Have your marketing techniques been yielding the same results over the years? Do you wish to witness significant improvement in your sales? Do you waste quality time on cold calling without recording significant results?
Are you having trouble finding the right technology for your marketing needs? Are you getting the most out of your investment in marketing? Is your business losing the ability to attract future prospects or clients?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then you need to rethink your marketing strategies to overcome these challenges before it drowns your business.
Experts note that the ability of a business to be successful lies in its marketing strategies.
According to them, the process of marketing, which involves the introduction of a product or service to potential customers, is the core of every business.
They add that poor marketing may lead to a drop in sales, and when this persists, it can lead to business insolvency.
Marketing professionals observe that attracting customers is not easy, especially when there is tough competition in the market and the business environment is unfriendly.
However, they say if the consumers are not demanding your products as expected, you may need to increase your marketing efforts.
Experts oppose indulgence in practices that lead to losses, but encourage business owners to be determined to improve on their marketing capacities by adopting some strategies.
In its 2016 small business trends report, LeadPages identifies new marketing tactics and mindset required by outstanding small business marketers as follows:
Revenue-driven marketing
The report titled, ‘Ways to be a superior small business marketer in 2016,’ points out that an average marketer markets with the intention of conveying information, building awareness or driving sales.
However, an exceptional marketer will market with an eye toward revenue, but be well aware that generating leads is one of the best ways to ensure predictable sales growth.
Access the impact of marketing strategies
According to the report, an average business owner has no idea whether or not his/her marketing efforts are effective, but an above average business owner will know exactly which of the marketing efforts is effective. Always go for marketing tactics that provide traceable and measurable results.
Have a website with landing pages
LeadPages explains that most small business owners maintain a business website that functions mostly as a digital billboard or brochure.
But a manager that wishes to be outstanding will supplement the business website with purpose-specific landing pages. It says these landing pages are to be optimised to collect leads or make sales.
Utilise digital advertising to drive traffic
It states that an average business manager, will start taking their first steps into digital advertising while an above the average manager will start to optimise their digital advertising by driving traffic to targeted landing pages.
Combine social tools with good content
The reports says that small business managers post more on social media, but spend very little time thinking about other kinds of marketing content that might get them leads.
On the other hand, it explains that outstanding managers will supplement strategic social media use with other kinds of high-value content designed to generate leads and sales. According to the report, additional tools can be emails, blog posts, and downloadable branded resources.
Utilise an email marketing service
The report suggests that terrific small business managers will prefer the use of permission-based email marketing which is using an email marketing service rather than handle it all from their own email client.
Average small business managers operate without a formal, reliable database of contact information for leads while above average marketers will easily follow up with leads via the help of a customer relationship management platform or email service provider.
Employ different marketing software
It says average business managers depend on one or two familiar software applications for all their marketing operations.
On the other hand, an above the average manager will be willing to try out different best-of-breed marketing software in an effort to make every marketing initiative more successful.
Use data and automation in marketing
According to the report, average small business managers handle their marketing in-house, letting constraints on their own time and knowledge determine which marketing channels they use.
However, successful business managers achieve more results by handling all their marketing in-house with greater efficiency by adopting tools that make it easy to automate operations and access decisive data.
