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Do you own a small business and wish you could get more attention locally? You might think that marketing is all just expensive billboard and TV campaigns, but actually, there are many ways that small businesses can get themselves seen and heard.
Local events
A carefully planned event could give a significant boost to your business. It can help to get your brand name out in the local area and show off your expertise. But it can be harder to put together a successful event on a limited budget. It’s crucial that you get a clear goal in mind when you set out with your event, and that you’re realistic and diligent with budgeting.
See if you can partner with other local businesses or venues to make the event as cheap and wide-reaching as possible. You’ll want to think about marketing the event effectively to ensure a high turn out, and consider how you’ll impress visitors. Entertainment and catering can all help, but make sure it’s relevant to your goal and your business. Merchandise can be central to getting your message out there, so it’s worth investing here. Think pens, balloons, printed bespoke paper cups and branded t-shirts for the staff. You want your brand to shine in people’s memories, so the more visual, the better.
Curb appeal
Does your business have public premises? If you own a store that relies on people coming in off the street, you need to boost your curb appeal. Having attention-grabbing storefront signage can draw people in, but make sure it’s on-brand.
You might want to consider freshening up the exteriors. It’s amazing what a lick of paint and sparkling windows can do to boost your professional appearance. On-street signs proclaiming your latest deal or even a funny quote can help to get people to stop and pay attention to your business. Even some well-placed plants or artwork can make a difference. Your exterior is the first impression for many potential customers, so make sure it speaks to your target audience and conveys the right message about your brand.
Social media marketing
If your business isn’t already on social media, make sure you get on it now. It’s one of the best days to connect with customers and improve customer relations. For small businesses with a low budget, it also presents unrivalled marketing opportunities.
Try using a hashtag generator to reach more people and fill up your feed with interesting, relevant, and useful content that your audience will love, all the while building up a carefully thought out story for your brand.
Social media can become a bit all-consuming, and as a small business, you likely won’t have much time to dedicate to it. Use a scheduler like Hootsuite to automate your content and plan ahead. You can also respond to comments and messages directly on the platform, rather than having to log in to all of your various social media accounts. Marketing on social media can be complicated since you’ll need to be strategic to pull it off. It might help to hire a freelancer or a marketing agency to give you some hints and tips if this is new to you.
