In 2023, a wide range of businesses from all sectors are looking for intelligent ways to promote their organizations. There is a need to market every business effectively and make the best use of all money spent on promotion and advertising campaigns. Put simply, the modern world of business is characterized by intense competition. Companies must stand out above their nearest competitors to increase product awareness, market share, and improved revenue streams.
With the explosive rise in popularity of the internet for all forms of commerce, certain online channels and marketing strategies can be developed that complement more traditional forms of promotion for any business. Whether you are a small business owner looking to improve your visibility in the marketplace or an established firm that seeks to develop a comprehensive and well-conceived range of promotions, this article will be of significant value. Eight unique ways to effectively promote your business will be explored in detail and will inspire any company seeking growth and improved revenue streams.
1. Harness the power of TikTok
Using social media platforms to promote your business can be an incredibly effective strategy to gain exposure and brand awareness while building your market share. TikTok is one social media channel that is building a reputation for being an ideal platform for online promotional activities.
TikTok now has over one billion active users who engage with the platform regularly. The creative nature of the platform makes it an ideal site for a company’s promotional activities. The short-form nature of its videos allows engaging and memorable content to be posted that can link back to a company’s website or product page.
Today, many companies are starting to understand and embrace the platform by using TikTok creator marketing strategies. By collaborating with recognized influencers and established content creators, many organizations find that they can target their promotions effectively and receive improved target market engagement, leading to increased sales. In short, every company, regardless of its sector, should consider using TikTok creator marketing to gain exposure and reach a global audience with tailored marketing campaigns.
2. A well-designed website
Most companies now recognize that a website is mandatory for their business. It is incredibly important to have a online presence in today’s world of commerce, especially when recent statistics indicate that one-third of the total global population now shop online. In short, a company that does not have an online presence is one that is likely to lose potential sales and will eventually get left behind by its competitors who have professionally designed websites.
A key point here is the need for a well-designed and maintained website. It is important to recognize that today’s consumers expect to shop online at sites that run smoothly with fast page loading times. The importance of fast page loading times cannot be underestimated, as recent evidence suggests a page that takes just two seconds to load will experience a 9% bounce rate from potential customers.
If the page loading speed loads after five seconds, this bounce rate increases dramatically to 38%. Therefore, it is paramount to ensure that web pages load quickly to ensure that customers do not quit the site before even viewing your product pages. In addition, websites should be optimized to work smoothly on smartphones. Over half of all consumers now use smartphones to shop online and expect that a website will be easy and smooth to navigate on this device.
3. Regular engaging and optimized content
With a professionally designed website comes the need to create engaging and optimized content in it. For example, any product pages should have a range of high-quality product images with clear and accurate descriptions to complement them.
Low-quality pictures and poorly written descriptions can give the impression that the product is inferior and may lead to lower sales. In addition to product information, a company should consider writing regular blog posts and articles to add interest to the website and encourage repeat visits to the site from its customer base.
Blogs and articles should obey best SEO practices to rank highly on organic search results. Ideally, the blog posts will be highly relevant to the target market and will contain links that direct the reader to specific products that are mentioned in the blog.
Content is king for any blog or article, and it should be written in an authoritative and well-researched manner with a writing style that engages the reader. Content should be split into logical sections to guide the reader through the article, and any links to other websites (for example, to justify statistics and facts) should be from well-respected sites.
4. Help a good cause
Another key way to promote your business effectively is to be seen to collaborate with and assist a good cause. This could take the form of sponsoring a charity that resonates with your target market or by helping a local sports team or community group.
Sponsoring a local team has a wide range of benefits and is recognized as being an effective strategy to boost the visibility and brand value of your company on a local level. For example, by donating funds to a local team, you could agree to have your company’s logo or branding on their sports apparel. This will lead to improved brand recognition as the team competes locally and nationally. In short, sponsoring a local team or group or collaborating with a charity can improve your company’s goodwill. In time, this can lead to customers choosing your products and services over your competitors. It may also allow you to charge a premium price for your products thanks to the value it brings to the company in the eyes of the consumer.
5. Don’t neglect offline marketing
While many marketing activities take place in online spaces, it is important to have a well rounded marketing strategy that also encompasses offline marketing channels. For businesses that want to grow their presence on a local or regional level, billboard advertising can be highly effective.
A clear and concise promotional message can be displayed along locations that experience high footfalls or traffic flows, which will help improve customer awareness of your business and its offerings. Local papers are often overlooked in a company’s promotional activities but are also an effective way to engage with your customer base.
Whilst it is true that newspapers are in decline in terms of the volume that are produced and their overall readership levels, they are still an effective way to engage with local populations. Consider, in addition, that a newspaper advert may be an extremely cost-effective way to promote your business and can be extremely effective for smaller businesses who are looking to improve their market share on a local level.
6. Customer review sites
In the modern world of online commerce, many customers will seek reassurance that they are dealing with a reputable company. This is especially true if they are a new customer to your site and have not made previous purchases. Promoting your business and building a reputation by having a volume of positive customer reviews online can be incredibly important. Sites like Trustpilot are well recognized and used by millions of consumers to share their experiences with companies. Having a visible presence on these types of sites, backed up by many positive reviews, can dramatically improve the credibility of your business. In short, it can be a key way of convincing customers to buy from you, especially if they are first-time shoppers of your business.
7. Trade shows
Trade shows can be a highly effective way to promote your company and a hugely important way to make connections within your industry with other key players. Look for trade shows related to the products or services you provide and contact the organizers to hire a stand at the venue.
Display your products at the show and be present to answer any questions from potential customers and clients while taking the time to network with other industry professionals. It can also be a good idea to produce some corporate gifts that can be handed out to trade show visitors and other companies. Items such as mouse mats, mugs, and stationery can be designed with your firm’s logo, branding, and contact details on and can act as promotional items to improve brand recognition.
8. The use of offers
As a final key form of promotion, it is vitally important to have a range of offers to tempt both new and returning customers. A common and effective way of attracting the first-time customers is to have an introductory offer on initial purchases. This could be 20% off your first order, which can be redeemed by using a code when customers are at the checkout page.
Repeat custom can be gained by using the email addresses of previous customers who have made purchases and targeting them with reductions on specific products that are based on their purchase history. Offers can also be used to gather important marketing information that will help future promotions.
After creating an online survey, you can incentivize the completion of it by offering customers a money-off voucher for their next purchase. This allows you to gather valuable consumer insights while driving repeat business.