There are many business promotion strategies out there, including marketing online, at local events and by attracting foot traffic. The key to effectively promoting new business ideas is to deliver the right message at the right time in the right place.

With this in mind, these business promotion ideas will help you reach customers in your local community, and make an impact with your marketing.

Four considerations when promoting your business

1. Who are your customers? Spend time crafting a customer persona. This should include important information, such as their age range, gender, values, interests and needs.

2. Where do your customers spend the majority of their time? If they’re always browsing Facebook, social media will be essential to your marketing strategy. Meanwhile, if they’re parents, consider finding business promotion opportunities with local schools.

3. How much budget are you willing to invest? If you’re just starting out, you may have a very limited marketing budget. This means you will need to seek free or affordable marketing solutions, rather than investing in media advertising.

4. What are your goals? Are you trying to increase the number of leads for your business, or increase revenue through volume? These goals will help you define the approach you will take, and measure your results.

 

7 tips to market your small business

1. Create a Google listing

Customers Google everything these days, including local businesses. If someone is looking for a local plumber, chances are they’ll open up their smartphone and quickly type in ‘plumber near me’. 

Make sure your business shows up in search results by signing up for a Google My Business listing. Once you have set this up, ask your existing customers to review your business on Google, Facebook or TripAdvisor. Having good reviews will help you build rapport with new people who are discovering your brand for the first time.

2. Be active on social media

There are more than 17 million Australians on social media, which makes it one of the most important channels for marketing. 

The key to effective social media marketing is to be consistent.

Choose one or two platforms that your target audience uses. Encourage your existing customers to follow your page, and post daily with relevant content. These could include product and business updates, promotions, videos, blog posts and images.

3. Cross-promote with other businesses

Look for business promotional ideas with local businesses that have a similar target audience to you, but aren’t a direct competitor. Seek win-win partnerships where you can both promote each other’s businesses. This will increase local word-of-mouth and encourage foot traffic into your store.

4. Attend local events and bring business promotional items

Local community events are a great way to reach your target audience and promote your product. Keep an eye out for festivals, fairs or networking opportunities and explore how you can participate. This could be through sponsoring the event, or setting up a booth to sell your products.

Don’t forget to bring some business promotional products as well, such as brochures or gift bags. This ensures customers will remember you after the event is over, and know where to go for more information.

5. Don’t focus purely on discounts.

If you constantly send out promotional offers, you risk being seen as spammy — or worse, customers will only buy from you when you have a sale.

6. Make sure you have a website

In the digital age, having an online presence is a must, even if you’re focusing on local marketing. If you don’t have a website, you risk losing business.

7. Keep an eye on your competition

Competing businesses can offer insights into what works and what doesn’t. If you know when and how they’re promoting their products, you can create a marketing plan and message that differentiates your brand from the rest.