Not every marketing method works. Sometimes they just fall flat. The good news is that market’s large spectrum of variation allows you to switch tactics very quickly if need be. That said, you want to try getting your marketing scheme right the first time. Errors can be tolerated, but hitting the nail on the head from the start is the best way to display competency and court customers and investors alike.
To do this, you have to know what works and what doesn’t. You need to know your business from top to bottom. Its values and message especially. More importantly than that, you need to know what marketing methods will work no matter what. If you’re a little clueless to that element, let’s give you a hand.
Television
Without a doubt, this is the biggest and broadest way you can reach any audience today. Television may be on something of a downslide, but its power as a marketing tool has yet to slide into irrelevancy just yet.
The problem with television advertising is that it is expensive. Sure you might be able to get an advertising slot on a local cable television channel at four in the morning. How many people will that even reach though?
‘Primetime’ is the evening slot of television that is the most watched by people from basically all demographics. Effectively consider it the whole family sitting down to watch something. This is where the channels will put up their best and most attractive shows.
The advertising space here is incredibly expensive, but its reach is into the millions. If you can afford it, it’s well worth it. It could push sales into stratospheric territory.
Radio
They said television was going to kill radio. Turns out people were wrong. Radio is still as strong as it ever was, and is a favourite in-car distraction for millions of motorists. Radio advertising is not only cheaper to buy, but cheaper to produce.
Television advertising can cost a tremendous amount of money because of the cast, crew, and production values involved in making a good advertisement for television. Radio’s production values are limited to a recording booth, a voice over artists, and the occasional music cue or jingle.
The thing is about radio, is that the advertising needs to be cyclical. This means the advertisement needs to be played multiple times a day to be heard. Much like records are played over and over on radio channels, so must your advert.
A single advertising space may not cost so much, but multiple spaces through the day could add up. It is another matter of determining if the reach is worth the money.
Conventions & Trade Shows
This may not directly influence customers, but it can give your business a boost. A lot of your competition and contemporaries will be going to trade shows and exhibitions. The purpose behind these shows is variable.
Some people want to court talent for their business, to make new hires or find people with specific skills. Others want to network and get their foot in the door with a contract holder. If you are in the business of selling a product, representation of distributors walk the floors each day looking for the next big thing.
These exhibitions are very outward facing though. Regardless of your budget you need to put forward a professional image. Failure to do so may turn you into a laughing stock. Even worse, it may put people off working with you. Making your exhibition stand to a professional level is a little too much to expect of you personally. Instead, hire a firm who deals in this professionally. You can find one online at www.finessegroup.com.
Social Media
Social media is the next big thing in marketing. It’s a direct pipeline to your consumers. Be warned though, the pipeline is two ways. They can communicate as directly with you, as you can with them.
Social media should start with a website. Consider this your home base of online operations. It should contain everything you need to know about your business in a clear and simple way. It should also be functional on desktop and mobile devices alike.
From there you can branch out to actual social networking websites such as Facebook or Twitter. Use these websites as tools for information. It is essential the information does not come off as bland though, give it a personal touch and encourage engagement.
Social media should also been your first line of defence when it comes to complaints. While the complaint is publically made, you can also make your response publically. This will show other customers that you care about solving problems when they arise.
Leafleting
Tried and tested, there’s a reason why leafleting continues to this day. There may be a cost involved in printing the leaflets and having people hand them out all day, but it’s all about placement.
If they are placed in city centres near busy shopping districts, there is the potential to hand out hundreds upon hundreds of leaflets to people. Even if half of those people don’t even read the leaflet, you still will have caught the eye of a significant amount of people.
Email can be a lot like leafleting. In fact, it’s more or less the digital equivalent. An advertising email can reach hundreds if not thousands of people on a mailing list with significantly little cost of doing so.
While people are more likely to ignore a digital advertisement than a physical one, there is still the potential to reach an enormous audience. Not only that, but email advertisement doesn’t rely on any physical engagement like leafleting does.
If someone is on a mailing list, they get the email regardless. With leafleting there needs to be a minimal level of engagement to actually take the leaflet.
In terms of being solidly reliable, the marketing methods here should provide a solid level of success for you and your business. However, it’s important to make sure you utilise many of them in different amounts. Don’t rely on just one method.
