Not all people who start an online business consider how difficult it might be to attract customers. It helps if you have a unique idea and enter a market that is not too saturated, but most have to go up against the competition.
Fighting for every customer should be one of your priorities. And you will struggle without a proper marketing strategy. Here are some tips to get the most out of your available resources and reach as many people as you can.
Tip #1 – Create Custom-Made Merchandise
Giving away or selling custom-made merchandise is a great choice to raise brand awareness. You can achieve a quick custom t-shirt production by using a reliable supplier that offers high-quality products.
Include t-shirts as a gift to your most loyal customers the next time they order from your store. Wearing a t-shirt that supports a cause is also an excellent method to get attention. For instance, if there is a charity run, you could ask some of your employees to participate while wearing the company’s shirt.
Tip #2 – Cooperate With Influencers
Influencer marketing is one of the cornerstones for many brands that want a healthy influx of new customers.
Nowadays, people trust celebrities and other personalities rather than big companies. Influencers appeal to their audiences by being relatable or providing valuable content.
The number of followers should not be the most important metric when you are looking for an influencer. Emphasize how relevant their audience is. A micro-influencer with a few thousand followers could be more valuable than someone with hundreds of thousands of followers.
Tip #3 – Publish Sponsored Content on Blogs
Hire a writer or write an article yourself and look for blogs in your industry to publish the articles. The goal is to include a backlink to your website so readers on another blog can click on the link and get redirected to your store.
Similar to influencers, you should focus on bloggers that have the right audience. For example, if you are selling sportswear, contacting video game or movie bloggers would be a waste of time.
Tip #4 – Join Relevant Social Media Groups and Forums
Social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn have groups. Some of them are public, others are private, but even private groups will accept you if you prove that you are not a spammer. In other words, if you are planning to advertise your business, do not post your website’s links right away. Gain the trust of the members and look for opportunities.
For instance, if someone asks a question, you can provide a simple answer and link back to your website that has an in-depth article with more information and would fully answer the question.
The same principles apply to forums. Even though there are fewer forums because social media replaced them, you should still find some forums where you can backlink to your site.
Tip #5 – Organize Contests and Giveaways
You can organize contests on social media by asking participating to like and share the post if they want to enter. The post may go viral and reach a large number of people that join in as well. The more people join to participate, the higher the odds of creating a snowball effect.
If you have an email list, you can use it to run contests as well. Send out offers and tell the subscribers that you have an ongoing giveaway.
Tip #6 – Join a Podcast
Podcasts have become a popular form of entertainment. Listeners can access their favorite podcasts on streaming platforms and listen with just a few clicks. Podcasts are great for long commutes or when you want to have something in the background.
Find out if there are any available podcasts in your industry and whether they would invite you as a guest. If so, do not hesitate and go for it. There should be an opportunity to promote your business while on a podcast.
Tip #7 – Invest in SEO
Some entrepreneurs believe that a business’s success comes down to SEO and its standings in Google and other search engines.
Organic traffic is valuable because people end up on your website after entering specific keywords and phrases. If you rank high on Google, potential customers will click on the first result they see.
Optimizing a website for search engines is difficult. If you plan a long-term campaign, it would probably be best to hire a professional and leave them in charge. Hiring additional help will cost you, but the value of a good SEO campaign is worth the investment.
Tip #8 – Research Competition
Research your competition and find out what they have been up to. There is no need to copy the competition’s actions step by step, but if you can find a way to excel in your brand, do not hesitate and go for it.
Some people will argue that keeping tabs on competition is unfair, but you should dismiss these claims, especially if you want to create a brand that stands at the very top.
