FROM baking to banking, there are loads of exciting new independent businesses springing up around Greater Manchester.
But launching a brand is a challenging undertaking, and many new businesses fail within the first year alone, which means quickly attracting and retaining customers is of the essence.
Whether it’s a startup or a pop up, it’s important for a new business to maximise interest in their product or service, and drum up visibility and support for their brand with a strong online presence.
But what are the best ways to do this in order to drive sales and growth? Let’s take a look.
Promotions and Gifts
Who doesn’t love a freebie? Drawing in new business with promotions and gifts is the perfect way for a new business to break the ice with their potential customers. Whether this takes the form of an online freebie or some actual merch largely depends on the nature of your business.
For example, the massive online casino industry has long been founded on offering bonuses and promotions to new customers — such is the number of operators that players can find sites that list the best first deposit bonus offers, as well as many other types of bonuses.
Many new and established businesses use promo codes for sign up or as a reward for loyalty, or simply to mark an event. This can be entered at the checkout stage on your website — which, by the way, will already look fabulous to reflect your brand, and will contain all the information a customer needs.
On the other hand, if you’re selling your product to offices or other locations physical freebies are often a better tactic — these can still be arranged via your website or app, and can be rewards for orders, or simply a promotional campaign. You’d be amazed how much value a branded mug can offer you!
The Power of Social Media
One of the primary digital marketing channels is now social media, and your business MUST have a presence, at least on the major platforms. We’re glued to our mobiles, and a lot of that time is spent scrolling through Twitter or Instagram.
You can set up your account for free of course, but investing a little time and money will give you targeted ads, with calls to action and links to further information about your business. Got a pop up restaurant? It’s simple and affordable to let all the local foodies know about your tacos or burgers.
We mentioned major platforms — if you have a budget for employees then consider setting up a position for a dedicated social media manager. They can stay on top of your accounts as well as keeping an eye out for emerging platforms that start to trend. If you need an example, just look at how popular Tik Tok became in such a short time.
Also, social media is a valuable tool for customer service and interactions, and in this age of personalisation prompt responses are demanded by consumers.
Encourage your customer base to interact with you on social media, often, even an informal exchange can help you get to know the people who are engaging with your products or services, and all this knowledge is vital to your future marketing efforts.
It’s a competitive local marketplace, and new businesses need an edge when it comes to online marketing. But some creativity and a little investment go a long way, and can make all the difference to a new company’s survival, no matter how big or small it is.