So you have made the leap and started your own business? Or your business is already well established, but you don’t know how to expand and promote it? There are plenty of simple ways that you can do this, and at low cost too!
Social Media
If you haven’t already, make social media accounts for your business. The internet is probably the most powerful tool when it comes to any business because word of mouth can make your business name spread like the plague and bring you the customers that you want. You also need to:
- Make sure that all of your profiles have a valid profile picture (most companies tend to use their brand logo), and also make sure that if there is an option for a cover photo (like Facebook and Twitter) to use that space too.
- On your cover photo, it’s a good idea to have contact details, handles to the rest of your social media accounts and a picture that shows what your business is about.
- Be sure to fill out your entire account, adding an address (if applicable), phone numbers, email addresses and make sure your bio is informative of what you do.
- Ensure that you’re active on social media. It’s easy to get lost within the world of social media because so many people use it, your post can become lost in the nether. If you post regularly, you’re ensuring your post gets seen, and you’re more likely to have customer interaction.
- Run fun giveaways for your customers to participate in. Everybody loves a freebie, and it will also get people looking at your pages and interested in your service/product.
- Give your potential customers information that they’re looking for. Share useful links that relate to what you can offer.
- Be social and friendly towards everyone. Social media is a place where some people turn to slate others. Don’t let yourself do this. Keep yourself impartial and make sure you keep a friendly tone with all of your posts.
- If you’re able to afford it, you can create adverts for your social media pages or even your website if you have one. Facebook and Twitter offer competitive rates that will get your name seen. Try and make your advert as eye catching as possible, without also seeming like it’s not legitimate too. Maybe within your advert mention a giveaway or competition. This will increase the chances of a click through and also people coming back to your page!
Not only is social media a great way to self-promote, but it’s also brilliant at giving you as the business owner some feedback on what you’re doing. Customers will often recommend things that you could have done better on your pages. If this is the case and you do make a change to a service/product, make sure you let that person know on your social media page. It will show customers that you want to hear their feedback and that their happiness within your product or service is in your best interest.
Website
Every business in this day and age should have a website. There’s nothing worse than turning to google to find out something about a particular business or brand and there is no website. Having a regularly maintained and updated website will show professionalism, and make your brand more trustworthy to your potential clients.
It’s simple to set up a website, and you can even do it for free! Often companies use hosting platforms like GoDaddy and Bluehost, and their packages include tutorials on how to set things up. If you’re not comfortable with doing this yourself, why not pay someone who knows what they’re doing? They can set it all up for you and show you how you can maintain it.
Another useful thing about having a website to promote your business is that you can set up an online shop where people could order your products or services. You can list prices, any packages you offer and also have a space for customer feedback. As mentioned before, the internet is a powerful tool. If a few people have loved what you’ve done for them and they leave a good review, you’re likely to have other customers interested!
Business promotion elsewhere from the internet
Once you’re all set up and running on the internet, it’s a good idea to get your business established locally. Go to local shops and hand out posters and leaflets on what you can offer. Try and hand these out in places that are relevant to your business. For example, there’s not much point asking to have your poster for your meat business displayed in a shop that sells vegan food. You can get your leaflets, posters, and brochures printed with an online company.
Getting your name around locally will help you because that is how word of mouth spreads. If the people in your town love your service/product, other people will be interested. A great way of getting other local businesses to recommend you is to support them too. Instead of going to a big industrial chain shop for something, use your local products! Attend local events and fairs to show off what you can do and interact with your community. They will recommend your service back!
Another way of promoting your business is to create an advert for yourself. Have you ever thought about creating a billboard? If you have to budget to do so, then it’s certainly a good idea to think about doing this. Think about the thousands of people that your billboard could reach every day, that’s sure to drive in the business!
A Final Word
It’s so simple to get your business noticed and at a very low cost too. Make sure to get the right kind of attention to your business. Be fair and kind to your customers, and they will come back!
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