Marketing is essential to the success of businesses of all sizes. After all, marketing is everything that helps a business attract customers.
From ads, to promotions, to the signage you see in front of stores the purpose of it all is to get customers.
Small businesses have a harder time with marketing since they typically lack the resources and expertise of bigger enterprises.
To help guide small businesses in this matter I want to provide them two things they can do to get more people to come to their businesses.
This two-step guide will provide a simple approach to start attracting customers and keeping customers.
Step #1: How to Attract Shoppers
The first thing we want to realize in step number one is that that the goal of marketing your business is to get customers to come to your business and buy from you. In this step the key idea is to get people through your doors.
Whether you have a dry cleaning shop, flower shop, or a mechanic shop you want potential customers to learn about your business. You want them to know that you are there offering your goods and services at that location.
Furthermore, you want to aim to get people’s attention, get them to learn about your business, and connect or develop a relationship with them.
One easy place to start is with the signage or displays you are allowed to put outside your business or nearby places. Even if you haven’t opened yet and you are still under construction having a sign outside announcing the opening of your business will help build awareness and anticipation.
For example, flower shop owners can create a space (front windows or wall of business) where you celebrate graduating students at the end of a school year. Or put together themed flower baskets during major holidays.
You can even do special promotions like a BOGO and give the first few customers through the door a discount.
Step #2: Start Going Digital to Reach People
Another way potential customers can discover your business is online. For this step you can start by picking one social media platform to start sharing updates with potential customers.
Using the examples from above, perhaps with a dry cleaning shop you can share style or care tips for certain types of clothing.
With a flower shop you can share images of some of the more interesting flowers you sell, or how to make unique flower arrangements. You can even have people share with you flowers they are growing at home or a home garden and maybe even pick one maybe every month to highlight.
With an auto shop, you can share things like tips on ways to save on gas, places in your town with the highest accident rates to avoid, or images of what bad brake pads, or worn-out tire treads look like to help people keep an eye on out for those things.
As you can see, none of these tips should cost you much money or time to implement. These are easy things you can start doing right away to drive traffic to your place of business.
Remember that marketing is everything that you do, use, or that helps you get customers for your business. Don’t let any limitations of money, people, or time get in your way.
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