8 Ways to Promote Your SMB Like a Boss
We help businesses grow by accessing much-needed capital they can use for activities like equipment purchases, operational support and fulfilling product orders.
But how do you promote your business to get the word out to your customers and prospects?
That’s just as important, and finding the right tactics that are cost-effective and don’t consume all your time is the key. So let’s take a look at eight actionable ways to promote your SMB like a pro and get connected to new customers that will become long-term clients.
1. Special for First-Time Customers
Nothing entices new customers more than getting a special deal, like a trial version of your product or service at a discounted rate. This kind of offer might lead to a longer-term business relationship.
2. Reward Loyalty
Loyalty breeds more loyalty, so reward your committed customers. Give them a discount or upgrade their service for staying with you or for bringing you new customers through a referral.
3. Do Something for Charity
It’s good to be good, and donating your product or service to a charity will allow you to raise your profile, network and meet potential new customers. Promote your good deeds and achievements via social media and your website. Your customers will love hearing about your involvement.
4. Survey your Customers
People love competitions and the chance to give their opinion. Create a simple survey using SurveyMonkey (free options available) and promote it via your company newsletter, a special mailing list, email directly to the client, social media promotions, blog posts, websites and anywhere your customers will look. You can then create a newsworthy press release with your results, and use the data to improve your business strategy.
Related: 7 Old-School SMB Marketing Tricks to Put Up Your Sleeve
5. Sponsor Something Magnificent
Look around for incredible and unique sponsorship opportunities. There are some hidden gems out there that deliver a big bang for surprisingly small price tags. Depending on your business, you can consider everything from industry events to local teams.
6. Customer Service
Good customer service is critical for customer retention and positive word of mouth. And you can use your great customer service scores to promote your company, especially if you’ve received industry or internal ratings. Add your high-quality scores to the homepage of your website, in email signatures, and create a blog post about your service. Your customers may already be providing free advertising – touting the amazing service they’ve received from you. So check sites like Yelp for your reviews, and capture positive quotes from those sites to potentially leverage in future advertising.
7. Go Green
Showing people that you care about the world is a great way to get them to care about your business. So why not go green and trumpet your environmental credentials? You’ll target a market that cares about the environment, and show a more personal and caring side that customers can relate to, rather than a corporate brand that sometimes gets lost in the noise.
8. Meetups
Networking is the lifeblood of business. Make sure you find the right events – avoid the stuffy, boring and irrelevant ones. Go online, ask around and book yourself into a couple new meetups. These can be invaluable places to learn about other people’s businesses and to promote your own in a genuine way. There’s no easy way about this though, as meetups are all about building high-quality relationships with real people. Arm yourself with business cards, a warm smile and no expectations – you’ll be happy you went.
Do you have a tip to share about how your business has effectively done promotions? Tell us in the comments section.
