What's the Best Way to Promote Your Business?

Today's the first day of February and I have to ask - how's your business promotion going?

Is it going well, or are you struggling to promote your product or services?

Whether you’re just starting your business, or if you’ve been in the industry for a while, having an excellent strategy for growing and promoting your business is essential. With the right marketing and promotion techniques, you can go from zero clients to a full schedule, or upgrade from smaller, low paying gigs to landing the high paying clients you've always dreamed of. 

When it comes to promoting a product or service for your business there are endless options. It can be difficult to figure out where to get started and which methods of promotion will give you the best results, so you have to try and experiment to see what may work best for your industry, service, and audience!

Here are some ways that may help you in promoting your business: 

1. Use a special offer for new customers - Offering discounts or special coupons are the best way to quickly draw people into your business. Anytime you tell a customer that he or she can save money, you’re likely to get their attention. Discounts don’t only help your shoppers; they also help your business. You can offer special vouchers and coupons via email, your website, or print materials such as product packaging, catalogs, and so on. They are a great way to thank your new customers and to encourage them to continue doing business with you.
   
   
2. Offer a loyalty program - Remember that loyalty programs can improve lifetime customer value, it can generate more repeat purchases, and even improve average order value! All you have to do is reach out to your most loyal customers with special promotions on your product and you can offer a discount on your product page specific to loyalty program participants. If you don’t have a loyalty program then now is the perfect time to get one set up. 
   
   
3. Create a social media contest or giveaways - One way to generate excitement in promoting your business is to create a social media contest, which is really engaging and fun! It's an easy way of connecting with customers and bringing in more fans/followers and prospects for your business.
   
   
4. Share customer reviews - Now one of the best ways to promote a product, especially a new one, is to let your customers speak for you.  People are far more likely to sign on to try a new product if they see great reviews or the product being used.
   
   
5. Post on social media - Social media marketing is a great mediator between your potential customers and your brand. Keep in mind that your approaches should be different on most social media channels. Find the right social media platform for your brand and take advantage of everything it has to offer! 
   
   
6. Work with An Influencer - Influencers have a strong presence online and on social media, and publish content that engages their audience and strengthens their following.
   
   Reviews from influencers in your niche can improve reach and generate instant social proof with your target audience. But be careful in considering your influencer’s niche and make sure they’re appropriate for your brand.
   
   It increases the chance they’ll entertain your pitch, and that the audience will be receptive. Personalize your pitch to them so they know you value them as individuals, and make it clear you are providing value for their audience as well.
   
   Quick tip: It's always best to look for an influencer that shares your same ideals! It will not only bring more depth to your brand, but it will also add more integrity.
   
   
7. Tell Your Product Story-  Stories add authenticity to your content. They grab the attention of readers and help you communicate on a more emotional level. It is a crucial part of developing a powerful and authentic brand, attracting new customers, improving your credibility, building customer loyalty, and driving sales. Always remember that storytelling conveys purpose; and businesses with purpose stand out.
   
   
8. Promote your business on Pinterest-  We all know that Pinterest is a great opportunity for businesses.  It will help you introduce your business and blog to a whole new audience. It can be a great tool for promoting products and it can help increase links back to your website, which, in turn, drives more traffic! 
   
   
9. Start promoting your business with Google my Business - Google my business offers entrepreneurs a fantastic opportunity to appear in Google search results, but the best thing about creating a Google My Business listing is that it’s free! 
   
   When people have done their search and found your business in the search results, their next step will be to click on your business to find out more information, such as contact details and directions. If you have not taken the time to create and optimize one then you’re missing out on one of the best free ways of promoting your business. 
   
   
10. Write a blog post - Promoting your products and services is not an easy task, especially in a highly competitive business climate. That's when the blog (like this one!) comes in handy. It helps you with the multimedia representation of your company, it keeps the audience interested and promotes your business. But always consider the quality of your post to make your business stand out. Research shows that around 80% of companies prefer to have an advertisement in the form of a series of articles instead of the traditional "buy now" agenda. 

When choosing your business promotion campaign, think about your product or service’s most valuable feature and start creating a concrete plan from there, focusing on bringing that feature in front of your target audience. As an entrepreneur, you should always consider what strategies to adopt, what social influencers to contact for a partnership, or which type of social media marketing you should try.

The best way to promote your new product or service will always depend on what channels your audience wants and what their online behaviors are. Regardless, you should use multiple channels to promote!

The more consistent your business content is, and the more your audience learns about it, the more engagement you can expect. Try out the strategies above to get the results you want from your next product launch, product upgrade, or new service offering.