In the early stages of your startup, you may not have wads of cash to spend on marketing. And when budgets are tight, your first expense that you look to cut will definitely not be marketing. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any effective ways to get your brand out in the market. While traditional advertising methods are costly and hard to measure, small businesses have access to cost-effective, traceable marketing tools that won’t cost you a fortune.
Here are some effective ways to promote your business –
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- Craft an elevator pitch
Wherever you are, just keep marketing. You need a compelling elevator pitch for the same. Research proves that six to eight seconds is the average attention span of an adult, so that’s all the time you have to grab someone’s attention. If you are able of successfully engaging them, you only have a little over a minute to sell them your product. Invest your time in crafting a killer elevator pitch.
- Network
You must be a huge fan of networking. There isn’t any better way to promote your brand and build a business than getting out there, shaking hands and getting to know people. Though networking provides commitment of time and it doesn’t even provide instant gratification, but a strong network is the greatest asset a businessman or an entrepreneur can have.
- Collaborate
Agree to cross-promote by putting together a group of synergistic and non-competitive businesses in your area. Make use of coupons, fliers, social media platforms, bundled promotions and reciprocal website links. Collaborating with each other will help you to reach new people, expanding your customers.
- Start a blog
A blog will help your company get its name out through followers. It is a way of connecting with your customers directly. One of the major keys of blogging is to keep your stream updated as frequently as you can because a dormant, abandoned blog is worth nothing. Keep blogging about what your company is about, what product it has to offer and how it will be beneficial in the lives of people. Try to make them see what they are lacking if they don’t have your product.
- Embrace the gift of social media
Social media can increase your sales and bring in more customers. It is not just a tool to gain exposure, but it is now a necessary time investment every business has to make. On Facebook, you can tie in ads and offers on your page. On Twitter, you have access to a direct channel with your customers while networking on LinkedIn, both at the personal and professional level can prove to be very beneficial for your startup.
- Craft an elevator pitch