6 Tips for Senior Small Business Owners Building a Marketing Plan
Marketing is a vital component of any business plan. It’s also an ever-evolving industry, consistently changing with technological advances and societal progression. It may seem overwhelming at first, but here are a few easy tips to help you kick-start your marketing plan.
1. Start With a DIY Marketing Plan
With a little research, you can skip the expensive marketing companies and make a solid marketing plan on your own. A basic marketing plan includes market research, which focuses on understanding your target audience and what the company can offer that competitors cannot. What makes your business stand out? Use that information to create your online presence. For example, your social media pages are a major source of business traffic.
Once you understand the direction of your marketing strategy, you can work on print media as well. You may want to talk to The Mommies Reviews, who has marketing knowledge about those campaigns.
2. Take Classes to Learn More
If you’re interested in going back to school to learn more about running a business, consider getting your master’s degree in business administration. You’ll explore all areas of business, including accounting, marketing, strategic planning, and research and statistics. Additionally, you can complete any of the many online programs that allow you to balance work and family life while getting your degree.
3. Create a Strong Online Presence With Your Website
Your website is a very important component of a business. Research shows that online shopping reached an all-time high in 2019 and has been increasing since. If your business has a retail component, you need a good website. Start by creating a banner that immediately catches the eye. You may want to hire a graphic designer to make it perfect, but you can also create your own using an online banner maker. You can customize how it looks, including text, font, and imagery, and place it on your social media pages and website to get more outreach.
4. Offer Promotions
Incentives are a great way to draw customers to your business. Offer discounts on your products and services. You can create a tiered pricing element that incentivizes customers to subscribe and save. When you start to notice returning customers, offer the chance to save as a thank you for being loyal to your business. You can even create a loyalty program.
5. Use Social Media
Your business should have social media accounts on every platform. Your job is to make sure your online presence is everywhere and active. If you’re unfamiliar with social media or not very active personally, hire a professional or get someone you know to help you build your pages and create a visual brand.
6. Create a Community Presence
Your community is a great place to start advertising your business. For example, if you sell tangible products, go to local markets and set up a table. Find places to network with other small business owners in your area. If you have a storefront, have a big grand opening or reopening, and offer your community free samples. Make a name for yourself in the community, and you can generate a lucrative business there.
As you implement your marketing plan and start to see the fruits of your labor, remember not to get complacent. Marketing strategies need regular re-evaluation. Make studying marketing trends a key part of your business strategy.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
