Marketing Your Business

Part 7: Marketing Your Business

Once you have set up operations, start marketing your business and building an online presence.  If your target customers do not know about the business, you will struggle. Marketing can make the difference between making a profit or suffering a loss by bringing in new business but also assisting with customer retention.

To Start Off:

Develop and refine a brand for your company and its products or services. Building a foundation for a strong brand identity includes establishing your values, developing the creative elements of your brand, and implementing strategies to establish the brand identity.

Begin distributing or displaying your marketing materials such as shop signs, brochures, or banners.

• Also, inform the local or regional press that you are opening

Initiate marketing and advertising through:

• Direct Emails
  • Consider using a group email software, such as Constant Contact, GroupMail, or Send in Blue, to help you manage this process.  You can also create a distribution list in Microsoft Outlook and G Suite, which will help streamline processes and keep all communications in one place.
• Word-of-mouth
  • Networking is important in a competitive economy.  People like to do business with people they know and trust.  Getting involved in the community and attending networking events is a great way to generate new leads and get new business.  The Chamber offers many opportunities for networking, check the calendar for monthly events.
• Print ads, fliers, etc.
  • Use tools like Canva to design catchy advertisements that can also be used on social media
• Advertising techniques such as paid search, display advertising, or partnerships with other digital presences
• Social media campaigns and advertising
• Using search engine optimization strategies to drive website traffic

Create brand differentiation through the use of unconventional and creative marketing

• Spend time researching ways to generate customers so that you can start off on the right note!  Here are some tips from the SBA on local marketing strategies that work well.

Organize an opening day.  Having a special event will attract new customers to your business.  Be sure to promote the event well so that you will have strong attendance. 

• Even if you are a service-based business, consider offering a promotion or discount to attract initial customers to celebrate your grand opening.

Join the Hart County Chamber of Commerce.  If you aren’t sure as to how the Chamber of Commerce can help you, here are some reasons why you should join! 

• The mission of the Hart County Chamber of Commerce is to enhance the economic growth of the area by focusing on education, promotion and development of the business community, and those areas of the community affecting business.  As a new member, the Chamber of Commerce is happy to facilitate a ribbon cutting to celebrate your new business!