2023 continues to bring new challenges for businesses of all sizes. With the changing landscape of the business world, including layoffs in corporations and closures of retail locations, it’s crucial for small business owners to stay ahead of the curve. This year, marketing your small business will require a well-rounded approach that incorporates both digital and traditional strategies. Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Re-define your target audience: The consumer landscape is constantly evolving, and so are their buying habits. Investing time and effort into understanding your target audience is key to guiding your brand message and marketing strategies to maximize the return on your investment. One tool I find useful for gaining insights into website visitors is Google Analytics. Utilizing this data can help you confirm or better understand who is visiting your site.
2. Develop a strong brand: Let me clarify, by brand, I don’t just mean your logo. I assume you have already established consistency across all your marketing materials, including your website, social media presence, and so on. When I talk about brand, I refer to the human element of your business – the people behind it. In today’s market, consumers want to engage with real people, not just logos. Therefore, it’s crucial to focus on building your brand by leveraging the real people in your organization. This will help you stand out from the competition, establish trust with your customers, and ultimately build customer loyalty.
3. Utilize social media: Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest offer an unparalleled reach and can be incredibly valuable marketing tools for your small business. One effective way to utilize these platforms is to promote not just your products, but also the people behind your brand. This can help build a personal connection with your audience, and allow them to get to know, like, and trust you. By regularly engaging with customers on social media, you can also foster a sense of community and deepen your relationships with them.
4. Invest in search engine optimization (SEO): SEO is the process of optimizing your website to improve its ranking on search engine results pages. This can be achieved through a variety of tactics, including creating high-quality, relevant, and engaging content for your target audience. It’s important to include targeted keywords in your content, as this helps search engines understand what your website is about. Additionally, building high-quality backlinks from other websites to your site can also improve your search engine ranking. These are just a few examples of the ways in which SEO can help you reach customers who are searching for products or services like yours online.
5. Email marketing: Email continues to be a valuable tool for small businesses, even in the age of social media. While social media platforms may come and go, or experience changes that affect their reach, owning your email list provides a consistent and reliable way to reach your customers. You can use email to share promotions, news, updates, and other important information with your audience. It’s important to remember that your email list is a valuable asset, and taking steps to grow and maintain it is crucial for the success of your business.
6. Content marketing: This blog post is an example of content marketing, a strategy that involves creating and sharing valuable content with the goal of attracting and retaining an audience. Video is one of the most popular forms of content marketing, but there are many other formats to consider, such as audio podcasts and written blog posts. It’s important to understand your target audience and create content that resonates with them. You can also use analytics to monitor the success of your content marketing efforts and adjust your strategy as needed to ensure the most impactful results.
7. Partner with influencers: Influencer marketing is a strategy that involves partnering with individuals who have a significant following on social media. This approach has both advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to do your due diligence before engaging in this type of marketing. When selecting influencers, it’s crucial to ensure that their values, beliefs, and brand image align with yours. You don’t want to dictate what they should say or do; instead, you should seek out influencers who already use and believe in your products. This will help to create an authentic and organic promotion of your brand. Influencer marketing can help you reach a new audience and promote your products or services in an impactful way.
8. Relationship Marketing: Relationship marketing is a crucial aspect of business that focuses on establishing and maintaining long-lasting relationships with customers. Both online and offline tactics play an important role in relationship marketing, and it should not be overlooked. The goal is to create a positive and enduring impression with customers, resulting in increased customer loyalty and repeat business. Relationships are built through the people behind a brand, not just a logo, and should be leveraged to create a personal connection with customers.

Remember, the most important thing is to be consistent and persistent in your marketing efforts in 2023. It takes time to see results, especially when it comes to leveraging your people but by following these ideas and continually refining your approach, you can successfully market your small business in 2023.

Shaun

Marketing – Pacific Sales/Best Buy