When you start to market your business, you will start to see results. You’ll get more phone calls from customers. More orders will be placed. More jobs will be started. More money will come in. The amount of orders, jobs, and money will depend upon a few things, though. In this article, we’ll discuss three general principles that can help you find marketing success.
Marketing is an investment.
Marketing is not a quick fix. You can’t just slap up a billboard, run a few ads on Instagram, and expect to see major changes. Marketing is a long-term investment that takes time to show results. While some businesses have seen results in as little as 3 months, most don’t start to notice a shift until anywhere from 6 months to one year. This is because it takes time to build a good reputation and to gain customers’ trust.
In the same way that you wouldn’t start spilling all of your deepest, most personal stories with someone you just met for the first time, customers aren’t likely to make a purchase or utilize your services the first time they hear about your business. While there may be some exceptions to this, most people are going to need see your products or services at least 7 times before deciding that they want to move forward.
Put in the effort.
Whether you’re marketing your business by yourself or using a marketing firm (like Bold River Marketing, for example), a portion of your success will depend on you. Even with a firm’s help, there are certain things that will only happen if you make them happen. You should be making connections with your current customers. You should be asking them for reviews and following up with them about what they share. You should be answering phone calls and emails. Even if you have the best graphics or the cleanest brand or the highest production value in your promo videos, none of that will matter if your business practices are lacking.
The best way to market your business is to have a business worth marketing. Ensure that your products or services are top-notch. Make sure that your customer service is excellent. Address mistakes in a timely, professional manner. All of these things will turn one-time customers into repeat customers, and ensure that your marketing efforts don’t go to waste.
Stay consistent.
The last key to seeing successful returns on your marketing is to just keep at it. Consistency is key. Whether you’re using content marketing to build a following of potential customers, advertising in local media to reach new leads, or updating your business’s blog to increase SEO, you have to be consistent. Throwing up an occasional post isn’t going to create a Facebook following. Running one ad in the newspaper isn’t going to rake in the calls. And updating your website once a year isn’t going to earn high ranks on Google. You have to make a schedule and stick to it.
Marketing that actually helps.
Running a business is no easy task. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and it can be easy to get bogged down by other work and neglect your marketing. That’s where Bold River Marketing can help. We’ll work with you to create a consistent online presence, obtain promotional materials, recommend helpful events to attend, and more. By partnering with us, you can plant the seeds of marketing that will flourish into the growth of your business. Contact us to get started.