You just started your own business. This is the first time you ever took a role this big, and you want to be careful in all of the decisions you’ll make.
And one decision you’re about to take for your business to thrive is the kind of marketing efforts you’re going to use. You know this is essential because this can make or break your business’ image in the long run. What you do with your marketing can also play an important role on how much you’re going to earn and how your customers will stay loyal to your business.
To ensure that your marketing efforts will bring several benefits for your business, take note of the following mistakes to avoid:
1. You don’t have any preparations: It can be tempting to use all marketing channels to gain customers, but this isn’t the best decision. When you do, you’re actually marketing your products to everyone, without focusing on what a certain audience wants. When customers feel like your business is not meeting any of their needs, they’ll choose not to do business with you.
Instead of going all out with your marketing efforts immediately, take the time to prepare. Research who you would want as your clients and reach them in a medium which is apt for them. For example, if you want young professionals to become your customers, post your business offerings on different social media platforms.
2. You don’t have a website: The 21st century is considered as the digital era. This means that more and more people are using different technologies to make their lives easier. And if you want to create a name, you should make sure that you have a business website. Your business website should be accessible through different gadgets and easy to navigate. If you don’t meet any of these, your website will be useless.
3. You don’t value your customers: Some businesses seem to have a race when it comes to gaining new customers. For them, once a customer makes a transaction with them, they’re good to go. Make sure that you don’t make the same mistake. When you gain customers in your business, you should consistently pour in time and effort to keep them. Once customers feel that you treat them well, they’ll share their experience with their friends and family – and referrals will always be the best form of marketing channels. Remember, you should gain loyal customers and not one-time buyers.
4. You don’t have a unique selling proposition: Regardless of what kind of products and services you offer, there’ll probably be a handful of businesses which have been selling the same for years. And it’s hard to compete with a business like that, right? To level out the playing field, make sure you have a unique selling proposition. This can make your business stand out from the rest. Your USP can be a 24/7 customer service, free delivery or even a lifetime guarantee.
5. You’re not tracking results: You might think that marketing a business is all about paying for different marketing channels and wait for customers to flock to you. This kind of scenario rarely happens in real life. If you don’t want all of your marketing efforts to be wasted, track your progress and results. This will help you determine which marketing channels work and which doesn’t. With this information, you’ll be able to allocate your marketing budget to a channel which actually brings in customers and profit for your business.
Your Decisions Count
When you’re a neophyte in the business arena, everything you do will always affect your business. Whether it may be in a negative or positive way, solely depends on your decisions. Instead of spending your resources to all of the marketing channels available to you, be wary of the mistakes that you should avoid. This will help you come up with better decisions for your business’ marketing. Aside from the tips presented here, you can also work with professionals like Studio 56. They can help in your business’ marketing needs.
Tristan is a digital marketing specialist and the founder of Studio 56. With years of experience in the digital marketing field and business world, Tristan prides himself on delivering high-quality marketing services to clients in the Allied Health sector.
S56 specialises in partnering with Allied Health practices to boost their overall ROI. He has a loving family and enjoys travelling in his free time.