When you are opening your business, you should ask yourself a few important questions, who are your target consumers? Where will you find them? What means will you use to find them? Well, with today’s technology, you can get answers to this questions easily. The target consumers depend on the products and services you are dealing with. Most of the consumers will be using the web to find businesses like yours and this is where you will find them. The best way to find them is to take your business to them through a rich online presence and here is how to effectively do it:
1. Be Visible
A business that simply has a well maintained business is more likely to increase traffic. People are nowadays searching for local businesses through the web such that a good number of purchases are happening within a few hours of an initial web search. With the heavy access to the internet through mobile phones and other portable devices, it is only wise to be present where the consumers are searching for you. For this reason, make sure your website is accessible and most importantly, mobile friendly.
2. Be Social
As a new small business without a lot of finances to pump into marketing and advertisement, social media platforms are some of the best way you can enhance your online presence. The first step is to understand the social media sites that are available and chose those that will work best for your business. These sites will assist you in learning more about your consumer’s needs and help in growing your business. It is true that social media is time consuming but there are tools that a small business owner can use to mange all their social media sites. It allows you to schedule posts and respond to questions, and the better part is that most are free or charge a small fee.
3. Invest In Small Business Technology
Since you will be in great need of accessing the internet to manage your website and social media pages, you should at least have one internet enabled computer, or similar device. You can tailor your business computer to have certain software that assists you in handling online issues. Keep in mind that you will be in need of more computers and new software as your business grows. You can also have a tablet, which will allow you to access important information online while on the go.
4. Find Your Target Consumers Where They Are
Most of your target audience will be online and you must find a way to take your business to where they are. You can either choose to approach this through social media or through email marketing. The latter can be quite effective especially when the consumers provide their emails voluntarily. Have a strategy in your website or in your social media marketing campaign where your consumers submit their email addresses for more information and updates. Use these emails to reach out to them with promotions, offers and updates. Keep the sending at minimal and only send information that the recipient will consider useful to them.
5. Be Reachable
Consumers are in love with a company that responds to their questions and complains. This starts with being reachable. If you do not provide your contact details in your website and social media pages, consumers will view you as irresponsible. Including these details only projects your new business as one with a listening ear and consumers will build their trust around you. This is how you will build a larger audience base and increase your sales in no time.
