Marketing is not an easy job; in fact, marketers have the most responsible job in a company. For business owners, the impact of their marketing efforts on customers can determine the profitability of their business (and in most cases, their livelihood).
As if this wasn’t enough, there’s no one-cookie cutter way to market. As technology evolves and as more channels sprout up, a marketers’ job gets as wide-scoped as it can get. Yet, you have a job to do. Businesses owners and marketers can’t open shop and wait for the rain, can they? Here are some things to keep in mind to promote your business like a pro:
Maximize your promotions
Almost anyone can set-up a website; send out an email; put up social media accounts such as those on Facebook and Twitter; send promotional items such as Stubby holders, coolers for drinks, key chains, pens, etc.; or deliver direct mail pieces to customers.
Pro marketers, however, not only send out all or some of these items but also maximizes each of these items and squeeze as much as they can from their campaigns. They follow marketing best practices, focus on ROI (Return on Investment), establish metrics to help with management decisions, and strive to keep their customers engaged.
Learn and befriend technology
Business now works in tandem with technology. As such, technology is not an option; it’s at the core of running any business. Marketers, more than anyone else, have to depend on technology because it’s a smarter and more effective way of growing businesses. For pro marketers, it helps to keep tab of technology developments. For instance, QR codes are now the rage — these square-shaped, bar code like elements help to align your offline marketing strategy with that of your online marketing.
That’s just scratching the ocean of possibilities out there today.
Go out of your way, walk that extra mile
Deploy campaigns and forget. Your customers would forget you just as easily as you assumed that “sending is selling”. The hard truth: sending promotional items or any other kind of promotion is just the beginning. Best practices included getting back to your customers, asking them questions, helping them solve their problems (sometimes not even related to your business).
Follow-up, even if it’s just to say hello
One big secret in marketing: keeping in touch (lead nurturing is a fancy way of saying it). It’s crucial to keep in touch by following-up with each of your customers. It helps build a relationship that’ll transcend into a transaction (if you persist enough and do it right). Call up, email, send a letter, or send out gifts even if it’s just to find out how they feel about your products and services, if they need any help, or if they would like to participate in a survey.