Every business needs marketing, if consumers do not know your business exists then they cannot buy from you and without sales, there is no profit. As a start-up, the number one priority is to get your name known to create brand awareness and this is where your marketing comes into play. There are many techniques to begin marketing your business but here are just 5 that start-ups should consider for a higher ROI.
1. Social Media
We are in the digital age, and consumers have always got their smartphones to hand – and, people’s presence online is higher than it has ever been with a huge 4.76 billion social media users worldwide – so it makes sense to use this to your advantage. Posting engaging and relevant content should give consumers a reason to follow your account and do not forget to keep them engaged with Q&A’s, polls and responding to comments so they feel seen, heard, and valued by your brand.
2. Email Marketing
Once you have established a social media presence you can direct traffic to your website to subscribe, allowing you to collect email addresses to start your email marketing campaigns. This is more effective (and cost-efficient) than purchasing databases as you know these consumers want to hear from you as they’ve subscribed for exactly that reason. Knowing your recipients are open to being sold to means you can target them more effectively but don’t always send emails for marketing purposes as they might end up pressing that spam button. Instead, diversify your mail to include competitions, ‘how to’ guides and videos to keep consumers interested.
3. Paid Ads
Paid ads are a way to grow your online presence; instead of consumers searching you out your brand is put right in front of them as they are scrolling through their homepages. In a similar way to email marketing, this is a more targeted approach as you can dictate which demographics you want the paid ads to reach.
4. Sponsorship
Sponsoring an event can be an effective way of getting your brand out there. Consumers are not attending for you, but it provides an opportunity to reach them and leave a lasting impression, especially if they are not expecting it. When attendees recall the event and talk about it, providing the literature was memorable, they will also recall your business. This means you’ve not only reached them but whoever they talk to.
5. Out-of-Home Advertising (OOH)
Out-of-home advertising refers to any adverts found outside the home that a consumer can encounter. Think billboards, bus stops, and transport posters. Clear Start offers a start-up accelerator programme specifically designed to project new businesses into the market with the potential for 93% reach. Affordable and tailored to your needs OOH is a no-brainer for any new start-up.
ROI
These five techniques require little to no investment to be effective therefore the return could be huge. Start-ups do not have the finance or resources of big brands but that does not mean they can’t compete with them in the marketplace. Every business had to start somewhere, so let your marketing techniques lead you and become the next big thing.
