Small businesses can survive and grow if they follow an intelligent marketing strategy. Many new entrants in the business make the mistake of copying competitor’s techniques or hire people who know less about marketing and the products they are entrusted to sell. Investing heavily on advertisement of products or services does not mean good marketing.
Different aspects of marketing strategy and approach must be understood clearly before launching any business. Following tips can help in evolving a sound approach on marketing which can lead to the success of a business in the long run.
Create a powerful slogan
Develop a powerful slogan which highlights uniqueness of your product or service. Making an authentic and shocking claim about some features of the product sends a strong message to the customer and persuades him/her to buy your product or service. A pizza company had once guaranteed customers to supply hot pizza within thirty minutes failing which it will be given free. The company made history with the sale. Unless customers know what makes you different from others, you can not become their preferred supplier.
Provide excellent service
A good weapon of marketing is service. Service and sales go hand in hand. By cross-selling a product, you save the customer’s valuable time and free him from hassles of searching the product elsewhere. Customers always seek guidance and go by your recommendations. A good marketing approach is to provide them such help voluntarily and win their loyalty.
Develop a long lasting bond
Develop a powerful bond with the customers. Ask them to visit again. Get their contact details and try to be in touch. This powerful approach which makes recall of the customer can be a handy tool for the small business to increase sales.
Keep in touch
Customer data should not be allowed to remain unused. Send birthday greetings, thank you notes and seasons’ greetings to the customers and be in constant touch. Create opportunities such as Customer Day or special discount offers with some deadline of period so that customer revisits your business.
Ask for referrals
Request your satisfied customers for referrals. This is another intelligent approach for widening your customer base. Reward those who refer new customers. Marketing’s main asset, the customer base, has to grow continuously. By providing quality products and services, you win your customer’s support in your marketing efforts. Clients will be forthcoming in referring friends, relatives and collegues when specifically requested.
Look for strategic tie ups
Small businesses can grow in a big way by entering in to joint ventures with the non-competing businesses that cater to the same customer base which you serve. Very often, customers ask where else could they buy a certain product or service. Such business alliances will allow you to grow and expand together and lead you to a bright future.
