Effective marketing strategies

There are tons of different articles on the internet about effective marketing ideas, and how to grow your business. After being in business for nearly two decades, I’ve narrowed down the 5 which I think are the most effective, and they are the suggestions I make to my clients to help them grow their own businesses.
 
Starting and growing a business is a lot of hard work and hustle, but these 5 tips will help you achieve your goals faster, as long as you are consistent in your efforts.
​ 1. Word of Mouth
 
The #1 way to grow your business is to talk about it, and provide excellent service. Tell everyone you know about your business. Ask your family and friends to tell everyone they know, as well. Do your best work, every time, and encourage your customers to share about your business. A referral offers customers and incentive to share about your business. Reach out to old clients and ask them to spread the word. Most will be happy to tell others about their good experience.
 
2. Social Media
 
You don’t need to have a presence on every social media platform (really, who has time for that?), but you should be active in at least one or two. My preferred platforms are Facebook and Instagram, but Pinterest is also a great one to use, because it helps improve your SEO. Be consistent, plan what you want to publish, and curate your feed (especially on Instagram) so that your brand is clearly showcased. Research the times when you have the most traffic, and use a tool like Hoot Suite or Planoly to schedule your posts to publish during that time.
 
3. Advertising
 
Direct mail is still an effective way to bring in clients. You need to do some research, though, before putting together a piece to mail out. Decide who your target audience is, and then research what is important to them. Are you targeting fitness retail shops targeting men 18-45? Find out what sports they focus on, where they take place, what their average customer does for a living, etc. Then create a piece that is specific to that audience to send to them. If your targeting women’s clothing boutiques for women ages 25-45, you may want to send out a custom postcard, in a thick cardstock with a velvety feel, in soft hues. Whatever you send out, be sure it is clean, expresses your message clearly, and has a call to action. Don’t list every single thing you offer-instead give a brief overview and then invite them to reach out to you. Don’t forget your contact info!
 
4. Networking
 
If you are like me – an introvert-the idea of networking makes you want to hide in a corner. The results, though, can’t be denied. Networking is one of the best ways to increase your potential client base, and bring your business in to the spotlight. So do something to relax before going, strike up conversations, and just treat it as a way to expand your horizons and meet some new people. Eventually, it becomes less uncomfortable, and you start to enjoy the process!
 
5. Email Newsletter
 
A well-crafted and thought out email newsletter can be highly effective. The key to a good newsletter, though, is to provide quality content. Don’t just talk about what you’ve been doing, offer something of use to your clients. A freebie of some sort. For example, I might send them a link to this article. A shop owner might offer a discount of some sort. Send them out consistently, make sure your brand identity is strong throughout, and include a freebie of some kind. Talk about your business, of course, but also give them a reason to get in touch with you.
 
I hope these tips help you in growing your business, and taking it to the next level. When applied consistently, you should see growth within just a few months! If I can help you with any of these steps, let me know. I can design anything from social media graphics, to ads, to email newsletters. Just email me and we can set up a time to chat!

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