Small businesses on a tight budget have a challenging time hiring a marketing team, hence the need for them to learn how to become social on their own. Everyone’s eyes are on mobile and social media, but when it comes to social marketing, what works for big organizations may not necessarily work for small businesses.
If you run a small business, you want to avoid these online marketing mistakes.
1. Ignoring the potential of email newsletters to increase your sales
Neither Facebook nor Twitter can replace good old email marketing, whose directness, immediacy, and higher conversion rates recommend it as a sustainable, long-term marketing tool even in the age of micro-blogging. The key to using email marketing effectively is to provide unique content and exclusive offers.
2. Trying to market your business on too many social platforms
As a small business, you probably don’t have the financial resources to sustain compelling promotional campaigns across all networks. So, it’s easier to focus on Facebook and Twitter, where most of your audience likely is. Over time, you can expand to other platforms that can help you spread the word about your business. For example, if you run a beauty salon for pets or a graphic design company, you could go to YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr. Use the same social platforms as your intended audience.
3. Trying to sell your knowledge
People are sick and tired of e-books that promise to reveal to them great secrets and bring them fantastic results. Share your expertise for free through regular blog posts, YouTube videos, infographics, resources, and other social content. Sooner or later people will flock to you.
4. Failing to provide a good mobile experience
Many people today search for businesses, locations, and products through their mobile devices. You can’t afford not to invest in optimizing your website for mobile; you want to make sure it runs smoothly on smartphones and tablets. If you don’t have a responsive theme, grab one as soon as possible.
5. Not developing a mobile app if you don’t have one already
It doesn’t matter whether you’re selling donuts, designing web pages, or raising cattle — with a bit of creativity and a small investment you can build an iOS or Android app. An app can help your business in many ways. It can make it easier for your customers to buy from you. It can help them keep track of their orders and discover your products. All this could lead to more traffic, better engagement, and ultimately, more sales.
Finally, a warning: don’t become complacent. Don’t think that having a website, some social profiles, and a Google Maps listing is enough for your business to be visible online. Be socially involved: create and distribute valuable content. And don’t forget to continually improve your website’s mobile experience.