How to Market a Small Business Online

Ric Dean, Director, Caffeinated ProjectsEvery time a business is faced with financial constraints, it is often marketing that is looked at for cost cutting to remain competitive in the market. The cost of traditional marketing can be high for a startup business.Today, most entrepreneurs are coming up with different strategies they can adapt to market their products and services more conveniently. Small businesses have been struggling to find various trackable and cost-effective ways they can use to market their services and products and digital marketing is one of the most sought alternatives for the small business.Now, it is such a difficult task to choose the right digital marketing campaign strategy given the many digital marketing tools available. With a shoestring budget, it is even tough to design a marketing strategy. Most individuals prefer using email marketing as a less expensive digital marketing tool.The following are some of the tips you can use to market your small business digitally.1. Designing a killer elevator pitchThe key to winning a potential buyer is trying to convince them within the shortest time possible. Given that most social media users are impatient, you should design attractive and informative adverts that can attract their attention in about six to eight seconds.  To inform the target audience of the products and services you offer in the market, you have to attract their attention to listen to you. Therefore, take your time to come up with killer elevator pitches to help you market your products and services and create more business opportunities.2. Leveraging the communityCharity begins at home. It is important that you establish who your real customers. Start by thinking locally. Who are your potential customers within your community, and how can you inform them about the products you offer in the market? To achieve this, you can first research more about your potential customers. Get to know where they often spend their leisure. For instance, if they spend much of their time in the library, you can design some print cards to pass a message on your brand.  Drop the print bookmarks at the local library. You can also look forward to sponsoring a charity walk and inform people on the services and products you provide.3. Being collaborativeAgree to cross-promote by putting together a group of synergistic and non-competitive businesses in your area. To achieve this, you can use the social media platforms, reciprocal website links, fliers, coupons, or bundled promotions. This strategy helps you to reach new people and expand your market base locally in a short period.4. NetworkingBeing social is also helpful to the business by creating awareness. Get out of the comfort zone and interact with people as much as you can. This way, you improve your market base. Although it may not provide instant gratification, building a strong network is one of the best strategies to stay relevant in the market.5. Volunteer to give a speechPublic speaking is one of the most common tools used by professional businesses to promote their brand images. Though many people hate to take part in public speaking, you can look for a qualified person within or outside your organization to give a speech on your behalf. By sharing helpful and informative information to your audience, you uplift your position within the industry. Volunteer to give as many speeches as you can, and before you know it, your customer base will be widened.6. Creating a buzzYour business can change significantly if you adopt the right public relations strategies. It is possible to inform the public about your products and services more conveniently without hiring a professional marketing firm. Help a Reporter Out is one of the tools you can use to accomplish this. Attempt to subscribe to the platform and improve your public image.7. Asking customers for referralsWhen you are new in the market, you try to reach as many buyers as possible to improve your sales. At times, you can meet individuals who are not interested in the services or products you are offering. In this case, you can consider asking them to refer you to someone they think can buy your products. You can adapt these simplest and cost-effective strategies to link with potential buyers.8. Relationship buildingMaintaining customer loyalty is vital in ensuring continuity in sales. Ideally, it is expensive to maintain existing customers than acquiring new customers. To maintain a good relationship with your customers, you can use the email marketing strategy. You can ask your customers for their email address and look forward to informing them of your new products and services. By communicating regularly with your clients, you build a strong relationship with them.9. Offering coupons and free samplesCoupons are the most effective way to market your business. Research has proved that most customers will always make that step to use a coupon. Giving new customers discount coupons for their next visits can attract them to your business. Also, giving away free samples, especially when your product or service is new in the market, creates awareness about your brand. In most cases, when one is willing to use the free sample given, it means they are also willing to purchase the product the next time they shop.ConclusionThe tips given here are helpful in marketing your business, especially if you are a startup. Note that marketing is not all about the number of resources you allocate, it about taking your time to build your brand.