So you’ve started your dream business. You’ve got a fantastic product and now you just need to sell it! Here is where a killer marketing strategy comes in. So where do you start?
Step 1
Ask yourself some questions.
*Who are you? What are you selling? What is your brand?
Do you have a mission statement, a catchy logo or tag-line? If the answer is no or ‘kind of’ then make sure you get these elements clear in your head before you do anything else.
*Who are your customers?
What age and demographic is your ideal customer? What can you do to get their attention? For example, Facebook ads are fine for customers in their 30’s but maybe not work for teenagers. What do your customers want and how will your product satisfy them?
*Who is your competition?
Do some research on the price points and advertising tactics of your competitors. What are you offering that is different? What do you do better? Perhaps your product is cheaper or has a unique look. Work out what your USP is and focus on that.
Step 2
Developing your plan.
We’re going to assume that your potential customers are tech-savvy as digital marketing is by far the best way to reach the biggest amount of customers possible for the least amount of money.
*Online marketing tools
Find strategy templates and plans to download online. This will help you to streamline your ideas.
*Social media
Promoting yourself on social media is one of the quickest ways to reach a huge amount of people. If your customers are active on social media then paying extra to advertise will be worth it.
*Email mailing lists
Although time- consuming, having a mailing list can be a really useful way to generate sales. Customers feel singled out and special if they get a personalized email letting them know about a new product in your range. This is a sure-fire way to start developing loyalty to your brand.
*Website
If you are selling your product through your website then this is your shop-front and it has to be top-notch, as in real shops, that use things like aluminium windows for shop fronts to make their shop look great . Make sure your web address is included in social media posts. Consider starting a blog with posts relevant to your product/industry.
*SEO
Understanding Search Engine Optimization is an important aspect of marketing. If you want to be up there in people’s Google searches then it’s pretty much essential.
Step 3
Executing your plan
Once you have decided which are the best marketing methods for you to use then you need to execute your plan, with emphasis on the word plan!
*List every action that you need to take along with a time-scale
*Allocate jobs
Perhaps someone is brilliant at writing blogs or is great at using Twitter. Assign jobs for people that are within their comfort zone.
*Reflect
What elements of your plan worked? What areas could you improve on?
Lastly, remember to adapt and develop. As your business changes and grows so will your marketing needs. Take some time each month to reflect on what worked and what didn’t and adapt your plan accordingly.
