The world is business is cutthroat. Becoming successful is hard enough but remaining at the top of your industry is another thing altogether. When it comes to entrepreneurs and small business owners, many of them are not as successful as they could be because they do not market themselves aggressively enough. Self-promotion can be difficult sometimes because when done poorly, it can easily seem as if you are arrogant, a quality that does not usually appeal to customers. However, it is about striking a balance because being too modest and unprepossessing leaves you with too few customers. Just as in every other aspect of business and of life, the way to become better at something is to study how other people do it and take what works and leave what doesn’t. If you want to reach more people and do it in a way that will increase your visibility and your revenue, here are a few tips:
One of the most basic things that everyone must have in the modern world is an online presence. In a survey conducted last year, it was revealed that 46% of small businesses in the US (defined as businesses with fewer than ten employees which makes less than $1 million in annual revenue) did not have a website. This is unforgivable, especially since they are so easy and inexpensive to run (click here for more info). Besides, with so much money being spent online, not being there to offer your products or services just makes no sense. A website, like any form of communication that you have with customers, is an opportunity to prove to them that you were worth their time. It is like having a phone number. Reaching potential customers is the first and absolutely necessary step that each business must take if it is going to be successful at all.
Once you’ve established the ways in which you are going to interact with your customers, you then need to decide on what you’re going to say or write. One of the interesting (and potentially disadvantageous) things about the modern world is that with so much more information available instantaneously, many consumers are becoming more aware of the mechanics of advertising. Whether a business tries to engage with users on Twitter and fails to come across as quite as chic or relatable as they’d hope, or if their advertising campaigns are simply patronizing or offensive, it is important to use the exact right tone with your customers. A good example of just how disastrous this sort of mistake can be is the recent Pepsi advert which attempted to capitalize on protests to sell its products. It infantilised topics as serious as the civil rights movement and the history of police brutality in the United States. Getting your message right is about more than just the words that you use. The tone is crucial too.
Lastly, the best way to promote yourself and your business is to consistently provide good service. Sometimes, for whatever reason, a customer may be upset and while that is not good, it is also an opportunity to prove to them that you care. If you develop a reputation for being customer orientated, you will prosper.
