Increase Your Business Success
Posted by Ben Williams on Wed, Jul 14, 2010 @ 08:52 AM
Nowadays, everyone seems to be slashing their marketing budget as a way to save money. If you want to be successful, don’t … just don’t.
Marketing and business development is essentially the be-all and end-all of business success. Without marketing, you won’t get any new clients.
A common misconception about marketing is that it is expensive. It doesn’t have to be. Sure, advertising in the paper, brochures, and radio ads are all reasonably expensive, but there are cheaper, more effective ways of marketing your business.
For example, social networking sites. These are completely free, and they extend your reach a lot further than a radio or a newspaper ad would. The best way to make the most of a social networking site is to establish yourself as an expert.
Once people start recognising you as an expert in your specific industry, they will look out for status updates, or tweets, or whatever else. This is when you start posting links to take them to different web pages. Also, don’t forget, or be afraid to, interact with people that are following you on Twitter, or are fans on Facebook. Your two main objectives for using social networking sites should be; a) use them as traffic directors, to forward them onto a site with more info about yourself and your product, and b) use it to build a trusting relationship with prospective customers.
A blog is also a great way to establish yourself as an expert. You can write about any mistakes you have made, and how you fixed them, or anything you took a risk with and it paid off. The trick is to give people advice that is relevant to them, and that they can use themselves.
Although marketing is a very important part of your business, keeping in contact with your existing customers is just as important. Remember to take details from your customers when they purchase your product/service. Email address, postal address, or a phone number is what you want.
Once you have this info, start sending emails, letters, or calling them. You should contact each customer at least 25 times a year, detailing any special offers you may have, or any updates from your company. This is a great way to build a trusting relationship, and make them feel part of your community. This will also increase the chances of them giving you a testimonial, or referring you to their friends/colleagues.
In my next post, I will explain in a bit more depth about email marketing, and there will also be a post coming soon dedicated specifically to the world of social networking. Don’t miss it!
If you would like a free, 1 hour consultation, which will help you determine which key aspects of your business can be improved for better success, click here.
Related Resources:
Business Development Uk
Why SME's should invest in e-marketing
Business Development eBooks
Why You Need An Accountant
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