Competition for customers is fierce, and this is why it’s crucial to get people talking about your brand. If you’re preparing to launch a new venture, and you’re keen to make a splash and generate a buzz, this guide is packed with ideas.
Planning a launch event
Many company owners choose to host a launch event to celebrate their new business and reach out to potential new customers. At the moment, it might not be possible to plan a large-scale launch with massive crowds due to Covid-19 restrictions, but there are alternatives. Virtual events are safe and accessible, and you can be really creative in the way you present your business and communicate with buyers, retailers and prospective clients and shoppers. Use the power of social media and advanced, innovative technology to introduce your brand, showcase the products or services you offer and explain the backstory. Give your brand personality and take your moment in the spotlight to tell people who you are and why you wanted to launch this new venture. Engage with customers and buyers online, note down contact details to follow up with leads and try and make the event memorable. Be original and think outside of the box. Match the theme of the event to the types of products and services you offer, and use it to make introductions, to network, to provide detailed information about the business and to start conversations, which you can follow up on after the event.
Attending events and trade shows
If you have a product to sell, it’s a brilliant idea to look into the possibility of getting a pitch or a stall at trade shows and local or national events or exhibitions. If you have a stand, this is your chance to reach out to customers, to tell buyers all about your business and to convince them to take the all-important next step and place an order. In many cases, when you attend a trade show, you’ll be competing with multiple companies that offer similar products, often with the same target customer in mind. This is why it’s vital to stand out from the crowd. Think about the location of the stand. If there is an option to pay slightly more for a premium position, it’s worth considering paying a higher fee. Focus on drawing people in, catching the eye and triggering intrigue and interest. Make sure your stall looks appealing, make your brand name clear and think about ways you can entice prospective customers.
Handing out promotional items is an excellent idea. People love a freebie, and if you’re giving away free branded merchandise, there is already a reason to visit your stall. Once buyers get there, you can then seize the opportunity to show off your products and chat about the brand. Select promotional gifts and items that reflect the brand and the ideal buyer. If you’re selling to young professionals and office workers, for example, it’s worth reading a buying guide to find the perfect promotional USB drives. If you sell activewear or exercise equipment, and you’re hoping to attract sports lovers and fitness fans, items like sweatbands, water bottles and drawstring gym bags are a great idea.
Engaging with customers is critical at a trade show or an event such as a community festival or a food or travel exhibition. Extend a warm welcome, take time to talk, let people have a look at and try out your products and make sure you have the answers to questions. It’s important to have a clear pricing strategy and to have facts and figures on hand. Making your stand interactive and offering samples will be beneficial if you’re selling products people can eat, drink or play with.
Digital marketing
Whether you run a business from your home office, or you’re a giant corporation with offices all over the globe, it’s essential to think about how you connect with prospective customers and make your brand name known. Digital marketing is a fabulous tool for small businesses looking to put their name on the map. If you don’t have expertise in this area, it’s worth searching for an agency or working with freelancers with experience in your sector to drive traffic and increase sales.
One of the most important steps to take before you start investing in cutting-edge marketing techniques is setting up a brilliant website. Think of your website as a virtual storefront. You want people to land on your homepage or product pages and want to find out more and take a look at what you have to offer. Aim to provide a positive, enjoyable experience for web users and make sure that it’s easy and hassle-free for people to achieve their objectives. Whether you’re selling products, or you’re hoping for visitors to subscribe to a monthly service or sign up for an email list, the process should be straightforward, quick and stress-free. Analyze your website, take a virtual walk in your customer’s shoes, test different landing page variables and use high-quality content to encourage people to buy or get in touch. Vary the content you produce, make pages visually appealing and captivating with images and video clips and provide information. Including an FAQ section is an excellent idea, and it’s also crucial to ensure that product descriptions are detailed. Use high-quality images that make your products look fantastic and outline delivery options and charges on the homepage and landing pages. Include a persuasive call to action. More and more people are shopping via tablets and phones, so it’s hugely beneficial to ensure your site is mobile-friendly. Launching an app is also an effective means of targeting mobile shoppers and making the experience more enjoyable.
Once you’ve got a fabulous business website, the next task is to get people to visit. Search engine optimization is a digital marketing technique, which is designed to increase traffic through improving your ranking on search engines. Google now processes more than 63,000 searches every second. If you’re selling products or services, being at the top of page 1 can help you attract new customers, enhance your brand image and beat the competition. If you’re not au fait with SEO, it’s a good idea to seek expert advice. Investing money in targeted SEO and social media campaigns can make a massive difference to the amount of traffic you generate and the number and quality of leads you create. Local SEO is incredibly valuable for small businesses and home-based ventures. Research shows that over 85% of smartphone users will either visit or contact a business within 24 hours of conducting a local search.
Social media started out as a means of keeping in touch with friends and family, but it has evolved into a platform that offers incredible opportunities for businesses to promote products and services, expand their reach and get to know their customers. Before you start setting up accounts and profiles, conduct market research to analyze how consumers and businesses use social media and find out more about your ideal customer and their relationship with social media. Use data to ascertain which platforms are most popular among your ideal customers, determine which types of posts attract the most attention and learn about the impact of different types of promotions and social media giveaways and competitions. Choose channels and apps that are relevant to your target market and use the findings of your research to create and share content that will resonate with followers and encourage them to share posts and bring more people in. Use images, videos and live stories to bring products to life. Consider featuring real-life customers and shoppers to give your brand a human side and keep in touch with your followers. Respond and react to comments, answer questions and provide information about new products or unmissable deals and offers.
Customer reviews
Did you know that over 80% of people trust online reviews as much as the opinions of their nearest and dearest? Reviews have never been more influential. As a business owner, you can take advantage of positive feedback and utilize it to enhance your reputation and attract more customers. Encourage happy customers to share their thoughts and experiences on reputable review sites, offer incentives for referrals and use comments to improve performance on a continual basis. Reading reviews and listening to feedback can help you address potential weaknesses and issues and gain access to ingenious ideas and suggestions to make the business better.
If you’re launching a new home business, or you’re looking to expand your client base, it’s critical to get people talking about your brand. It can be difficult to turn heads when competitors are circling, but there are several techniques and platforms you can use to create a buzz and introduce people to your business. Consider planning a launch event or attending festivals, exhibitions and trade shows, invest in digital marketing and a great website to enhance your online presence, build connections through social media and utilize customer reviews to entice other buyers.
