To say 2020 was a tough year for small businesses is an understatement. Your business likely had to contend with the negative effects of a pandemic, such as cash flow shortages, decreased revenue and a new work environment.
As we navigate the new normal, you’ll need to adapt in order to thrive in a transformed marketplace. For your business to recover from the after-effects of Covid, you’ll need to review your marketing strategies.
But with all the marketing strategies to choose from and a limited marketing budget, it can be difficult for small businesses to know what to do.
Thankfully, there are plenty of small business marketing strategies that don’t require a huge investment to get started.
So, let’s get right into it!
Optimise Website for SEO
Having a website makes it easier for potential customers to find you online, learn more about your business and build a lasting online relationship. With that said, you’ll need to optimise your website for SEO in order to rank high in Google search results and make your website more discoverable.
Use Google Search Console, a free SEO service offered by Google, to make your site shine in Google search results. Search Console has different tools and reports that will help you to measure your site’s search traffic and performance, find areas that need improvement and increase organic traffic.
To learn more about Google Search Console and get started, visit this page.
Learn Facebook Lead Ads
Facebook lead ads allow you to collect leads without creating a landing page or a dedicated opt-in form. Meaning, you can create a form that collects a lead’s name, email address, or phone number within Facebook.
When creating a lead ad, make sure to customize the target audience, placements, budget, and schedule. This ensures that your ad reaches the right people. Plus, you’ll need a clear and compelling offer to get more people to fill out your form. Here’s what you can offer:
- Ebooks
- Checklists
- Templates
- Attend a free event
- Promo codes or vouchers
- Free deals and offers
- Product samples
- And so much more!
Setup Google My Business
If you want your business to be found online, you need a Google My Business page. Google My Business is a free service from Google that allows you to create a business profile that you can use to connect with your customers across Google search and maps.
On your profile, you can add opening/closing times, contact details, a link to your website, and a link to articles or upcoming events.
After creating a Google My Business listing, make sure to keep it updated by sharing content and uploading images on a regular basis.
Leverage Google Reviews
Real reviews from real people make a real difference. Ask your clients to post feedback on Google Reviews. This helps boost your presence in online search results and add credibility to your business. Not only that, but reviews also act as social proof to your potential customers and help them make a decision on whether or not they should do business with you.
The best way to collect reviews is to directly ask customers after an event. Or, you can send a templated email with a short URL that customers can click to easily leave a review.
Then make sure to read and reply to all reviews (good or bad). This helps build customer trust and they’ll know that you value their input. As a result, they may leave more reviews in the future.
For a step by step guide on how to read and reply to reviews, visit this page.
Outsource Minor Tasks
When you need something done, whether you are short-staffed, don’t have the expertise, or need it done quickly, you could consider outsourcing. This format of getting work done is delegating the responsibility of the task to an outside party.
Here are some tasks you can outsource:
- Calendar management
- Admin tasks
- Customer service
- Sales support
- Website update & management
- Social media management
- Content marketing
- Bookkeeping
By outsourcing these activities, you can now focus on core business processes. Outsourcing also helps businesses lower operational costs. By hiring third-party service providers, you can reduce the expenses associated with bringing on new employees, such as onboarding, healthcare and payroll taxes.
Track What Works Best
Once you’ve experimented with a few marketing strategies, pay attention to the data. This can inform you of what’s working and what needs improvement.
When tracking your marketing efforts, make sure to use different links for each of the strategies being tested. This way you’ll get the most accurate data.
Another way to know what strategy works best is to simply ask people where they came from. By knowing where your customers are coming from, you can focus your marketing efforts on channels that are best for your business.
Assess Your Existing Strategy
Before implementing the strategies above, you’ll need to assess your existing marketing strategy. To help you do that, we’ve prepared a breakthrough document that will determine how good/bad your marketing is and most importantly, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to fix it.
It’s called “The Ultimate Marketing Checklist”. This powerful document contains 149 steps to help you master “Marketing” once and for all. Grab your free copy here.
