It might not look like it yet if you peer out the window, but spring will be upon us any day now. What better time to spruce up your business and make it shine?
No matter what kind of business you're in, your success depends on convincing people to purchase your product or service. To do that, you need to let people know that you're there and you need to show people why you're special. Being the best kept secret in your industry won't get you any business, and failing to distinguish yourself on the basis of quality, reliability or value won't convince people to invest in you.
So, here is our list of five things every entrepreneur should do to make their business shine this spring:
1. Make sure your Web site (still) kicks butt
No matter what you're doing, you need a Web site to tell people about it. The Internet is often the fastest, easiest and most productive way for consumers to find out more about the products and services available to them and to comparison shop. If you don't have a Web site, you're left out of the mix. That's bad news for you and your business.
But it's not enough to just have a Web site. Your Web site is your online calling card. So, it needs to be every bit as special and unique as your business is. And you need to take care to update it frequently with fresh content so that customers will keep coming back for more after their first interaction with you.
So, if you don't already have a Web site, make it your top priority to start one. And if you already have a Web site but you haven't updated it lately, consider this to be the time to freshen it up or to sprout something new and different this spring.
2. Evaluate your social media strategy to see if you're getting the job done
Have you seen the "The Social Network" yet? Did you read Time magazine's "Man of the Year" article about Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg?
It's no coincidence that social media is getting so much attention these days. With over 500 million Facebook users spending a collective 700 billion minutes a month online, sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are becoming major online forces. Your business needs to take advantage of them to leverage their power to help you grow.
As soon as you're done designing your Web site, make sure you set up social media accounts and start posting information to them. Better yet, make sure your social media is interconnected with your Web site to maximize the networking potential for your business.
3. Don't be a wallflower - show people how much you know
One key element to showing people that your business is quality and reliable is to show people that you have experience and expertise in whatever you do. As consumer spending gets more difficult in the down economy, people are more concerned about making sure that the money they do spend isn't invested in things that are risky, disappointing or unprofessional. You need to convince people that your business is worth it.
There are lots of ways to do this. One possibility is to start blogging regularly. Another is to start writing opinion pieces for your local newspaper. Or, you could try your hand at public speaking. Whatever choice you make, tell people about your business, your industry, your thoughts on life, whatever seems appropriate. Show people you know what you're talking about. They'll listen – and they'll give you their business as a result.
4. Re-energize your e-mail campaign
People these days are getting inundated by spam in their e-mail inbox. But e-mail can be a powerful tool to get the word out about your business. It's important to let people know what you're doing, including any special offers by your business or upcoming promotions or events. The key is to have a good list of people to send your e-mail to and to make sure your e-mails are professional, interesting and relevant. So, consider this spring a good opportunity to roll out a new e-mail marketing campaign with a fresh design and with integration to drive traffic to your new Web site and your social media accounts.
5. Get organized and make sure everything is working together
One of the most important parts of the strategy we're outlining here is that everything needs to work together. The value of online marketing, social media, etc. is in the network you create and in the resulting "multiplier effect" for your outreach. So, it's important to use this time as an opportunity to step back and evaluate everything you're doing to get the word out about your business. You need to take a look at your public face and make sure that all parts of your marketing strategy work together seamlessly. Consider this your last step in "spring cleaning" for your business.
We hope you find these strategies useful in making your business shine this spring. And, of course, if you ever need assistance implementing any of these strategies, we can help. Consider us your "housekeepers." We offer a full range of electronic and traditional marketing services, including custom Web design, social media, media outreach and advertising. Please send us an e-mail at contact@lyricconsulting.com if you have any questions or if you'd like to see how we can help you improve your business.