It’s a new year, full of new opportunities to connect with customers and grow your business! Particularly after the setbacks many small businesses experienced as a result of the pandemic, this is a great time to examine your current marketing strategies and determine what else you can add to the mix as you prepare for the post-COVID rebound. Read on for our top ideas for new tactics to try.
Before turning your attention to reaching new customers, take a good look in the mirror. Does your current branding reflect your company in the way you want to be perceived? The start of a new year is the perfect time to consider a brand refresh and ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward for the next 12 months.
There are a few different ways to refresh your brand. You can have a graphic designer design a brand new logo for you, or just tweak your existing one to make it look a little more modern (major brands do this all the time). Whatever you do, make sure that your branding is featured on all of your business materials. Your business card, stationery, and signage should all have a consistent look. Depending on your business, this also applies to materials like your invoice forms, your menu, or your packaging.
This is also a great opportunity to explore more sophisticated print finishes, like gold foil accents or higher quality paper finishes such as gloss or suede. Choosing higher end print materials sends a message to your customers that your brand stands for quality.
Next up, think about your relationship with your community. Do people in your immediate area know about your business? Where do most of your new customers come from — passersby? Word of mouth recommendations? If you feel that your business lacks visibility in your target area, address that by displaying bold, clear signage such as banners or sidewalk signs.
The experience of the pandemic taught us all the importance of supporting one another and working together — and we especially learned to value our frontline workers. Signage to advertise your business is important, but you can also capture positive attention by sharing supportive or inspirational messages. A big yard sign thanking essential workers will catch the eyes of your neighbors and generate goodwill, which can in turn inspire them to come in and check out your business.
Let your existing customers know that you appreciate them, too. Customer retention is just as important as acquiring new ones. Plus, making people feel good about doing business with you is a surefire way to drive referrals and earn that word of mouth advertising. You can do this by offering your customers a free promotional gift with a purchase, or reward your top clients with a premium branded item.
The most important new marketing tactic to try in 2021 is diversification. Studies have shown that multiple, repeated touchpoints are required to win over a new customer. By exposing your target audience to your message in a number of ways, you’ll drive much better results than using a single-channel approach.
What does a multi-channel marketing campaign look like? You might place digital search ads, distribute postcards, run a texting campaign, display signage outside your storefront, or even hand out flyers and door hangers. All of these tactics can be effective on their own, but by deploying multiple marketing efforts simultaneously, you’ll see stronger results in less time.
Need more ideas? That’s what your local PostNet centre is here for. Stop by today to talk about your business goals and how we can help you reach them!
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