As a senior business owner, you know that it's important to stay ahead of the curve and keep your marketing strategies up-to-date. Yet with so much change in the world of advertising and marketing, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are a few effective techniques to help you reach your target audience and achieve your business goals.
Develop a Marketing Plan
There are a number of benefits to opting for a simplified marketing plan as an older business owner:
It's less expensive than hiring a marketing agency.
It's scalable.
It's convenient.
Any effective marketing strategy is built on fundamentals. You can use these same elements in your strategy, even if you're outsourcing the majority of the work to freelancers. You need to determine a goal and a list of objectives. While the specific tactics may change, some common business goals and objectives emerge: generating leads for sales, decreasing the cost per lead or customer, and increasing brand awareness and recognition.
Define Your Target Audience
Once you've defined your goals and objectives, you need to pinpoint the audience you'd like to go after. Your ideal audiences' demographics, geographic location, interests, and online behavior should all play into your marketing plan.
Research the Market
As a business owner, you should continue to build your knowledge of your target market. Doing a survey at your local shopping center is another way to go, particularly if your target market is local.
Decide on a Marketing Strategy
Once you've done your research, you'll have a better idea of who your customers are and where they are online or offline. You can then decide on a marketing strategy that will reach this audience.
Here are some of the most effective strategies:
Search engine optimization. Organic search traffic accounts for 23.6% of all e-commerce transactions in the United States. So, chances are your target audience is using Google to find products like yours. You can reach them too by optimizing your website for search engines. SEO can be overwhelming, but luckily there are plenty of SEO experts out there.
Influencer marketing. Influencer marketing might seem like a youngster's game, but it's not. As an older entrepreneur, partnering with social media influencers can boost word-of-mouth. The key is to collaborate with influencers who share your target audience and fit your brand. So, if you sell a product, sending a few samples to a family vlogging channel that fits your demographic might be worth it. You can offer a special discount to their fans, for example.
Facebook ads. Advertising your business on Facebook is a low-cost way to market your products and services. To create an ad, start with this Facebook ads maker. You can create an ad within minutes by modifying a premade template.
Networking. Forming relationships with other business owners will help to create opportunities for collaboration and sharing. Networking isn't only about rubbing shoulders with your peers, getting to know your customers, and building a relationship with them goes a long way in having them know, like, and trust your brand.
When deciding on a strategy, don't underestimate the effectiveness of marketing tactics like flyers, posters, or free samples. The key is to get your brand in front of your customers.
Bottom Line: Don't Be the Best Kept Secret
Marketing strategies are the key to making your business stand out in a crowded market. When you’re ready to scale your business, RESH Global can optimize processes and improve your organization’s performance. Call 317-537-7436 for a consultation.
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