Welcome to stop #5 on the Technology Roadmap. We called this one “Promoting Your Business Online.” 

We are living in a decade where the majority of people will conduct most of their shopping and information gathering online. This change in behavior can affect your business if you do not have a solid online presence and spend some effort promoting your business in this space. The good news is that it does not cost you much money, however it will take a little effort and strategy to take advantage of opportunities that will grow your business and improve your bottom line.

Some of these things you can begin today and start appreciating the increase of inquiries and steady business growth. Here are 7 tips, ideas and strategies that will help you navigate the marketing shift taking place in this decade.

1. Harness the power of “Google My Business”
2. Collaborate on Social Media
3. Create a Social Media Video
4. Ask Customers for Reviews
5. Press Releases
6. Offer to Contribute
7. Offer Free Trials if Possible

Let’s break these down and we will show you how you can implement these without spending much money.

1. Harness the power of “Google My Business”
   1. A recent study shows over 56% of local retailers still need to claim their Google My Business listing. In addition, nearly two-thirds haven’t claimed a business listing on Yelp. And over 82% haven’t claimed a business listing on Bing which is used for 1 in 5 US web searches. Google My Business is a tool that enables you to manage and optimize your Business Profile on Google. There are a lot of ways consumers can interact with your Business Profile, and you use your Google My Business account to engage back with them. You can respond to reviews, answer questions, enable direct messaging, and set up associated alerts. You can even use Google My Business to publish posts to your Business Profile, much like you would with Facebook and other social media platforms.
      You can also use this tool to highlight your business, provide operating hours, include a link to your web site and provide other details to make your business standout. The dashboard is a powerful tool to gain key insights on your audience and search inquiries. Increasing your SEO is easy by including relevant keywords in the profile so potential customers can find you easier.
2. Collaborate on Social Media
   1. We are assuming that you already have social media accounts for your business. Specifically, Facebook and Instagram. If not… go do it! It doesn’t cost you a thing.  It is important to be strategic and find ways to collaborate with others that will bring value to you both and your audience (customers and potential customers). When you define and launch plans to consistently work with like-minded businesses, you can expand your reach and grow your business. Simply following or liking hundreds of accounts will do much good.
3. Create Social Media Videos
   1. Luckily with iPhones and other mobile devices, we have access to great video cameras at any times. Videos of “behind the scenes”, “tips and tricks”, “introductions”, “who’s-who” and more take moments to make and they are engaging to customers and allow potential customers to “get to know you” before signing up. Take advantage of this tool and post them on your web site, blog and social media outlets.
4. Ask Customers for Reviews
   1. You should never be afraid to ask for feedback or reviews from your customers. This simple task can be one of the most beneficial ways to grow an online presence at no cost. Over 90% of consumers look at online reviews before making a purchase. When you receive positive business reviews on Google or Facebook it not only builds credibility but it helps in your ranking. You can also use these positive reviews in customer newsletters, on your blog and web site.
5. Press Releases
   1. This may be an “old school” tool but it provides many modern benefits. It is convenient that these days press releases can be emailed to media outlets, blogs and those with large followings. Remember to properly introduce yourself and try to build and foster relationships with gatekeepers. You will find that each organization has a unique preference of how they want the content so keep a spreadsheet of contact information and preferences to make sending out press releases easy.
6. Offer to Contribute
   1. When you contribute to speak at events, conferences or you participate in forum discussions, you immediately establish yourself as a leader and professional in the field. The same goes to contributing articles, videos or informational content. Most people and organizations are very receptive to contributors and it’s a great way to help with branding and acquiring new customers.
7. Offer Free Trials if Possible
   1. An easy way to promote your business is to provide a free trial to potential customers. Give people a taste and if they are happy with your offerings, you may have a customer for life. You need to keep in mind to be strategic in your offerings so that existing or paying customers do not feel slighted if they didn’t have the same opportunity.

We hope that these tips can help you in the promotion of your business as you take advantage of free and low-cost online marketing strategies.