Introduction
Along with all the stress of opening a new business comes the necessity of promoting it. Realistically this is an ongoing process that should start before you even open your doors for the first time. Finding the correct method to showcase your products and services while establishing yourself as an expert in the field is one of the biggest keys to success for any new company. New companies do not necessarily fit into any niche, especially in the eyes of the public. When you’re just starting to formulate your promotion strategy, the key is figuring out not just who your key audience is but how you will reach them. Understanding this will ensure that your marketing campaigns reach the right people at the right time. In this post, we will look at a handful of options that any new startup should consider while creating their promotion scheme.
Get Online Fast!
Right now, the best way to begin establishing yourself and finding that correct niche is to get online and flood the social networks. Create fan pages on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and then maintain them with a high level of activity. Showcase your specials and get people talking about your business. Come up with a clever YouTube video and share it with everyone you can. The internet can be a new company’s best friend, so use it properly and use it a lot! Also, do not forget to come up with an engaging web page for your company where customers can learn about your products/services from the comforts of their home.
Give something away!
People everywhere just love free stuff, so appease them and give something nice away! As a new company, having a contest early on will bring in people from all over and this is your chance to expose them to whatever products you offer. If customers have a good experience signing up for your contest and checking out your store, chances are they will be back sometime down the road.
Fly the Banners High
A great way to draw attention to any business is with a large, colorful and informative banner. Your banner should highlight exactly what you offer and why a potential customer should shop with you and you alone. Banner printing is relatively cheap and highly effective. Your first goal with a banner should be to come up with a great headline that captures the attention of passers-by, drawing their interest into your store. Secondly, do some graphic work or hire a graphic designer to add some style to your creation.
Be Active in the Community
Show up at fundraisers or any local event where you can make connections and hand out your business card. This will help you build a network of not only business partners, but potential new clients. If you can impress someone face to face at a social event, they will almost assuredly search you out again when they need the type of product you offer. Take advantage of all of these opportunities, as they are essentially free ways to get exposure!
Some Final Thoughts
One could probably compile a list of hundreds of ideas for promoting a new business, but I’ve highlighted a handful that I feel can be extremely successful without necessarily requiring a significant amount of capital or time. Figure out who your audience is, and go after them. Remember to have fun and let your business express your personality because clients will take notice of this and love doing business in a place they feel happy and comfortable.
