The growing options and tools with digital marketing may be challenging for small businesses to navigate in a changing online environment
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have more marketing options than ever before. Moreover, the marketing field is teeming with a range of inexpensive tools.
Then again, this does not mean that marketing campaigns are a walk in the digital park. The flip side of the surge in online technology is the growing complexity and an increasing number of marketing channels to keep track of.
A Double-edged Sword
There are many trends SMBs and SMEs must strive to grasp and take advantage of, with marketing automation and social media boom certainly being some of the most prominent developments. The problem is that it is easy for small marketing departments to get overwhelmed by the sheer scope of possibilities. The number of marketing technology companies has doubled in just a year and the slew of tools is hitting the market like an avalanche.
That is why clear focus and strategy pay huge dividends. First of all, set clear, measurable goals. Not surprisingly, driving sales ranks as a top goal for SMEs, followed by spreading brand awareness and conveying information. Apart from these objectives, most enterprises aspire to generate leads, retain existing customers, carry out promotions, and boost efficiency with marketing automation.
Tangible Goals
Next, identify crucial tactics that will help you reach your goals, and be prepared to modify them on the fly. Select marketing channels carefully. You cannot afford to make this decision on a whim. Instead, get into facts and figures and conduct a thorough market research. Identify the target audience and have a framework in place for monitoring the changes in their preferences.
In order to spur growth and reach a wider audience, most companies rightfully promote their websites and social media accounts. They represent prime platforms that maximize the chances of driving capturing traffic. Still, bear in mind that without good SEO, even the swell web design fails to generate results. Also, many SMEs fail to recognize that email marketing is still associated with the highest ROI of all digital channels.
Same Rules Apply
Furthermore, SMEs must display the ability not only to reach customers via the internet (attract traffic), but also to interact with them successfully, enabling the conversion process to take place. One grave mistake to avoid is communicating with and targeting the audience as a whole. People’s tastes differ and they want to see a human face of the business. The concept of lifecycle marketing embraces the personalized approach, a tactic which has proven to be quite fruitful in the today’s market.
Similar rules apply to the content marketing, a highly-effective way to build a strong reputation, spread awareness, and establish trust with the customers. Note that the visual content is superior in terms of engagement and is 40 times more likely to get shared than the articles without videos and images. And, unlike traditional advertising, this type of marketing actually brings something of value to the consumers, entertaining, educating, and inspiring them.
One final piece of advice: Never lose sight of the great value analytics hold. Using analytical tools and measuring key performance indicators is the only way to figure out whether your marketing efforts are effective. They allow SMEs to cherry pick the best possible marketing models, as well as to channel and avoid wasting resources on those that fall short. After all, making informed decisions is paramount to launching stellar marketing campaigns on a limited budget.
Hit it Big
Thanks to the proliferation of digital channels, SMEs are finally able to effectively compete with bigger players. The brave new marketing world presents massive opportunities to capture attention, turn leads into customers, and make a name for yourself. Just remember that understanding key trends of SME marketing will be pivotal to the success of these enterprises in 2017 and beyond. Seize the moment and make the most of the incredible tools at your disposal.
Dan Radak
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Thanks for a great article. It’s important to measure the results of online efforts and with tools, like Google Analytics it’s really easy. SMB’s might also find marketing automation useful. We’re using Getresponse.