Having gone through various check lists we now need to look at getting your business noticed! There are a lot of competitors out there so why should I look at your business rather than theirs, what is it that attracts me to your business and what will make me recommend you to others?
I have, over the years tried most methods for getting my business noticed, some have been more successful than others, and so, this is a personal view of what has worked for me! You need is a good return on investment (ROI) and something that you personally feel comfortable with; it is no good making a video if you are shy!
Therefore these are my top five ways to get noticed:
• Website
• Networking
• Referrals / Word of mouth
• Flyers / Postcards
• Advertising / Marketing.
Website: Your website is your shop window and, as such should reflect you, your business and your values. It should be bright, attractive and informative, simple to navigate and whet the appetite. Look at the ones that attract you and build on that; get other people's views and understand what the main points are that make people want to know more. Nowadays you can easily build your own or there are many web builders who will do it for you; it all depends on your budget and how much control you want to exercise.
Networking: There is no easy way to do this, you need to meet and greet and get known. Recently I was given a good tip, if you are hesitant about meeting people when you go to a meeting; imagine you are the host and behave as such by introducing yourself, greeting people and introducing them to others! Remember people buy from people, so don't be push yourself but rather build rapport and see what transpires. There are lots of networking sites and groups; Ecademy is a good start!
Referrals / Word of mouth: This follows on naturally from above; if you get a reputation for being personable and delivering, word will soon spread and you will find this form of magnetic marketing the best ROI of all!
Flyers / postcards: The reason that so many flyers are from takeaway businesses is because everyone at sometime has a takeaway and therefore it is worth the effort, however there is a view that these are a waste of time for the majority of Businesses and can easily become paper spam! This is the case if you have an untargeted audience but with careful use they can be an aide memoir when people are looking for the service you provide. Furthermore, postcards stand out from the normal business cards and may provide that edge over your competitors you are looking for!
Advertising / Marketing: As mentioned above, this can be fruitless if it is not researched or beneficial if it is selective and targeted. You need to know your target audience, what appeals to them, what they read and where they go. A well placed advert can give a great ROI whereas a badly placed one can be expensive and damaging!
Until next time,
I have, over the years tried most methods for getting my business noticed, some have been more successful than others, and so, this is a personal view of what has worked for me! You need is a good return on investment (ROI) and something that you personally feel comfortable with; it is no good making a video if you are shy!
Therefore these are my top five ways to get noticed:
• Website
• Networking
• Referrals / Word of mouth
• Flyers / Postcards
• Advertising / Marketing.
Website: Your website is your shop window and, as such should reflect you, your business and your values. It should be bright, attractive and informative, simple to navigate and whet the appetite. Look at the ones that attract you and build on that; get other people's views and understand what the main points are that make people want to know more. Nowadays you can easily build your own or there are many web builders who will do it for you; it all depends on your budget and how much control you want to exercise.
Networking: There is no easy way to do this, you need to meet and greet and get known. Recently I was given a good tip, if you are hesitant about meeting people when you go to a meeting; imagine you are the host and behave as such by introducing yourself, greeting people and introducing them to others! Remember people buy from people, so don't be push yourself but rather build rapport and see what transpires. There are lots of networking sites and groups; Ecademy is a good start!
Referrals / Word of mouth: This follows on naturally from above; if you get a reputation for being personable and delivering, word will soon spread and you will find this form of magnetic marketing the best ROI of all!
Flyers / postcards: The reason that so many flyers are from takeaway businesses is because everyone at sometime has a takeaway and therefore it is worth the effort, however there is a view that these are a waste of time for the majority of Businesses and can easily become paper spam! This is the case if you have an untargeted audience but with careful use they can be an aide memoir when people are looking for the service you provide. Furthermore, postcards stand out from the normal business cards and may provide that edge over your competitors you are looking for!
Advertising / Marketing: As mentioned above, this can be fruitless if it is not researched or beneficial if it is selective and targeted. You need to know your target audience, what appeals to them, what they read and where they go. A well placed advert can give a great ROI whereas a badly placed one can be expensive and damaging!
Until next time,
Malcolm
