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Top Ways to Promote Your Business

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales ArticleGetting your business to stand out from the rest is something that every company struggles with at some point. With more businesses emerging every day than the last, there is no surprise that this is a struggle that is deepening. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible. When more people are dealing with the same issues, there are more solutions for businesses of any kind to follow. Whether you are a new start-up hoping to make a storm, or a business giant falling on hard times, there are some old and new tricks you can follow that are the best ways to promote your business.

Flawless website design

When you are thinking of promoting your business, you must always bear in mind that it is not just customers you should be impressing. Investors, clients, prospective employees, and competitors should also be at the forefront of your strategy. Ideally, you should start by visually impressing people. Often, the first thing they will see is your website; moreover, its design. Focus your efforts on building a sleek website that can tell everyone what your business is about from a first glance. You can do this with color, font, and your logo, and it’s best to employ a trusted professional to help achieve your vision.

Regular blog posts

Content marketing is one of the oldest methods of promoting a business. The reason it has stuck around is that it works. If you put out regular content related to business practices and your company’s relation to the wider world, you will be able to put a more human face to your brand. Where content used to mean just the written word, it has now moved on to include high-quality images, sound and video, which you can use to connect with readers more. These are also an excellent way to bolster an ethical message, which is an important business feature in today’s world.

Social media

Having great content is always a plus, but it means nothing if you don’t promote it on social media, as SEO only does half the work. As a tool which is becoming increasingly hard to ignore, you should make sure your business has a presence on every social media platform appropriate to your business, even the smaller ones. Once there, you can engage with your target market, and run advertising campaigns that are guaranteed to help your business make a name for itself. When it comes to selling a product or service, it becomes even more useful.

Marketing influencers

Businesses have always made use of marketing influencers, where they partner with people who can promote their brand or products on different platforms. Where it used to mean having contacts within the press, it now also alludes to those who have a big online following. From bloggers to social media influencers, there are many people you can contact that can promote your product for either a small cut of the business profits or simply a free product. Sometimes, this helps you reach a much larger audience, but it will also ensure your conversion rate is much higher.

Good customer service

It seems that social media is shaping the way businesses promote themselves, and customer service is no exception. Although it’s wise to have customer service providers active on telephones and via email, there are some other ways you can connect with customers. Social media allows businesses to engage with customers in a more efficient, friendly way. There is no better publicity for a business than your customers going on to tell their family and friends about the great care they have received. Make sure you capitalize on this the most by making use of instant messaging services like WhatsApp.

Build a community

Building an online community has never been easier with innovations like social media, but you should also build one in your local area. If your business has humble roots, you should make sure you never pull yourself away from these. Holding charity days and promotional events are just a few ways you can maintain your community at home. Even better is if you document these days on your blog, as this will encourage your online community to grow even more after connecting emotionally with your brand.

An effective pitch

You will be aware of the business ideal of always having an elevator pitch saved in your head. Before you can start giving your pitch out to investors, it’s wise to make sure it’s polished, snappy, and effective. Sitting down and working this pitch out may seem tedious, but you never know when you need to pitch your business. It often happens in times you don’t expect, hence the nickname of being an elevator pitch. If you have a pitch that works, you can successfully promote your business to investors and business partners alike.

Networking

This pitch should also be reserved for special networking events, where you can promote your business to a wide range of prospective investors. It is also great to have if you want to do a one-off partnership with another business. At such events, you should remain cool and collected, but it is also essential to take promotional products with you. Having the right ones made by expert companies such as Dynamic Gift will ensure that anybody you meet is reminded of your business long after you have met them. They are also great to give out to your target consumer market at promotional events.

Free samples or trials

Consumers love free products in all their forms; giving out promotional ones like pens and bags is a great start. What they also love is having free samples of products and free trials of services. These are a great talking point and will create a handy ripple effect among your target market’s friends and family. If they like what they are using, they will more likely talk about it online and come back for more. If they don’t, you can collect feedback and make the appropriate changes to market your product the next time around.

Making the most of your brick and mortar premises

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship ArticleIn the digital age, most business strategies are focused solely on the importance of a strong online presence. While there’s no disputing the fact that making use of social media is a proven way of reaching new people and encouraging sales through a variety of online strategies, it’s important that you don’t neglect your real-world business premises as well. Your premises are just as important as your Facebook page, and for those customers that prefer to buy in person, your physical store is even more critical. Making sure that your store reflects your business branding, your business ethics, and your commitment to your customers is a solid business strategy that you should not forget about.

Making sure of curb appeal

The frontage of your business premises is perhaps the most important thing to consider when establishing the persona of your business. So-called ‘curb appeal’ is a realtor term that applies to the outside of a home that’s up for sale. Just as homeowners hoping to sell a property need it to look appealing from first glance, so too does your business. That’s why you should make use of banners and flags on the exterior of the business property. These are not just eye-catching, they also act as advertisement too. This can have long-lasting positive effects on your business, with the branding that you choose on personalized banners outside your premises being seen on a regular basis by potential customers.

Customized interior

No matter what your business sector is, having the right lobby or reception to greet customers is essential. It doesn’t matter if it’s a retail outlet, a restaurant, or an office space, you want customers to be inspired by your interiors. There are a number of ways that you can personalize your initial interiors, and they needn’t mean costly refurbishments or total redecoration. Instead, invest in indoor banner displays from suppliers like New York Banner Stands, with your logo and slogans printed across them. These are very useful because not only can they be moved as and when needed (especially useful if you plan on using them for external events like trade shows), but they can also be moved around the property as necessary. If you have a reception system in place, it is also worth looking at backdrops as well, so that your branding is as prevalent as possible.

Be more easily seen

Billboard advertising is expensive, but there is a much better solution. If your premises takes up a number of floors, then you have the fantastic opportunity to attract passing trade by using window decals. These come in both solid and transparent designs, meaning that you don’t have to compromise on either customized designs or lighting. These are highly visible forms of advertising, and can help to make your real-world awareness much more impactful.

With so much attention paid to online advertising, promotion, and marketing, it can be very easy to forget that your real-world presence offers a variety of options for a better business model. Make the best use of your premises, and you have an untapped resource that may provide many more benefits than you expect.

Enhancing Your Small Business’ Curb Appeal

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business ArticleA lot of business owners underestimate the importance of their curb appeal. This is what people see when they first approach your company. You know what they say – first impressions count! You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, which is why the curb appeal of your business is of paramount importance. You want to give off a professional and strong impression, and there are a number of different ways you can do this. So, let’s take a look…

Consider the front door – There is only one place to begin, and this is with your front door. After all, this is arguably one of the most visible parts of your company. If your business’ front door is starting to look a bit dirty and dull because of pollution from the street, it is certainly time to make some changes. Getting the door professionally cleaned is the minimum you should do. A replacement is usually the best solution.

Paint new lines on the parking lot – This is something that is very simple to do, yet very effective. This straightforward DIY job can give your business a new and fresh look while also making sure the parking lot is a lot easier to navigate. It is a good idea to seal your coating of paint to ensure that potholes and cracks do not occur.

Invest in landscaping services – There is no substitute for enlisting the assistance of professionals like the local tree experts in Eau Claire. If you have a considerable outside space surrounding your business, commercial landscape design is a must. Landscapers do much more than creating an attractive outside space. They create a space that is easy for you to maintain and represents your brand identity. They will take the time to get to know your company so they can create a design that fits in with your brand and will impress your target consumer based.

Visible signage – What is your business signage like at present? Is it bold and striking? Is it easy to read and see? If not, then you have a big problem! Make sure the signage is easy to spot, easy to read, and big in size.

Add a few plants – Last but not least, do not underestimate the power of a bit of greenery. A lot of business fronts look dull or plain. This is where plants come in. They can bring your outdoor space to life, making a massive difference. Go with potted plants because they are a lot easier to maintain. You may even want to consider fake plants if you do not want to deal with the maintenance side of things.

As you can see, there are many different ways that you can enhance the curb appeal of your business. If you follow the suggestions that have been presented above, you will notice a considerable difference in terms of how your business appears and, consequently, what potential customers think of it. Do not undervalue just how critical this is.

Money, Money, Money: Why getting into trading could be the best thing you’ve ever done

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article
 
Everyone wants to work hard and try their absolute best to acquire the most wonderful life they can possibly have, getting to have the brilliant experiences life has to offer, such as seeing the world, living in a beautiful home, and dining out at swanky restaurants every weekend. This is a goal most people can agree they would love to have for themselves and you, surely, are no different. When you are determined to make something of yourself, you will know that being financially secure is the first step towards the life of your dreams, but the security of your money is not enough; you want to flourish. One way of doing this is to investigate getting into trading. Trading is a lucrative way of making money quickly and easily if you know what you are doing. In this guide, you will learn some vital information and steps to getting into the business of trading and making the money you need to achieve the lifestyle you have always wanted through financial freedom.
What is trading?

Before you start to think about getting into trading seriously, you will need to be one hundred percent clear on what it entails. Being a trader means you buy and sell instruments of finance, such as stocks, bonds, and shares for a monetary gain. It is something that is largely done by big corporations but, with some seed money, you can begin to trade as an individual and start making money for yourself. Read more

Smoothing Out Some Processes

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Think about how your business is run as a whole. We know that there are going to be some areas that just don’t flow. Some areas that might be holding you back somewhat. We’re sure that you want your business to be a perfectly well oiled machine, but the truth is, it just isn’t going to happen. Sometimes, your business is just going to stay a little rough around the edges. But, as long as you have the main internal processes smoothed out, then your business should be able to go from strength to strength. Plus, we think we know a few different areas that your business might be struggling with a little. And, what’s even better, we think we know a few ways that we can iron out the processes so they’re crease free. If your business needs a little bit of help, have a read of the pointers we’ve got below, and see if we can smooth out those processes for you!

StrategyDriven Business Performance Assessment Program Article
 
Smoother Sales

You should always be looking for some smoother sales when it comes to your business. There’s nothing worse than delay after delay happening to your company, but, it’s something that a lot of business owners actually have to deal with. So, if you want smoother sales, one thing you could try is a new point of sale for your small business. This is going to be perfect for those of you who have a shop floor where you make your sales. It works by giving you a system on a tablet that you can use in your store. It connects to card machines, and is easy to use. But, it doesn’t stop there. It will then allow you to analyse your finances for the day, and then allow you to see your profits and losses. It will also allow you to manage your inventory. So, as an all rounder, this really will smooth out your sales processes in store, as everything will be on one app.

Smoother Management

Management of your company is one of the biggest areas that you’ll have to manage, and you’re already going to be fully aware that it’s not as easy as you would think it would be! If you want to do this right, you’re going to have to find out where your flaws are at the minute. For a lot of companies, we believe that a lack of communication is to blame here. If you’re not communicating down the chain of command, you’re going to have a shambles at your feet. The more you talk about problems that people are having, the better you’re going to understand the company, and the better you’re going to be able to manage.

Smoother Marketing

Smoother marketing is essential if you want your company to grow. If you aren’t really putting much effort into a campaign at the minute, then this is what needs to change. You need to have a clear marketing plan, and the best way to do this is to get in touch with a marketing company who is going to run a good campaign for you. If you want your marketing campaign to work, you’re going to have to have a good company to carry you!