4 Ways to be Original When Marketing Your Small Business

When you have a small business it’s understandable that you may feel that you are following the same route and advertising in the same way as every other small company. However, it does not have to be like that! We’ve put together 4 ways that you can think outside of the box when you market your small business, and you’ll soon see how many perks there are to having a smaller company for marketing! It’s certainly not all about the budget when it comes to marketing – not every successful strategy requires heaps of money!

Say Thank You

Remember those manners your parents instilled into you when you were very young? They still apply to your customers! When you think about it, how often do you thank your customers or show your appreciation for their business? One study showed that 77% of consumers were happier when brands show their appreciation. If you have a delivery service you can always include a small ‘thank you’ card in the box, or perhaps to think even bigger you could host an event showcasing all of your season’s new arrivals or where guests can sample new menu items. This will build excitement and thank your customers!

Have a Loyalty Scheme

Loyalty schemes are very popular. If you are a smaller business it’s difficult to find a loyal audience to start with, and if you’re losing customers perhaps this is something you may want to consider. After all, everyone likes feeling ‘loyal’ and achieving a great deal! By employing a loyalty scheme, you can cultivate repeat business, ultimately leading to increased sales. One study showed that 80% of Generation Z customers would willingly sign up for a loyalty card in exchange for a deal or discount. It could be in the form of a stamp card or a membership card rewarding customers based on how much they visit or how much they spend – it’s up to you!

Be Personal

Have you ever noticed how much nicer it is when someone actually uses your name in conversation, or when you are making a booking? For instance, when you come into a restaurant for your reservation and the hostess says “Good evening Mr. Gilbert” – it’s so easy for you to do when you’ve got their name right in front of you so utilise it! One study showed that 56% of consumers said that receiving a personalised incentive would improve the consideration of the brand. For instance, the personalised Nutella and Marmite jars, and Share a Coke. If you can, try and give some customer customisation and see how your customers respond, such as offering free monogramming on your inventory or using icing to write the order name on your cakes!

Ask Your Customers What They Want

If you want to give your customers what they want in terms of marketing or promotions, why not ask them what they want? A simple survey can show you where you’re going right and where you’re going wrong, and also what you’re not doing which you could be. In order to incentivise the survey, you could include a prize, such that respondents are automatically entered into a prize draw to win £50 or a box of donuts.

As you can see, it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to think outside of the box. Spend some time considering your audience and then create your campaigns, strategies, and promotions based on them.