If you want to grow your business locally in the world today you must have a marketing plan that helps you get found online and attract new customers. This doesn’t mean you need to spend lots of time and money marketing. What it does mean is that you must spend enough time and money to increase your local online visibility, promote your credibility and show the value you offer. Why?
Almost all consumers now use the Internet is some way to shop locally!
A Results Oriented Marketing Plan will Help You Grow Your Business Locally
Seventy five percent (75%) of small businesses ultimately fail. It’s not a coincidence that 74% of small businesses don’t have a marketing plan. A results oriented marketing plan can be used to set goals and objectives and define the marketing steps required to obtain those goals and objectives. It may sound like a waste of time and energy, but studies indicate that those people who have clearly defined written goals and objectives are much more likely to achieve those goals and objectives. Airline pilots don’t take off without a flight plan. Even if they have flown the same route hundreds of times. The consequences of taking off without a flight plan could be disastrous. Similarly, people and businesses selling products and services shouldn’t be operating without a marketing plan. The consequences could also be disastrous.
Focus on Increasing Your Local Online Visibility
The one thing every sales person or small business needs to survive is customers. You can’t sell products or services to people or businesses that don’t know you exist. The days when you could simply hang a sign on your building and wait for your customers to come through your door are gone. Similarly, the days of placing an advertisement in the local newspaper to find all the customers you want are gone as well. Traditional advertising does still work, but generally not for people selling products and services locally. What is needed is a specific approach to increasing your visibility within the community that will work regardless of the existing economic conditions that won’t cost you a fortune to use. That specific approach is an online marketing program that increases your local visibility and helps you get found online.
You Must Sell Products and Services that Have Value
Our ever changing economy demands new and improved ways of reaching consumers and getting them to buy whatever you are selling: whether it be products, services or anything else, it is not realistic to simply announce to the world that whatever you are selling is superior and then expect customers to beat a path to your door. You must know why you are doing what you are doing. You must know who needs and wants your products and services and you must know why those people need or want those products and services. Then you can focus on what makes you different and what real value you can offer customers and potential customers. Consumers today are smarter and more savvy than they used to be. They want and expect to get value for their money. Give it to them.
You Must Have Credibility to Attract New Customers
As individuals we each might have a different idea as to what defines the best local businesses. In general the best local businesses are those that have lots of satisfied customers. Its satisfied customers who identify and determine not only the best places to purchase products and services, but what those products and services are. Not only do consumers like to purchase products and services from people and businesses they trust, but they are generally more willing to pay more for those products and services if they are purchased from a trusted entity. With some many places on the Internet to read and write reviews, if you or your business aren’t using them to help attract new customers, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Your credibility is a key to profitability.
To summarize: a results-oriented marketing plan that helps you define your goals, increase your local visibility, promote your credibility and advertise the value you offer will help you grow your business and increase your profitability. you’ll be way ahead of your competitors in your industry.
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