So, you have a website. Check! You may also have a business plan. Check! But have you developed a marketing strategy? Your passion for your product and service will only carry you so far, my friend. You will need a strategy to get you to the next level in your business. Below, I have crafted a few ideas that may fit into your industry and work well for you.
Listing on the Digital Landscape
First of all, I want to bring to light how the dawn and rise of the digital landscape has ultimately created new and innovative ways to market your business differently from traditional marketing methods. We know that the traditional (paper) yellow pages may not be as relevant a goto resource to list our business name. Instead, now we have several other high profile platforms under which we can list our business. Let’s start these suggestions by laying out a good foundation. To be successful, be sure your business lists with the following online venues:
- Google GYBO.com.
- This is an acronym for “Get Your Business Online” and is the official online google registry that puts your business on the map (even if you’re not a brick and mortar.)
- Bingplaces.com Register your business in the same way as GYBO.com
- Yelp.com
All the above listed channels will bring viewers to your website, so it’s essential that you are listed with them. It is free to list and post a few photos & information about your company.
Additionally, your industry or sector may have other platforms that are worth investigating. Be sure that when you do list your business, you reference the critical details such as your hours, address, and other relevant information consistently across all the platforms. Inconsistent details will demerit any SEO efforts you’ve put in place.
Relevance on the Social Landscape
The aforementioned rise in the digital landscape has brought new ways to communicate with our customers. However, some traditional methods can still be useful when blended with the digital ecosystem. For example, the proliferation of social media in our collective conscience has placed more power into the hands of the consumer. Have you considered using ambassadors or social media influencers as part of your marketing program?
I highly encourage you to do homework on an influencer before endorsing them. Visit all their profiles and make sure they represent themselves in a light that would be cohesive to your brand. Determine if they share the same values. Are they ambassadors to other companies, if so which ones?
Finally, on a larger scale, social media is becoming a vehicle for influencers to push the movement for social responsibility. Consumers have realized that they can use social media to rally a community around shared values, and whistle blow irresponsible corporate practices. So, consider this in your practice, your brand profile and use this movement, social media and influencers to the advantage of your marketing strategy.
Since I am on the topic of corporate social responsibility: one more rising star to consider when looking at your marketing strategy is “cause marketing.” You may be familiar with the brand, TOMS Shoes. Their business model included a “one for one” promise. For every sale they make, they promised to deliver a pair of new shoes to a child in need. This is a great example of cause marketing. In this situation, the brand’s marketing message is intimately associated with the cause.
A few years back, I met a realtor who donated 10% of his proceeds every month to a charity. At the time we met, he was donating to St. Judes Cancer Foundation for Children. This struck a chord with me and I considered him when it was time to sell.
Ask yourself which charity or non-profit is in tune with your business values or your own personal values? If they align, consider a marketing strategy that will promote both the charity and your business at the same time. This may mean company volunteering, writing a press release or blog on your involvement or working with the nonprofit in a way to align with their ongoing strategic efforts.
Exposure on the Physical Landscape
Now, let’s wrap up your digital and social media efforts with traditional marketing and you’ve got a complete package. For example, video production, radio ads, and outdoor billboards are still very useful. Additionally, let’s not forget industry-specific journals and press releases. These resources can be very useful for various industries and should be used considered in a well-rounded marketing strategy where applicable. In fact, when you align these “traditional” methods of advertising with your digital and social campaigns then you’ve increased their effectiveness.
Loud Canvas marketing specialists innovatively engineer these marketing landscapes to work with each other. For example, in radio, we may send listeners to a targeted landing page on your website. Or use a call to action on a billboard that encourages engagement in an online campaign. This is one way among many that we can then report ROI and the effectiveness of the campaign.
At Loud Canvas, developing cohesive marketing strategies for our clients is nothing new to us. We take the time to discover your needs and then formulate the RIGHT action plan that aligns with your values. Contact us for a free consultation today!
