How can a smaller company hope to compete in their industry when they are at such a big disadvantage when it comes to marketing?
Larger companies have big budgets and a greater number of staff dedicated to all aspects of the marketing process: From advertising, to customer service, and even production. For smaller companies, they don’t have the same luxuries – budgets are vastly smaller and usually a lot of the work must be done by a handful of people, or even fewer! In order to grab the public’s attention – and hold onto it – smaller businesses must be more creative in their approach and offer a unique selling point in the hope that they can beat the big guys at their game.
So, what can you do?
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media can be a great platform for exposure whatever size you may be; it is relatively inexpensive and can reach a vast number of potential customers quickly. With different platforms to choose from, you can use them all for different purposes.
LinkedIn has 756 million members, is specifically a business and professional network and is uniquely suited for B2B lead generation. It enables you to easily target, connect and engage with your target audience. If your business offers a solution to your customer’s needs, LinkedIn is the best environment for attracting their attention.
Twitter is brilliant for interacting with other people and can be used for customer service; this is a method that has already been adopted by many companies.
Instagram specialises in photographs – this can be ideal for showing off the visual aspects of your business: different products; the views from your B&B or glamping pod. Social media can also allow other forms of interaction – invite them to post photos of themselves with your product; have a hashtag and offer a reward. You could even run competitions.
VIDEO
Not everyone wants to read an article about a product; maybe the individual does not get the same feeling or experience from written words that they require to make a purchase.
Millions of videos are viewed daily on the internet, and this can be a great avenue to expose your products and business.
Consider uploading a video of your product, like a demonstration or being used by a model, to your website or a social channel like YouTube. Or you could make a virtual tour of your restaurant, holiday let, office or workshop. The visual effect of your product could be more enticing to your potential customers, and you can help increase trust by being part of the video yourself.
Allowing your customer to see the face of the business can bring about a more personal touch, and a lasting impression – you could even go viral!
CHANGE WITH THE SEASONS
Consider taking a seasonal approach.
Throughout the year, there are various holidays and events, that you could use to inspire you. Food and drink-based companies can capitalise on holiday days like Valentine’s Day – bakeries offering sweet treats; restaurants selling special offers for couples. Change menus to suit the summer weather; BBQ offers; sell cocktails or mocktails.
Adapt your products to seasonal change: Sell hot drinks and baked goods in the winter; cooling drinks and ice cream in the summer; anything with pumpkin spice in the autumn! Run vibrant swimwear campaigns during the summer holidays or winter campaigns that position hats and scarves as great gifts. A Christmas Countdown, with Black Friday incentives – whatever your business, seasonal promotions can boost your creativity and your sales.
Just because you don’t have a big budget, doesn’t mean you can’t be creative with what you have. Work out what matters most to your customers and support them in that, and never underestimate the power of the personal touch.
If you’re interested in talking to our team about how we could help you induce some creativity into your marketing we’d love to hear from you. Contact us here or give us a call on 01600 891525.
