It’s the start of the new year which means you’re likely ready to implement a new business plan. You have goals that you want to achieve this year and we want to help you reach them. That’s why we have put together these tips for the best ways to make your business stand out in 2017.
Video Marketing
Video marketing takes marketing to the next level. It humanizes your business and lets you send a message to your target audience while showing off your personality. According to this article from Digital Trends, online videos make up 60 percent of all internet traffic. This number is projected to rise to 80 percent by 2019. This means there are huge opportunities waiting for you with video marketing. So, what can you do to take advantage of this?
- Feature staff introduction videos on your website and social media
- Offer valuable tips and information related to your industry
- Demo any new products, procedures, or services you offer
- Feature customer testimonials on your website and social media
Video marketing offers a new way to connect with people and reach a broader audience. Make sure you’re using it to its fullest potential.
Social Media
Social media for your business is crucial, and most businesses have at least one social media account. It’s a great tool for reaching customers and spreading brand awareness. Social media can get noisy, though, and there are a lot of other businesses trying to gain audience attention too. So, here are some ways to make sure you’re doing everything you can to stand out!
- Get Social! Don’t think of your social media platform as just another place to advertise. Talk to people! Send them direct messages, comment on posts, let them know you’re engaged in their customer experience.
- Share testimonials! If someone has a great experience and leaves a comment or message telling you about it, ask if you can quote them. If you get the okay, share it! This boosts your likability. Make sure to thank the person for their kind words.
- Keep it consistent! You want to be recognizable across all platforms. When you keep your branding consistent on all your accounts, it makes you feel more familiar and trustworthy to your potential customers.
Website Strategy
How do you drive traffic to your website? Everyone is doing content marketing these days, so it can be difficult to make yours stand out. Consider changing up what you usually do. Offer a web-seminar and make it interactive. Answer questions live and prompt your viewers to answer questions. Make sure there’s a link available before, during and after. Engaging with your customers on such a personal level is sure to drive traffic to your site. Another idea is to create infographics with current and relevant information on your industry. There are several free, easy-to-use programs available, such as Canva or GIMP, to help you create them. And don’t forget about the video marketing we mentioned earlier! With online videos receiving so much traffic, it’s a great way to bring people to your website.
Networking
Meeting people and creating relationships is a huge part in determining the success of your business. However, this doesn’t always come easily to everyone. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are some ideas for making the most of your networking.
- Ask the right questions. Get the story on your new contact – how their business started, etc. Ask them what kind of tools they use. These kinds of things help develop the relationship and help you figure out how you can be of value to them.
- Create a reason for a follow-up. If you asked the right questions, then you’ll know how you can be of help to them. Let them know you’ll contact them again, and give a specific reason.
- Share something memorable. When they ask about you, don’t just give a boring spiel about what you do. Open up a little more and let them really get to know you. Sharing an interesting hobby or talking about a cause you’re passionate about lets them know who you really are.
Blogs
Most businesses are blogging. It’s a great form of content marketing. When you’re working to make your blogs stand out, here are a couple things to think about. Make your blogs posting consistent. It doesn’t need to be every day or even every week, but posting on a regular basis will make your blog more noticeable. So, even that once-a-month blog post is beneficial. In fact, you’re likely to be able to create better quality posts on that schedule.
When you sit down to write, think about how you can bring your personality to the page. Consider writing in a conversational manner, or write a satirical article about your area of expertise. Write something new about a popular subject. If you have theories about where you think your industry will go next, write them down! Share it with your audience. The more interesting and personable your blogs, the more your readers will remember them.
Standing out, particularly online these days can be a challenge, but when you create an online presence that cannot be ignored, you will see the difference. Don’t just utilize one of these options, but put multiple tips to work for you for the biggest impact.
