If you launched your business successfully on the Internet a decade ago, you may have experienced a decline from your former success if you have not kept up with new Internet marketing opportunities. New modes of reaching customers have opened up. You need to review your marketing strategies, replacing some of the old ones, or augmenting them with the new ones. In short, you need to study Internet marketing all over again. Here are some tips on the new avenues you should study.
Expand your email marketing by growing your list of email addresses. Develop your own list, though, or buy a list from a responsible broker. Do not fall for the extravagant claims of some brokers who advertise email lists. These are often loaded with repetitive or invalid addresses. A responsible broker will constantly revise their lists, culling out invalid addresses and adding new ones perhaps 20 times a day. But these valid lists are costly. You may do better by building your own list through your website. Give visitors incentives to join your email list. Offer a rewards program, coupons, special sales and even freebies. Let them know they can get off your list if they want to; you will not avalanche them with unwanted emails.
If your business has not been growing, set goals to achieve new growth. Then find a series of steps that will allow you to attain those goals. Visualize the process. Make a weekly or monthly check on your success rate. Don’t just accept that your business is declining. Use new media streams to lift your business to success again.
Make your business visible on social media. This is a great way to keep in touch with customers. Include a personal touch, such as telling about your family vacation. Tell the story of your business in an exciting way, and encourage visitors to spread the word to their friends. Give them an incentive to visit your business website. Include your business URL on each page of your social media site.
Offer instructional or informational videos to customers on YouTube. For instance, a roofing company can offer tips on how to examine a roof for damage, how to avoid damage from icing in winter, and so on. This builds your relationship with your customers and establishes your expertise.
Mobile marketing is the latest thing and is growing very fast. Most people now carry their smartphones with them throughout their day and check them often. Thus they are most reachable through mobile marketing. Reach a customer during the day with a special offer, and they can stop by your store on their way home. Or they can buy online. Make the offer limited in time, encouraging customers to not miss the opportunity. Create a QR code to reach customers when they are close to your store.
Another way to increase your customer base is to re-design your website. You should do this periodically, both to take advantage of new technology and keep your website fresh and interesting. Make sure you have appealing images on each page–not necessarily kittens and puppies, but anything your customers can relate to with a smile. An image that ties in with your business is best. This becomes part of your business’ identity. Images are more memorable than words.
Follow up on these tips and re-grow your business. Use the media opportunities your competitors are using. You don’t want to be left behind!