A marketing plan for a small business works similar to GPS navigation directions. You set the starting point and the destination and implement it consistently making some course corrections along the way.
In order to create a comprehensive plan we advise to take a step back and think what you are trying to achieve, who you are marketing to and what action steps will bring the best results. Your clients receive information from many different sources and in order to be visible it is important to be present on multiple platforms. Our goal is to highlight many of the places a smart marketing strategy should focus on when promoting your business.
Your Small Business Website
Your website is your store front. Today’s consumers don’t go to stores asking questions and looking for the information about new products. As soon as the idea crosses their minds they begin their Google search on their smartphones. That’s when they find your website and you get a chance to make a positive first impression. We recommend small businesses to operate under assumption that clients are not going to walk into your physical location before first taking a detailed look on your website. That is your chance to impress them and encourage them to explore further.
Why Is Your Small Business Website So Important?
Every business owner knows it is important to have a website. However, over and over again we see businesses invest in beautiful website design only to never update a word on their business website for years. Your website is the ultimate business marketing tool that has to be designed for the types of prospective clients that you are hoping to reach. The more people understand about your business, the more likely they are to make the next step and contact you personally. Incorporate many types of media into your small business website that can provide the information that your prospects need to make a decision to
come and see you. If you will focus on providing content on your site that is easy to understand, you will appeal to that broad base that you are hoping to target.
Small Business Website Design
Search engine optimization (SEO) should be the centerpiece of your website structure. It is not helpful to have a professional and top-notch looking website that nobody is able to find. It would be similar to buying an expensive painting, wrapping it in paper and putting it in a closet. Your potential clients are looking for your kind of business in the area, but they do not know you specifically. In order to help them find you your small business website should include certain key words and content that gets picked up by the search engines.
When your prospects do find you, they will pay attention to your website design. You have to stand out in order to capture their interest. The websites that have not been touched in 2 – 3 years become obsolete. Almost 70% of people will access your website from a mobile device, so responsive design has become a norm. Taking it further it only makes sense to design for the smart phones first and then for computers.
