In the modern business world of 2021, the competition is fierce. Even today among the “new normal,” with COVID-19 still hindering efforts across the globe, the competition is vast and it’s still a sink or swim environment when it comes to any business endeavor.
But if you’re in business for yourself, if you own an online storefront, or if you’re at the helm of a large company, one thing remains true: You have to get noticed to get sales and stay afloat.
Even if you only sell postcards on the side for a few dollars a week, the principles of marketing apply just the same to you as they do to big companies like Ford or Nike. Marketing is the engine that drives a business, and within the world of marketing, there are several strategies to choose from in order to get noticed.
Here, we’ll walk through a few tips on how to get your business noticed in 2021.
Social Media
No matter the nature of your business, you need exposure in order to facilitate consumer outreach.
And as of 2021, if you’re not on social media, you’re going largely unnoticed and you’re not tapping into your fullest potential when it comes to marketing yourself.
Social media allows you to showcase your brand, talk about yourself, and alert your audience and prospective customers about upcoming promotions and deals that you might be running in the near future.
For example, you can craft content that shows off your best products, and as your followers share these posts, you’ll likely see a larger following start to build. You can also link your social media posts to a personal website, or into a marketing funnel via a landing page.
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest are perfect for business marketing, so get started building these profiles if you haven’t already.
Promotional Materials
In the world of business, one thing definitely remains true: You have to spend money to make money.
And even though we often shudder at the thought of spending money on giveaways or promotional materials, you can look at these as necessary evils that will only help you in the long run.
People love free stuff. And you can use this innate quality of human behavior to your advantage through holding giveaways that are sure to get your products noticed. But at the same time, you don’t want to spend too much money on giveaways and promotions. Thankfully, you don’t have to.
Items such as stickers, cups, hats, and the like are relatively inexpensive. And you can even use services for this process by creating custom stickers by Wunderlabel.
When you hold a promotion, giving away items gives a customer a sense of connection with your brand. And this lets them know that you’re not averse to catering to your customer base.
Networking
You might think of others operating in the same industry as you as your competition. But, even though this is largely true, you can also use your competition to your advantage.
For example, many restaurateurs form relationships with neighboring businesses. This is because a successful business owner knows that it literally pays to befriend your competition. Restaurants frequently borrow supplies from one another or use the same vendors, and they’ve even been known to collaborate on events such as festivals, neighborhood parties, and the like.
The bottom line is, the larger your network, the more ability you’ll have to bring in more customers from your competition, and you’ll even be able to return the favor and send customers to your competition. All within a reasonable frequency, of course.
Making a name for yourself within the business world requires a broad set of networking skills, and a touch of creativity. You’re going to want to step out of your comfort zone and think outside the box, and eventually you’ll gain your momentum.