers probably already provide you with their phone numbers. However, one common courtesy is to get their approval to start receiving SMS from your brand. Mass texting them without their consent is ethically wrong and will only lead to adverse effects on the customer. Ensure to get your customer’s clear opt-in before starting to send out text message campaigns.
Your website or other online channels can allow customers to opt-in to receive text messages. However, you should get a text confirmation before you send them anything. There are ways to get their opt-in consent. One is to make them reply Yes or No to your single SMS regarding SMS subscription. Another way is through your website.
They can press a CTA button regarding their receiving SMS messages from your brand. When the user clicks the link in the offer, they can fill out the subscription form and enter their number so they can start receiving your SMS campaigns.
2. Take Time To Introduce Yourself
A good practice is to take the time to introduce your brand in any of your SMS campaigns. Chances are your customers don’t know where the messages are coming from. Failing to include your company name or brand name on the message will only forfeit its purpose. Hence, it’s important to include your company or brand name in that short message that you’re sending.
3. Make Messages Fun And Short
It’s common for people to use SMS messages to communicate with friends and family informally. Texting should remain fun in your SMS campaign in the same way as a fun communication tool between people. Be friendly and personal with customers to build trust.
Use local trending words that are popular with your target audience for the time being. It ensures to catch their interest and make them read your text message completely. The maximum number of characters in an SMS message is 160. With an opt-out option and the need to identify yourself, that's not much to work with. Don't waste any characters, and go straight to the point of what you want to say.
4. Don’t Forget To Use Target Keywords
To encourage users to connect with you, you should select contextually relevant keywords alongside simple messages and shortcodes. Using such keywords will allow them to easily remember anything about your brand or company. If they want to research you online, they can use the same keywords found on your SMS.
5. Give An Option For Customers To Opt Out
All marketing communications should follow these standards and rules. Much like getting their buy-in, you should also give them the option to opt out and unsubscribe from your SMS campaigns. You are more likely to lose customers if you constantly text them when they do not want to hear from you.
Your messages should come with the unsubscribe option, so your customers can freely opt out anytime they want. There are some viable reasons for them to do this. But it doesn’t entirely mean that they won’t be good prospects for you in the future. It’s just that not everyone prefers to get this kind of information via text.
SMS open rates tend to be much higher than those for email, so you should also expect a higher unsubscribe rate. After a message is sent, unsubscribes may spike and treat it as a normal occurrence.
6. Be More Informative Than Promotional
You should be extremely considerate of your buyers' inboxes since promotional SMS messages can easily be turned off. Therefore, staying informative and interactive is best, and not focusing too much on sounding sales or promotional.
A good rule of thumb is to focus most of your communication on order, whether a status update or a request for feedback. Schedule your promotional messages and send them at least only twice a week at a minimum. No one wants to keep receiving promotional messages that are obvious that they want to make money from you.
Conclusion
You can increase engagement with your target audience by using SMS marketing. Keeping your customers' attention is easier if you market to them where they are most active.
Therefore, if your target audience is always in their phone’s SMS inbox, it’s worth considering SMS marketing as part of your marketing mix. Use this guide and wait for results to reflect your bottom line soon.
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One of the most lucrative and fast-growing industries is the e-commerce industry. It has risen in popularity over the years due to the convenience and accessibility it provides for the consumers, and even for the sellers themselves.
A lot of people have been trying to start their businesses from home, yet they don't know where to start, and they have no idea about the wide variety of industries they can invest in or the right tools they should use.
Aside from knowing what to do with your new venture, you also need to know the common mistakes and blunders you can commit. Lapses, no matter how small, can be highly detrimental to your business. But as worrying as it all sounds, don't worry.
You can learn how to spot, avoid, and remedy these mistakes with this simple guide. Without further ado, here are five mistakes you need to avoid to keep your e-commerce business bug-free and in full swing.
Mistake #1: Forgetting Your Market
One of the biggest and most common mistakes online entrepreneurs make is forgetting what their market looks like or who their target audience is. Aside from spending most of your time and effort in honing the perfect product, without actually creating a need for your customers, you also have to know your customer demographic.
Wouldn't it be ideal to have customers before creating a product, rather than having a product beforehand and then looking for clients? All of your efforts will be rendered fruitless. Know how to target your audience or your buyer persona. A buyer persona is a representation of your customer's demographics, such as age, gender, profession, and social status.
To paint you a clearer picture, if you're a designer in the print industry, you need to know your target audience before you begin selling. You won't sell cheap business cards to upper-class professionals looking to spruce up their portfolios just as you wouldn't sell overly-priced prints for low-quality products.
Mistake #2: Lack of Social Media Presence
The regular person owns at least five social media accounts. And on average, we spend about an hour and 40 minutes browsing these sites. Can you believe that the number of online shoppers in the United States alone will reach 224 million in 2019! Numbers aside, the stats are telling us to leverage social media in getting our brand out there.
Say hi to social media. Brands are using social media marketing for some highly useful and practical reasons. Some even devise different loyalty program for their avid followers on social media channels. Some of these are because it provides:
Low-cost solution. Social media platforms are an excellent way to get bang for your buck advertising and brand exposure.
Customization. From Facebook Insights to Google Analytics, you can customize your pages to your heart's content and receive detailed reports on your customers' demographics and browsing behaviors.
Excellent customer service platform. According to a recent study by Venturebeat, 51 percent of the respondents say businesses need to be available around the clock. If e-commerce brands are now adopting customer service chatbots with 24/7 messaging services, so should you.
If you’re still not convinced, you can think of your social media accounts as your company’s very own affordable business cards, showcasing your brand and the services you offer virtually.
Mistake #3: Neglecting Mobile Optimization
Mobile is everywhere, and the world is accessing the internet through their smartphones. With 80 percent of internet users owning a smartphone, failing to recognize the need for mobile optimization, could mean losing half of your potential e-commerce market. Poor user experience can negatively impact your conversion rates.
If you shift your focus on creating the ideal mobile user experience for your customers, you can increase your brand reputation and customer retention, and avoid losing 61 percent of your clients due to the poor website experience.
As an internet-based entrepreneur, use whatever tools you have at your disposal to provide an optimized user browsing and shopping experience. Bank on your best assets and give yourself an advantage over your industry rivals.
Mistake #4: Faulty Shipping Flexibility
When you first decided to run an e-commerce business, I'm guessing you did for the flexibility it gave you in doing your daily tasks. You didn't have to meet people face to face, and you could make your timetable to suit your needs. You can now do all of your work at home, and nobody would have to see you in sweatpants.
The same principle goes for your consumers. All customers like to have options, especially when it comes to shipping. According to research, only 1 in 4 online shoppers complete a purchase? 44 percent of cart abandonment cases are due to high shipping costs, and a whopping 93 percent of online shoppers say they'll buy more if they got free shipping.
Free shipping can increase sales and improve customer loyalty. According to a study from E-tailing, 73 percent of purchasers consider unconditional free shipping as a decisive factor in shopping online. But like all other business aspects, weigh the pros and cons of your business before making a decision.
Mistake #5: Failing to Measure Performance
If you want to succeed in the competitive world of e-commerce, you need to know how to gauge and evaluate your performance. Take note of your business habits, particularly regarding expenses and marketing. Use your business plan as a roadmap to help you steer your way throughout your business venture.
Check your statistics regularly. Update your ledger and see if your business is thriving or failing. Look at your consumer insights and keep up with the masses' latest trends. Be as specific as you can with your data. Don't inflate your figures and understand the areas you lack to improve them further.
By monitoring your performance, you are helping your business achieve greater heights compared to passive management. And the good news is, there's always room for improvement, be it for you or your business.
Takeaway
As John Sagel said, "What we do know now is that the 'E' in e-commerce doesn't stand for 'easy.' Opening an e-commerce business can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking, but it can also be a highly worthwhile and profitable venture.
There is no guarantee of overnight success. However, you can set yourself up for the best chance at succeeding. To do so, grasp the basics, learn from seasoned entrepreneurs, and watch out for their mistakes to avoid committing them yourself.