Home business owners are extremely enthusiastic and full of hope for their newly established venture. Doing what you love from the comfort of your home is a dream come true, but we can’t deny that it also comes with its fair share of problems. A shoestring budget is the first one that comes to mind, so you need to economize, prioritize, and cut corners whenever possible. This usually means that cutting business costs starts with marketing, although there’s no growth and development without it. However, as we live in the digital age, you actually don’t need a hefty budget in on order to make a name for yourself in your industry. There are smart marketing strategies which can help you improve your brand awareness and promote your business even if your marketing budget is limited.
Email marketing
Let’s start with the simplest and most cost-effective marketing strategy which can produce great results. If we bear in mind that its ROI is 4400%, meaning that for every $1 you spend you can make $44, it’s clear that you need to take advantage of this strategy if you want to succeed without breaking the bank. The trick is to have a relevant, properly segmented email list, and to send your prospects highly-personalized emails and tailored offers. Creating compelling copy and subject lines is another element of the effective outreach. Finally, be persistent and don’t give up after just one follow-up. According to research studies, most sales occur after 5 follow-up attempts.
Always be marketing
Don’t hesitate to promote your business wherever you are. In order to do that, you need to craft and master a captivating elevator pitch which will grab people’s attention. However, this strategy works only if it’s not pushy and if you build a whole narrative that easily connects with your audience. While it’s true that you have only a limited amount of time to present your business in the best light, you actually don’t need more than a couple of minutes to cut to the chase and explain what your home business is all about and why your products or services make a difference. Don’t fall into the trap of using high-flown, corporate jargon because that will only alienate your prospects. Use a simple, easily comprehensible language instead.
The best things in life are free
People love freebies, and it’s a great idea to run contests and giveaways on your social media channels. Promotional items with your logo on will both help you build customer loyalty and expand your marketing efforts beyond your initial target audience. For example, a branded pen, T-shirt, or hat will turn your customers into walking billboards and generate tons of referrals. The quality is what matters here, so don’t opt for the cheapest business swag, because you don’t want your logo on something that will fall apart within a week. It’s much better to take out affordable fast loans and invest in some quality promotional products that your customers will find useful and attractive.
Leverage social media
No matter what industry you’re in, social media platforms are essential for spreading the word about your business. Apart from that, they’re indispensable when it comes to networking and connecting with your customers on a more personal level. Many businesses have jumped at the opportunity to use social media for customer service because not only is this approach extremely practical, but it also serves as excellent PR because it shows that they care about their customers. Stats say that more than 67% of customers use a company’s social media channels for customer service, while 42% of them expect a response within an hour. So, make sure to monitor your social media and be responsive.
Useful content is king
Producing helpful content which offers your customers solutions to their pain points is another great and inexpensive marketing strategy. Find out what the most common problems of your target audience are and address them in your blog posts. Content marketing can bring a lot of fresh, high-quality traffic to your website and increase your brand exposure. A study by HubSpot has established that companies which publish more than 16 blog posts per month get almost 3.5 times more traffic than those with less than 4 blog posts. But, besides a surge in traffic, consistent and high-quality content has another benefit – it can help you become an authority in your industry, thus putting a spotlight on your business.
Don’t ignore SEO
Search engine optimization can significantly boost your Google rankings and help your home business reach the top of the SERPs. This smart marketing strategy, which goes hand in hand with content marketing, is not a one-time thing and it won’t bring instant results. On the other hand, this long-term approach will gradually build your reputation and direct quality traffic towards your website. Some sources claim that the first page of Google search results scoops 92% of all traffic, and this perfectly illustrates why SEO is so important. By earning and building authority links, you’ll be able to gain Google’s trust and build loyalty with your target audience. Guest blogging is one of the most popular SEO methods which will introduce you to a wider audience and increase your reach. It’s worth mentioning that SEO isn’t exactly the most affordable strategy, but it surely pays off in the end.
These smart marketing strategies can supercharge your home business and help you thrive.
