If you’ve started your first business, chances are you have a great idea that is worth exploring. You’re likely excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. However, what if you don’t have any experience in marketing? How will you translate your excitement to potential customers, investors, and partners? Find out the basics of how to market your business, even if you have never done so before.
1. Create Consistent Content
Consistency is key. Even when you don’t feel like anyone is listening, it’s best to pump out valuable content. This shows dedication and will pay off in the long run. Even if you don’t know anything about search engine optimization, there are plenty of resources out there. Start the learning process, and start with writing about what you know. Make sure it’s relevant to your industry. There are even handy services with content strategy packages out there. They can tailor a content strategy just for your business, leaving out the guesswork.
2. Target Your Ideal Client
You know the message you want to put out, but how do you target that message to your ideal customer? First, envision the ideal client. You can even give them a name, age, appearance, hobbies, likes and dislikes. In fact, that’s highly encouraged. Once you figure out exactly whom you want to target your content to, do some research. Where do like-minded individuals hang out? This can be at internet forums, social media platforms, or even in-person events. Find out where they go to learn about your industry, and be there.
Don’t just show up, however. Find specific problems of your ideal consumer that your business can solve. Create deliverables that can solve those issues for them seamlessly. Create a funnel to draw them into your company. This starts simple, gaining their trust by providing them with something of value. Once they value and trust your company, they are more likely to make their way down your marketing funnel, which is just a fancy way of saying they will eventually consider a purchase.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of Change
A common misconception in the marketing world is that to be consistent, you can never change. Consistency is important, but it also has caveats. The best marketing professionals will tell you that they are constantly testing different strategies. You can apply this to your business in many ways, and it is simpler than it sounds. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Test two email variations on two different segments of your audience
- Test a homepage layout
- Change up your tone
- Try a different social post
- Run a variety of sales
The options are endless. Testing things doesn’t mean that you are appearing wishy-washy to your target audience. In fact, if you are garnering feedback and adjusting accordingly, this shows potential customers that you care about their opinions. People like to have their voices heard, so give them the opportunity. This, in turn, gives you the opportunity to craft your marketing messages to be the most effective. If that means changing up your brand’s image, then so be it.
However, make sure that once you’ve found something that works, keep it in your repertoire. Make it part of your brand image. This way, people will recognize you. Familiarity is important in marketing, especially if you want longevity and repeat customers. Remember that you can hone your marketing skills as you go along, but you have to make mistakes in the process. This is how you learn, and don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way. Make friends with key players in your industry, and learn from competitors rather than siloing your brand away in its own little corner. You can do this.