If you're ready to launch your new business in Springfield, Illinois, you want to ensure it gets off to the best possible start. Chances are, you already have a lot of details that you need to take care of, from solidifying your location to ensuring that you have the right staff. In those early days, marketing your business might not seem like a priority.
However, without the right tools in your arsenal, your customers cannot learn about what your business has to offer, making them less likely to turn to you. A solid marketing plan can help improve your ability to connect with customers, grow your target audience, and bring in the business you need for a high level of success.
1. Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail
Failure to plan the future of your business may make it very difficult for you to see the success you're hoping for. Inadequate planning and preparation could leave you struggling to bring in business. That doesn't mean that your plan has to be rigid! However, you need to have guidelines that will help you start your marketing efforts. Working with an experienced marketing agency can also make it easier to plan for contingencies and ensure you have the tools you need at your disposal.
2. Know Your Ideal Customer
Take the time to develop a detailed profile for your ideal customer. Who are they? What is important to them? You may need to understand many things about your target customer to tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.
Ask:
- What is your target customer's general age range and/or gender?
- Where does your target customer live?
- What kind of income does your target customer have?
In addition, you may want to ask questions that are specific to your business. For example, if you sell sporting goods, you might want to lay out the types of sports your target audience practices. Keep in mind that you can have more than one target profile.
3. Know Your Competition
Chances are your business does not exist in isolation. Others near you may have similar products, goods, and offerings. You need to know who your competitors are, what they bring to the table, and how your business is different so that you can create marketing materials that set your brand apart.
4. Be Able to Answer Some Questions:
What challenges does your business solve?
How will it make people's lives better?
If you can't tell people why your business is important to them, you cannot convince them that they need your products or services. Sometimes, sharing the challenges you can solve is straightforward. A house cleaning business, for example, may help save people time and provide them with a more comfortable living space. In other cases, you may need to dig deeper into everything your business has to offer.
5. Build a Website
Your website is a digital storefront that invites interested customers to visit your business. It helps lay out who you are, what you have to offer, and why customers should trust you. Your website may be responsible for up to 96% of customers' decisions to connect with your business and your brand.
6. Launch an Email Marketing Campaign
Email marketing is an incredibly important way to connect with your customers. Email marketing has an average ROI of $36 per $1 spent and is highly successful in connecting with a broad target audience.
7. Stay Social
There are two key things to remember when staying social and developing essential relationships with your customers. First, don't miss out on the importance of social media. An estimated seven out of 10 Americans use social media to connect with friends and loved ones regularly, and having a solid social media account can help you stay top of mind.
Second, ensure you're an active part of your local community. Reach out to other community members. Participate in local events. The more involved you are, the better your odds of being seen as a key part of your community.
8. Don't Knock Tradition
Consider the benefits of advertising through radio ads, and endorsements, in addition to digital marketing. Radio marketing can help expand your reach and connect you with the radio station that advertises your business. Radio ads are also, in many cases, considered much more trustworthy than digital ads.
BONUS: Don't be Afraid to Try New Things!
Options like podcast advertising and radio streaming ads are gaining steadily in popularity, and with good reason. These new strategies have the potential to expand your reach and help you grow your new Springfield, IL business through highly effective marketing practices.
Are You Ready to Launch Your New Business?
Launching your new business into its greatest success starts with connecting to an experienced media partner. Mid-West Family Springfield, IL, is here to help launch your new business with our comprehensive marketing services.
