Sometimes thinking outside the box can pay off in a big way.
Making your voice heard is half the battle when it comes to running a small business. With fast moving markets, a crowd of competitors and savvy consumers to deal with, it’s important to do everything you can to ensure your brand is seen and heard.
To spread the word, it’s sometimes necessary to get creative and think outside the box. With that in mind, here are a few creative ways to promote your small business and get noticed by your consumer base. Let’s take a look…
Offer promotional products
Whether it’s tote bags, pens, mugs or t-shirts, consumers love getting things for free. Branding useful items ensures that your company will be seen and acknowledged every day, cementing you as an option in their minds if and when they require your services.
For this reason, promotional products are traditional marketing tools that still have a place in modern business. Physical products can help to nurture brand awareness through those early days of trading. You can also combine analogue and digital efforts by sending promotional items to influencers and ambassadors for further reach.
Create a social media competition
Social media has become the cornerstone of modern marketing, but there are still unique ways to use it outside of simply creating and sharing content.
As we’ve already mentioned, people love a freebie, even if there’s only a small chance they’ll receive one. Competitions are a great way to create a buzz around your brand and give one lucky participant the chance to win big.
You could give away a product bundle, a gift voucher or an experience – whatever best reflects your brand and most appeals to your customer base.
Make use of user-generated content
Creating your own content is essential for keeping your brand active online, but you can also make use of user-generated content. Around 79% of shoppers say that user-generated content makes a significant impact on their decision to purchase, due to a lack of the same bias that comes with a business talking about their own brand.
Sharing customer testimonials, photos and videos makes consumers feel seen and heard, while also sharing positive experiences with potential new customers. Be sure to scan social media hashtags related to your brand to see what your consumers are saying.
Showcase video tutorials
Video marketing is one of the most impactful forms of content, engaging customers while also giving you the space you need to share key details on your brand or products.
Tutorials are a great way to engage with customers, showing them tips and tricks on how to get the most from your products. It shows off all the benefits of your products without resorting to a hard sell.
Find relevant trending topics
Getting noticed online requires staying up to date with trends. In the fast-paced world of social media, trending topics change every day, so be sure to keep an eye out for any subjects, discussions or memes that relate to your services and industry. You can then create content that utilises the trending format while also showcasing your business, increasing your reach.
Work with your competitors
Don’t write off your industry competitors as your enemies; they are useful to you in a lot of ways. Looking at how they’re presenting themselves both online and in-person; seeing what offers they’re sharing; and taking note of what works (and what doesn’t). This all provides you with information which could prove invaluable for marketing your own brand.
You can also approach other small businesses directly, bringing your customer bases together for unique and engaging offers that get noticed.
Got a business idea you’d like to get off the ground this year? We have helped thousands of businesses to grow, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), so we’re here to support you.
Get in touch with the team at TEDCO Business Support today. Give us a call on 0191 516 61 02 or drop us an email at hello@tedco.org.