It is becoming so much easier for small businesses to get a wider, more global reach out to their intended audiences, with the use of the internet and modern advertising options. Social media has a great way of connecting people, particularly when it comes to niche businesses that would otherwise not get as much revenue offline. Whether your speciality is cooking, designing t-shirts, animal accessories or anything else, it is important to make sure that your company reaches its intended audience. Although online influence is very effective, it is important not to forget the power of leafleting or newspaper advertising.
Social Media
Social Media has become one of the most popular forms of advertising for both large and small companies in recent years. Sharing your designs and your businesses creations online and through social media can sometimes have a domino effect, where friends on Facebook or Twitter share your content with their friends, their friends then share with someone else and so on.
It is important to make sure that you do not spam your social media fans. Followers of your social media sites will want more than a generic advert; they will want something that applies personally to them. Using sites such as Facebook and in particular, Twitter, allow customers to speak to business owners and receive feedback on a more personal level. This also allows you to understand your client base more, and it gives you the chance to ask what they would like to see more of in your company, what needs improving, etc.
Website
All the best companies have their own website as it provides complete customisation and can look professional, depending on the effort put into creating it. There are several popular website builders that you can use for free or for a small, yearly fee, that provide templates for your website that you can use, or the option to fully create your own website yourself.
Websites that offer customer interaction; a review system, comments on a blog, interaction with twitter and facebook and online shopping, are all very popular when promoting a business. Online shops are particularly useful because, so long as you are willing to send your product out, your business could have an international and even global reach as opposed to simply a local reach. There are IT Support companies that will help create bespoke billing software for your website and online shop if you don’t have the coding knowledge to do it yourself.
The Local Community
Advertise your company locally, by placing leaflets in shop windows (with permission) advertising in the local paper, and organising events for charity in the name of your company. It is important to remember that while online advertising can generate a lot of interest, not everybody will have access to computers or even be interested in the online world. You mustn’t exclude potential customers just because of their technological choices.
Doing charity events in the name of your company help to gain popularity, and paints your company in a positive light. If people see your company doing good things, they are more likely to support you. Try to make it applicable to your company, for example if you sell bespoke knitwear, why not set a knit-for-Africa or similar project or goal for charity?
Author Bio:
Terry Vasser writes for a number of technology and business blogs about getting more from your business. He has contributed this article on behalf of 3aIT, expert IT support services provider in Surrey.