When talking about successful content marketing, people often cite examples of big companies like Red Bull, Coca-Cola or VW. Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) feel intimidated by the lack of marketing budgets and experts like the big ones.
But especially for SMEs, content marketing is ideal. Marketing offers a tremendous range of ways to make businesses better, more visible or more efficient. Below are 8 tips for SMEs as an introduction to the (almost) infinite marketing spheres.
The super 8 marketing tips to grow your SME
- Marketing is not the same as advertising
Marketing is often equated with advertising. Advertising is just a tiny part of marketing. So if you feel that you have few customers, no repurchases, too little profit, too much cost or no thoughtful offering. then start with the following points.
As you become aware of the opportunities that are available to your business, the uncomfortable feeling that something must finally happen will quickly dissipate!
- Build up a satisfied regular clientele
Why look for new customers when you already have enough “fans” in your own ranks? Blind customer acquisition overtakes the sense that you already have existing customers. Maybe they have not consumed your offer for some time, or you buy too seldom?
To encourage these customers to buy again is much cheaper, faster, and more promising than acquiring new customers. Treat every customer like a king.
- Spend your time well
If you work in the service sector, you usually can not “produce in reserve.” You can not cut your customers’ hair if they’re not there yet. When your workforce is needed, you should be on hand.
Opportunity cost is the magic word. So think about what others can do faster or better and outsource these activities. That’s how you focus on yourself and your limited hours on the core business.
- Employ a conventional resource planning
Every company has limited resources. It would be great if you had a large downtown shop and four assistants would read the customer’s every wish and you could run big advertising campaigns all year round.
However, the reality is very different. The idea is to divide your resources well. For this, you need to know who (keyword: target group) you want to achieve something (keyword: target).
For example, today it is said that every business needs a website. In my opinion, this is only partially true. For instance, if you offer medical foot care and your target group is mostly over 70, a website may not be the first drug of choice.
In this case, regular visits to the retirement home with flyers could bring significantly more success. So if you have to limit yourself to one or two marketing communication activities for cost or time reasons, think about where you’re most likely to meet your target audience.
- Maintain a good relationship with your employees
Yes, they cost a lot. Sometimes you get upset about them. But then you laugh with them again. And yes, finding good employees is not always easy. That’s why you should nurture your employees.
When was the last time you just acknowledged a colleague? A little attention here, a friendly word there or the short-term holiday wishes – only these little things show your employees how much you appreciate them.
By the way, numerous studies prove that satisfied employees have a lasting positive effect on your company through “Word of Mouth,” i.e., verbal recommendations.
- Acquire new customers through online marketing measures
Online marketing offers many instruments for new customer acquisition. New customers can not only be acquired via the website but also via e-mail marketing measures. The strategy to be followed always depends on which target groups you are targeting.
The focus should be on getting potential customers where they happen to be. Young consumers are best reached via mobile devices and location-based services.
B2B customers are more likely to be reached with PR measures via online press portals and through a target group-oriented SEO strategy.
- The good old newsletter
As mentioned in point 2, existing customers are often more lucrative than new customers. Depending on the nature of your business you will not be in constant contact. Creating a newsletter here helps to bridge the gap.
Therefore, ask each customer right at the beginning whether you may send them occasional news. Do not spam your customers, but inform them regularly about news, offers, and background information.
Important: If you have a very wide range, you may have to set up several newsletters with different priorities. This prevents you from informing customers about topics they are not interested in. The preferred topics can also be queried during data acquisition.
A newsletter is always a good way to get feedback. Be open for suggestions for improvement. So you’ll build in a flash – not just in the social media – a fan base.
- Invest wisely
With all the love for the “Do it yourself” mentality: A professional marketing cannot be replaced by anything. It would, therefore, be a great pity if you invest a lot of money in your business, perhaps a good location, further education, etc and then fall into a do-it-yourself mentality in marketing. You should invest in commercial finance so that you can employ the experts needed to help you.
Yes, a marketing professional will cost you some money. But if he has some idea of his trade, this is one of the best investments you will ever make for your SME.
A few years ago, online marketing was a “nice-to-have” for some small and medium-sized businesses, and now such failures are likely to avenge bitterly.
The rapid increase in Internet usage finally speaks an unequivocal language. As print media find it harder to reach audiences, offline marketing will become less important.
SMEs that want to prepare themselves for future challenges will not be able to permanently ignore this trend and sooner or later have to invest massively in online marketing measures.
Read More:- Finance Blogs