Many small businesses have suffered due to lack of market share, and it is often a case of few potential customers knowing they exist. Getting the word out about a business is a job for a marketer, but paying one could be more than a budget can handle. For those who want to garner their share of a robust market, finding ways to inform and excite potential customers is a job they will need to start doing on their own. There are some good ways to do it, and here are just a few.
Establishing a Foothold
Every general knows that establishing even the smallest foothold will be the key for winning the battle, and marketing a business such as one that provides custom apparel should be turned into a winning campaign. There are several good ways to do it, but simply getting the name and basic idea of a business into the minds of the public is the smallest foothold that will lead towards winning. Beginning with a good sign on the business is one way to start, and following through by signing up for free advertising online can be the second.
There are some good ways to advertise for free, and it is a good way to make people aware of a new or small business. Just being listed online and finding ways to include information about the business can help. Marketing begins with recognition, but it does take time to fill out forms for free business listings.
Invent a Holiday or Event
It might seem like this is impossible, but small businesses have often found it is a good way to really excite customers about their products or services. For a small business specializing in custom apparel, inventing a holiday or event that might require people to shop with them is a good way to get noticed and promote the business. They could create an event where people need to dress up, and it does not have to be a large affair. They can then advertise it and suggest customers need to visit their shop to be prepared.
The idea is to make people aware of the business, but creating a reason for them to make a purpose is the second half of this strategy. It can be a good way to create excitement within a local community, and it could even become an annual event if all goes well. It is best to plan the first event or holiday for a smaller group of customers, but finding the right people to interest could make it soar over the next few years.
Product Displays
Static product displays have always been a good way to interest people in coming into a small business, but going a step further could be a better way to foster a good memory for those who might later make a purchase. A business specializing in custom apparel might have a few mannequins in their store, but a live model could be a better example. Someone walking around in their product and able to explain it is a great way to get attention, and it can be done for a relatively low cost if they hire a temporary worker to do it.
The world of modeling has gotten a bad name over the last few years, and people often see most models as far out of their lifestyle. When choosing a good model for a business, find someone who looks more like a potential customer than someone who belongs on a fashion magazine cover. Being able to connect with potential customers is the goal for the model, so keeping a realistic view of customers will be helpful in this type of promotion. Choosing someone who looks confident without looking perfect could really give people a better idea of what the product could do for them.
There are many ways to create awareness and excitement about a small business, and looking for novel ones has always been a good way to get attention. Any business can find ways to modify the basic ideas to fit their own products and services, but they should also remember who their potential customers are and tailor it to what might be most attractive to them.
