You have designed, developed or are working your butt off to sell this amazing product or service that you have built your business around. Now what? You’ve worked hard to build this business that you’re proud of and want people to know about. Basic marketing principles tell you that you need to get the word out or people won’t buy your product. There are so many ways to do it, especially today, how do you know what is right?
Of course this is different with each product but…people are researching more and more online before they buy. More than 80 percent of consumers say that they research a product, service or company online before they make a decision about a purchase. This means that if you are not online you only have the opportunity to reach 20 percent of the buyers that are out there.
Where Do You Start, Online?
How are you going to reach that customer online? There are several ways and a company website is definitely step one! (see Your Website is the Foundation to Your Marketing blog from earlier this month) Your website is the best place to tell your story and control the information you want to reach your consumer.
Next up…social media! Yes, your company at the very least needs a Facebook page. I do not recommend joining every social media channel out there. I am not on all of them and neither is our business. We recommend Facebook because it is the most popular social media site consumers use to research and interact with local businesses. Create content that your ideal customer will be looking for such as how tos, frequently asked questions and reviews on your business to make it easier for them to choose you over your competitor.
Focus on Customer Service
We’ve talked about how the buying process has evolved with more research, mostly online, but one thing stays true even with the modern consumer. Customer service is still number one!
80% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services. Expectations for the customer experience have never been higher — to acquire new customers, retailers need to meet them. This includes calls (source: Salesforce).
Whether it is user experience, availability of reviews, or quick responses to online messages, taking care of your client will continue to set you apart and keep them coming back to you.
Reach Your Customer Where They Are
The most important thing to remember is that you want to be where your customer is and make sure you are seen multiple times. Your website is your base to be able to offer all the information that you want people to be able to find. You can utilize social media to continue to push them to your site to find out more while offering bits of what they are looking for. Remember to provide your clients or customers the experience you would want to receive from a business you are buying from. Good service and visibility will keep them coming back for more.
The buying process is ever evolving and will continue to change with new technology (voice search, ever changing screen sizes, AI). Make sure you are keeping up to date with the way people are finding your business and talk with current customers and friends about how they are buying products.