Whilst there’s no questioning the importance of marketing your business to ensure a rhythmic acquisition of customers, it is necessary to consider which marketing activities could be prioritised over others. And in the whole marketing mix, there’s an awful lot to consider! My simple answer is to think about what worked best for you in the past, while being enjoyable, and without taking you away from the vital tasks only you can manage. But how do you know which marketing activities fit that criteria?
A quick guide to the foundation of marketing activities:
- Align your business with your longer term goals – Make sure everything you spend time or money on, is helping you get closer to the vision
- Know your audience – Conduct a customer profiling exercise, looking at who your best customers are and where you can find others like them
- Assess your resources – Time, money, skill and desire all come under this heading
- Weigh up effort vs impact – What worked best and allowed you to continue doing what you do best.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the strategies you could focus on:
Digital marketing strategies
Website content
There is no set template when it comes to the content of your website. What you put out there can depend on your business, and include any number of the following, and more:
- Blog posts
- Case studies
- Newsletters
- Podcasts
- E-books
- Galleries
Tip: Make your content work hard – repurpose it where you can
Paid for advertising
Google Ads
According to Statista around 98% of the population has access to the internet. Have you thought about how you can use that to your advantage?
Your ads can be shown to a multitude of audiences, and in different formats, depending on how you choose to present them. With such a wide range of options to choose from, it’s a surefire way to grab the attention of potential clients.
TIP: Google Ads, to differentiate them from Facebook Ads, are best for motivated buyers – people who have a specific want or need and are using your keywords to find the solution.
Facebook ads
These ads are not just limited to the social media site itself, they can also be displayed across other Meta platforms. Differing from Google Ads, Facebook Ads are shown to a passive audience – people who don’t necessarily know they need you, yet… These work well for raising awareness or sharing quick sales tactics like discounts or offers.
Note: Paid for advertising is one of those marketing activities where you need to decide if you can handle it yourself, or whether an outsourced expert is better positioned to support you.
Print marketing activities
What if you want to take a more traditional approach? The rise of digital marketing doesn’t mean it’s the one and only method available. Print is not dead! So, let’s take a look at some of the tactics that could work for you…
Leaflets
There are many reasons why leaflets are a great way to market your business, including but not limited to: Low in cost | Audience specific | Memorable | Beautiful – in fact one of my clients has recently won an award for their direct marketing leaflet campaign.
Local newspaper
Local papers for local businesses! Allowing you to target potential clients based on location, niche, or activity.
Industry directories
Very specific, and this tactic allows you to be positioned right where someone is looking for you. You could pay for a listing or increase your budget and take advertising space as well.
In-person approaches
Networking
Whether it’s casual, a regular membership, or online, networking is a great way to find potential clients and build connections with people, both in similar and different industries. If you spend a lot of time behind a screen, why not venture out and do some relationship building face-to-face?
Event attendance or sponsorship
Taking a stand at a show, sponsoring an event or even just going along as a delegate are all surefire ways to find people who have a need you can fulfil, and create interest in your business. This does take planning and a slightly higher budget if you plan to exhibit.
One-to-one meetings
At the time this article is published we’re in the run-up to Christmas, but perhaps you have a business anniversary, a client anniversary or something you just can’t keep to yourself any longer… You don’t really need an excuse to initiate a one-to-one meeting because it always nice to catch up, and it only strengthens the bond between you and your clients. As the saying goes, ‘it’s easier to take care of your existing clients, than to find new ones.’
Which marketing activities are right for you?
Back to the big question – which of these marketing activities should you prioritise to achieve rhythmic customer acquisition? Unfortunately, only you can answer that one. My advice is to consider each one I’ve covered here and let your business find the answer but also remember to consider ‘where you prospective customers hangout’ and that will guide your choice of marketing.
I do hope my own simple answer – do what’s worked before and what you’re confident in executing, has clarified the options among the massive marketing mix, but if not try my final tip…
TIP: If you’re still unsure what marketing activities to prioritise, try taking something you’ve been doing and looking at it under a microscope – can you improve, can you do more, can you get more targeted, add new elements (such as video) or even repeat a past success? If you’re still unsure after that, or if you’d like a sounding board for your ideas, you can always contact me to find out how I can help.