Creating a start-up will arrive with many challenges, including the low budget and the fact that no one truly knows who your company is. It’s difficult to break into an already crowded industry and find your place in a way that will start your path to the top. A powerful marketing team, however, could get the job done without stretching the tight budget.
Everything that you have to get has to be carefully considered first. Keep the costs low, acquire the right people, understand your product, find the right clientele, learn to manage your data as you evolve, and always look for ways to improve.
Having a good idea is one thing, but you often need money to back it up. According to studies, around 82% of all start-ups are self-funded, which means that you will either have to back your business yourself or find ways of developing it through cheaper means. It becomes crucial to know where to invest, what to do, and where to direct your focus. First off, you need a plan, then a good strategy to implement it.
1. Network
Never underestimate the power of networking. Your most important mission is to find and connect with the right people. Think platforms such as LinkedIn, Inbound or Quora that will help build your brand and establish yourself as an authority. Create a page for your business or even join a local business group and invest in some targeted paid advertising to start on the right foot.
Speaking of local. You should never underestimate the power of local, particularly rural, marketing. Despite the fact that urban & rural communities are historically different, technological developments have blurred the lines between the two:
Yet, despite the fact that rural communities now have access to high-speed internet, competition is not as fierce. Finding a less-competitive market is essential to the success of a start-up. Furthermore, rural America has many unique cultural characteristics. Find something that makes rural communities click and use it.
2. Create Social Content
A blog could be a powerful tool to attach to your official website. Stick to your niche and use the power of search optimization systems (SEO) in order to get your business in Google’s attention. Simple “How To” articles, lists, or “What”/”Why” articles could generate a lot of traffic.
3. Don’t Shy Away From Email Marketing
It’s free, and it’s popular for a reason. There are currently 4 billion email accounts in the world, so you plenty to choose from who might show interest in your company. As long as you consider a few specific ways of approaching it, email marketing could be a tremendously successful practice:
Make it attention-grabbing
Make it look appealing
Use social media buttons
Include a CTA (call-to-action)
Time it right
4. Clever Remarketing
If a user clicked on your ad on Google AdWords but didn’t convert, it’s not quite useful. However, instead of insisting with the same platform and same presentation, switch it up. Change the ad and show it to them once again on Facebook. It will make your business look influential and increase your chances of conversion.
5. Refine your Marketing Funnel
This is a process with which you track each customer’s journey from the moment he first finds about your company to the moment of conversion. By tracking them, you can use several techniques, such as CTAs, opt-ins and offers to garner their attention and turn them into returning customers.
But this is harder than it sounds. Here are four key metrics that you need to keep an eye on:
Awareness: they hear about your product
Interest: they are expressing interest in a product type
Desire: they want and shown interest a particular product
Action: they want to buy it
6. Forge Partnerships
Find a business that is close to your niche and create a partnership that will keep you both happy. For example, if you own a car dealership, consider becoming partners with the repair shop down the street. Keep each other in the loop, and refer clients from one to another.
“Business success usually demands partnering with other people and other firms to get big things done.” Source: Inc
7. Put Social Media to Use
Facebook can be particularly useful because it lets you target specific profiles of users after searching for one or two characteristics. This assures that your content will reach the right people. However, don’t limit yourself. You can opt for Instagram Ads as well, which are also managed by Facebook. It’s the same system, but two different platforms.
8. Ask For Reviews
It may sound scary, but if you’re confident in your services or product, ask for feedback. One of the first things that any potential customer will be looking for before trusting a start-up is reviews. The more you have, the better it reflect your business, provided that a majority of them are positive. It’s the digital age’s word of mouth.
9. Fun Content Marketing
Consider introducing videos, live streaming events, or interactive storytelling to propel your business forward. It could truly capture an audience’s attention in a fresh and innovating way. However, this might stretch your budget a little, because you will need to make it look good, which will require professional help. Unless you have the skills to develop it yourself, carefully conduct some research on the subject.
10. Bing It
Google is at the top, and it’s unlikely that it will drop anytime soon. However, placing ads on the most dominant search engine in the world is also pricey, which is something that start-ups don’t often afford. Instead, opt for Bing. Even though only 30% of users opt for Bing as a search engine, it’s a rising platform in comparison to Yahoo, which has been in decline for years. The CPC (cost-per-click) is substantially lower than Google Ads.
Every technique can be applied to a variety of products and services. However, always keep in mind that they have to define your company and the way you want to manage it in a non-ideal world where you naturally don’t have the money of a big brand.
Author Bio: Andreea Byrch is a freelance technical writer with superior education and expertise. She has 4 years of experience working in the corporate sector, but has decided to take the road of freelancing. At the moment she collaborates with JupiterBroadband and covers news for several online publications.
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