Regardless of whether you have just launched your business or you have been operating for 10 years, it crucial to have a marketing plan in place so that you can attract some new customers/clients and retain existing ones. There are so many different marketing techniques you could try and what works for other companies might not necessarily work for you. This means there will be a lot of trial and error and some experimentation so that you can figure out where best to place your budget. Here are some ideas to get you started.

 

1. Traditional Marketing

Any type of marketing that isn’t carried out online is referred to as traditional marketing. This could be anything from promotional merchandise to signage. While online marketing is vital in today’s digital world, you should also try some traditional marketing techniques to ensure you’re engaging different people. Of course, it comes down to your target audience; if they’re not likely to be Instagram users, then direct mail or telephone calls might be more appropriate.

1. SEO

As mentioned above, it’s important to work on your online presence in addition to your physical presence. Perhaps you could contact an SEO agency to help you audit your website and ensure you are getting the best possible results in the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP). They will also be able to help you with things like blogging and building backlinks. Also, hiring an Edinburgh based SEO company will have your business build a brand and in SEO there is no maximum amount of sales or website traffic that you can acquire. Once you are ranking high for your services and products you will benefit from significantly more traffic than you could achieve through paid advertising for a similar budget. In short, SEO is more cost-effective for long term goals.

1. PPC

Pay Per Click (PPC) leads to quicker results than SEO, although both are beneficial in their own way. Paid ads will get you to the top of the SERP and allow you to target a specific audience. Again, you may need some support from an agency but the ROI will be worth it.

1. Social Media

Digital marketing isn’t just about your website and getting to the top of Google. It’s also about building up brand recognition and engaging with your audience. Social media is great for this because it will allow you to showcase your brand personality and reply to customer feedback to maintain your reputation. There are lots of tools that allow you to schedule posts if you don’t have time to share them manually each day.

1. Networking

When running a business, it’s really important to build relationships. Perhaps you could develop a partnership with a charity so that you can help each other get the recognition you deserve. You could also attend networking events or chat to people via social media. If you support some small businesses, they will likely return the favour.