Is Your Business Losing Ground Because of Technology?
Advertising your business used to be much simpler. It was basically PRINT - Newspapers, Catalogues, Flyers, Billboards and Direct Mail, mixed in with some ELECTRONIC MEDIA - Radio and/or TV.
Not anymore.
The INTERNET has thrown a wrench into the works. Not because it is a bad thing, but because it forces businesses to reach their loyal and prospective clients using unfamiliar and in some ways, complicated technology - Web Sites, Social Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Blogs, Email Marketing and Video, to name a few.
10 Ways To Maximize Your Advertising Budget
With so many offline and online advertising choices, it is critical to have a marketing plan that not only maximizes your budget, but delivers results.
1.
Establish A Budget & Stick To It
This should be an amount you can live with.
2. Assess Your Target Market And How To Reach Them
Where are your clients? One way to find out is through Google Analytics. This is a FREE must for any web site owner. Next, define the media that will best reach your current customers as well as prospective customers. Remember that it costs much more to develop a new customer than it does to keep a current one. Assign Ad dollars accordingly.
3.
Test. Test. Test.
When launching an Ad campaign, there are several ways to test which will be the most successful before you commit a big chunk of change. One such method is to use E-mail Marketing and do A-B split testing. Create 2 different creative campaigns and send them out to your client list. The e-mail campaign that delivers the best results should be adapted for all your media and used as the main creative in one strong uniform message.
CLIENT LIST?? Oh yes...hopefully you have been developing and updating a list of all your web site visitors, store visitors and customers.
4. Develop And Keep Updating A Client List
It is one of the most valuable assets of any business, yet so few businesses manage their client lists properly. Your current client is someone you can sell to time and time again. All you need to do, is keep reminding them that you have something very special coming up and if it is something they need, they will respond. There's nothing more affordable than connecting with your client through e-mail.
5. Use The Many FREE Marketing Options Available
a) The Internet (Google, in particular) offers free local listings that can generate many views to your website. When set up properly, you can have your business listed on the front page of Google so that when someone does a LOCAL SEARCH for your product or service - you're there! You should also add your name to the many free business directories. You'll be surprised how many people will discover you when your web site is more visible.
b) Write a Blog. Be an authority within your business category and you will develop a loyal following who will be more responsive to any recommendations, offers or promotions you make.
c) Tweet with Twitter and let your followers know about your latest offerings.
d) Start a Facebook page and post your latest and greatest there.
6. Keep Your Web Site Fresh & Updated
Today's shopper who visits your website should get a sense of the quality and value of your product or service. Don't disappoint them. Your competitor is only a few clicks away. Keep your site easy to navigate with vital pages no more than 2 clicks away.
