Have you noticed that your pre-lockdown customers are still not returning to buy your products or services? Is business starting to improve but not as fast as you’d hoped it would? Don’t despair, there are ways to market your business and kick-start things to increase your profile and get more customers.
It’s not just a case of doing a few social media posts and hoping for the best, to get the most from your marketing you need to plan. Don’t panic though, a lot of it will be straightforward and common sense.
Where to start
The first thing you need to do is a marketing audit to see where you are and work out where you want to be, then you can work out how to get there.
- Let’s start at the very beginning with your brand. Most companies have updated their logo over the years to reflect the changing face of their business so now might be a good time to rethink yours. Reinvent yourself with a new image, and then shout it from the rooftops.
- Assuming you have a website it’s essential to have analytics installed. Google Analytics is free and has a wealth of information available. You can see where your visitors are coming from, how long they spent on your site and what pages they visited, as well as whether they bought anything. You can also see the demographics of your visitors; gender, age, device used, where they live (country or region, we’re not stalking them!)
- When did you last take a good look at your website to see how it looks and functions? Is it easy to use, with clear messages and up-to-date content and images? If not, make a list of everything that doesn’t look right or work properly and make some changes.
- Likewise, your social media can become stale and outdated so check your profiles to see what needs tweaking. Make sure they all look similar if not the same, for easy brand recognition. Make sure your contact details are correct and easy to see, make it as easy as possible for people to get in touch or visit you.
- If you have printed materials such as brochures, leaflets and packaging make sure they match your online profiles. Do they reflect your business and look good? If not, think about a redesign.
Target market
You know your business better than anyone, and you should have a good understanding of who your target market is. Any marketing you do should be aimed at them, so it helps to create a persona for your ideal client. This is easier for some businesses than others, so don’t get stressed if you don’t have one single persona. Just think about your average customer and go from there. Think about their buying habits, language they typically use, do they shop online or instore, what are their likes and dislikes, the list goes on…
When you do any marketing, think about this persona and imagine you’re writing to them. Use their language and style of writing, speak in plain English and don’t be too technical unless your audience is technically minded. Think about what appeals to them and write your content accordingly.
Content creation
So what content do you need to create? Start with the text on your website, it might help to get a second opinion for an objective view. Make sure it’s current, relevant and grammatically correct, and is written with your ideal client in mind. Use images, videos, infographics and lists; anything that helps to keep the viewer interested and informed.
Blogs are a great way to get your message across, from product guides, how to’s, testimonialsand case studies to tips, advice and FAQs. There are loads of topics you can write about, just think about what your customers want and need to know about and start writing.
Next, it’s on to social media. This is where a plan comes into its own. A bit of time spent creating a marketing plan will save you time in the long run, and save you the stress of not knowing what to write each day. If you’re good with spreadsheets you can create your plan online, but if you’re like me it is easier to find a free downloadable planner or calendar. Make a list of topics, ideas, and hints and tips and go from there. Be consistant and vary your posts, it’s not all about selling (although that’s the ultimate goal). It’s about educating, helping and creating valuable content. A bit of personality always helps to show your customers who is behind the business.
If all of this sounds a bit daunting we can help. We are experts at listening, analyzing and coming up with ideas. We can take the hard work out of marketing so you can concentrate on running your business.
If you would like a free marketing audit please get in touch by phone on 01964 542916 or email us on [email protected]