It's no secret: your company needs customers. In order to get them, you need to give them what they want. Internet users are looking for answers to their questions quickly and marketing is the easiest way to reach them. But you aren't going to be able to do that without the proper resources, and resources cost money. So saving money should be at the top of your to-do list when it comes to getting your brand out in the world.
Unfortunately, high-cost advertising is a temporary solution to engaging with your audience in a meaningful way. At the end of the day, there are four things you need to do right now if you want to save time, reach customers and minimize marketing costs.
Define Your Target Market
Creating a compelling product or service is the first step. But how do you market this amazing new product to your ideal customer? Trust me, the answer isn’t “anyone with enough money to afford it.”
You need to understand the target market for your product or service. Then, you need to hunt them like crazy. Generally, this is going to be someone that can afford your service, identifies with your company culture, has a problem that your product can solve, and is ready to pull the trigger once they find the perfect solution.
Understand Your Customer Base
Different products and services speak to different people. A younger audience will generally expect to interact with your brand via social media. They want to “like” you and “follow” your posts. A private message or direct message will need to be answered quickly. If you’re marketing to a younger demo, and you don’t know what a DM is, then you have some serious work to do.
Older audiences enjoy reading and learning more about a product. They’re more likely to Google your product or service and read the reviews that pop up online. Then they’ll read the current information available about your industry. They’re going to come to the sales channel with well-researched opinions and questions that will need to be answered honestly and comprehensively in order to close the deal.
Prepare for your audience to interact with you in the way they’re most comfortable if you want to close a maximum number of sales.
Create Compelling Content
Your content needs to be informative and engaging. Hire a writer if you need help in this department. Nobody wants to read boring content that’s light on substance and lacking in “sizzle”.
To better understand what to write about, use a comprehensive SEO service, like Search Metrics. The insights you gain will allow you to better target your content and information in a way that will catch both the reader’s and search engine’s attention.
Build Relationships With Influencers
The best way to reach new people is by building relationships with the people they pay attention to. If someone has a voice in your industry, you need to do whatever it takes to get them onboard with your product or service. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Just get the guys that talk about wheels to start spreading the good news about your product or service. Keeping your brand on the lips of important people could be the difference maker when it comes to your startup.