Developing a marketing
plan can seem like a daunting task, but with some research and planning a
small business owner can develop strategies that can lead to an
increase in the bottom line. A combination of traditional marketing
techniques and innovative tools can create an effective plan. From
branding to print materials and electronic marketing solutions like
innovative tag barcodes, choices abound.
Free toolkit: learn to create killer marketing content in 15 min
www.act-on.comBranding
Branding
is one of the most important marketing strategies a small business can
implement. The brand message is the promise made by the company to the
consumer. Decide what makes your products or services better than the
competition. Your advantage might be price, quality, location and
convenience--anything that would make the consumer gravitate to your
products over the competitors. Then use proprietary colors, typeface,
layouts, logos and taglines to identify your business in the mind of the
consumer. Consistency is the key when developing a company brand.
Print Advertising and Marketing Materials
Print
advertising and collateral marketing materials go hand in hand with
branding. Consumers see your logo and other identifying graphics and
instantly recognize that the advertisement comes from your company
before they read a word. Advertisements may appear in newspapers,
magazines, flyers and online sources. Additional print collateral
material like brochures, catalogs, booklets and newsletters are also
effective for marketing. Commercial printers that handle this type of
printing can provide customization, quality and consistency.
Related Reading: Five Types of Business-Level Strategies
Direct Mail
These
days direct mail can also include direct email. The key to a successful
direct mail strategy for any business, small or large, is targeting the
audience. It is counter productive to mail a postcard offering cigars
to young women with babies. You can do your own research, or purchase
mailing lists to compile a targeted list of potential consumers. The
list might be broken down by geographic area, interests or demographics
like age, gender or income.
Social Networking
Besides
putting up a website, small businesses can put popular social
networking sites to work as a marketing strategy. Websites like Twitter
and Facebook can be invaluable for describing existing products,
introducing new products, offering promotions and announcing sales.
YouTube, the video website, can be effective for companies with a
product that requires a demonstration or for a manufacturing plant tour.
Electronic Barcode Technology
Electronic
barcode technology like Microsoft Tag is becoming more and more popular
as a marketing strategy for small business. A logo type graphic of
approximately 1-inch square is placed on a business card, poster or any
other printed piece. The consumer can then use a phone application to
"read" the Tag. Your website or other online information then opens up
for the consumer.
SOURCE : http://smallbusiness.chron.com/five-marketing-strategies-small-business-13877.html
SOURCE : http://smallbusiness.chron.com/five-marketing-strategies-small-business-13877.html
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