When it comes to business, time is of the essence. Taking action trumps taking time to make things perfect. Take the opportunity instead to jumpstart your business and get a leg up on your competition. If you have an awesome business idea, make it happen, and make it happen now.
Businesses are finally opening up again. Cautiously and carefully, but opening up nevertheless. As owners and entrepreneurs are forced to rethink how business is done these days, shifting much of marketing, promotion, and even certain aspects of operations online is the way to go.
Business owners understand that there is much ground to cover, and much time to make up for. The pandemic has only created a new breed of grittier, more creative, and more determined entrepreneurs.
And this newfound sense of urgency clearly shows in the way folks are looking for ways to get their business ideas up and running right away.
So whether you’re:
- Breathing new life into your current venture
- Pivoting into a new business model
- Exploring a new position in the market
- Looking to refresh your existing brand
- Launching an exciting new idea entirely
We have nine tips for you on how you can take your business to brand new heights:
Table of Contents
1. Think Outside The Box
Changing times call for a change in the way you do business. Admittedly, these times are challenging for business owners around the world.
It is understandable why a lot of entrepreneurs raise the white flag and give up completely. But we must press on.
Sometimes, the most brilliant ideas come from the most excruciating moments. Remember the story of the great American icon, McDonald’s? The McDonald’s brothers went out of their comfort zones and conceptualized a system that will bring food faster to the customers.
Now, was this Speedee system a standard method used before? No. It was utterly revolutionary. They, quite literally, thought out of the box. They drew the restaurant (the box) on a tennis court and had their staff practice the movements while watching outside and above.
It is through this that they were able to identify the pain points in their process. Don’t be afraid to try something that has not been done before.
Original ideas are sparse, if not rare. But if you learn something daily, if you observe closely, and if you try incessantly, you might just come up with a new and exciting way to show business should be done.
2. Freshen Up Your Brand
Don’t be afraid to spruce up your brand.
Let’s be honest here: It is human nature to crave for something new and different. People get used and fed up quite easily.
If you don’t satiate their hunger for the next sparkly thing, you might become the next thing of the past.
You might decide on changing your entire business model, or maybe you want to pivot or reposition or focus on a different product, service, or market segment.
The important thing is to keep changing things up. It does not necessarily mean that you have to give up your branding and your identity – whatever people love about you. But, it’s nice to keep them on their toes.
Come up with an updated version of your logo, adopt a new color palette, or hire an influencer to endorse your business – anything to freshen up your brand.
3. Redesign your Website
Websites today are capable of bringing in online traffic, launching marketing campaigns, and establishing your expertise and authority in your space.
Investing in this area will yield fruitful rewards in terms of brand recognition and sales.
Further, there is a significantly higher chance of people seeing your website than your actual product first. So make sure you are making the right impression.
Your website might need touch-ups, especially if it has been years since you’ve last updated anything. You may also want to give it a brand new look.
When is it an excellent time to redesign your website, you ask? Here are some things to consider:
- Your last update was about three years ago or more.
- The information on your website is not up to date.
- The product list is outdated, and the description of your services are out of touch.
- You refreshed your branding.
- Your business goals have changed.
- The website is not responsive anymore to the needs of the consumers.
- The links are not working or lead you to the wrong pages.
4. Have an SEO Strategy.
Search Engine Optimization is one of the most sustainable and cost-effective ways to bring in much-needed new business over the long term.
The used and abused term SEO is a critical aspect of businesses seeking to establish their presence online.
SEO improves your website’s ranking in search engine results. The higher it appears on the list of sites available for access, The higher visibility among potential consumers.
What’s involved in an effective modern-day SEO strategy?
- keyword research
- SERP analysis (analyzing what works on Google’s top results)
- search intent-driven content creation
- on-page and off-page optimization
- technical SEO
- design and user experience
- link building
- regularly improving and updating your content
Having a clear SEO strategy helps set the pace of your other digital marketing and content creation efforts, keeping you focused on your customers and your company’s growth.
5. Invest in Content Marketing
Gone are the days when a simple blog post will suffice.
People are hungry for quality content. Get into video. Start a podcast. Create useful guides, graphics, and checklists. Publish an ebook. Share your research.
That’s what content marketing is all about: there are different kinds of content, and every piece of relevant material you share online is appreciated by people who need it.
- Create specific forms of content according to your identified buyer personas and buyer’s journey
- It’s not about length or volume, but rather about search intent. Different forms of content are more suited to specific market segments, situations, and stages of the buyer’s journey
- Hire experts and writers to share valuable information that will make your audience’s lives better.
Remember: you’re not just limited to blog posts and social media. Ask yourself what you can create that be of genuine help to your target audience.
6. Invest in Paid Ads
While you’re waiting for your SEO efforts to bear fruit, you can give your online marketing a bit of a boost with a bit of pay-per-click advertising.
Again, the more people seeing your product or service, the better it is for your brand. Paid search is a great way to bring in traffic right away, and you should consider running ads on:
- Bing + Yahoo
- Amazon
- YouTube
- Facebook + Instagram
Remember: It won’t matter if you have the most beautifully designed website if no one can see it. Your brand is only as valuable as the number of people to whom it is visible.
Clearly, Google and Facebook are big PPC favorites, but you can also run ads on other search engines and social media channels, depending on your target audience.
7. Keep Collecting Emails
Get into the habit of collecting emails, primarily via your website, social media channels, and events.
Sending out email blasts is a good way to remind your consumers about your brand. Studies have shown that if you want to grow your email list, you have to put a popup on your blog.
That said, here are some of the more popular popup tools you can use to collect emails:
Email marketing continues to be one of your most effective tools, not just keeping your customers updated on your latest promotions and offers, but also keeping you top-of-mind.
8. Use Marketing Tools
Technology today is impressive – you now have a plethora of software, mobile and desktop applications, online services, and other tools to better run your business.
Using the right marketing tools help with:
- Delivering important messages you’d want to convey to your target markets and potential customers.
- Gathering valuable information about your leads, allowing for better segmentation and personalization
- Integrating with other services, so you get to accomplish your various marketing tasks more effectively and more efficiently.
Look into signing up for marketing tools that allow you to do more– whether it’s managing leads, creating content, or keeping track of your various campaigns.
If you’re interested in knowing which tools we use here at LOJO to manage our own campaigns (as well as our clients), have a look at “Open Hailing Frequencies: Connect More with Marketing Automation,” our guide to marketing software and services.
9. Nurture an Online Community
Think you can grow an online community? It’s a great way to not only connect with your audience online, but it’s also perfect for building your brand.
Genuine relationships between the brand and consumers are difficult to establish. But it is not impossible.
Building an online community is as much an initiative in perfecting your brand image and company mission as it is winning the hearts and minds of your customers.
Through your interactions and contributions online, you start building a tribe of your own. The end goal is to convert your fans and followers into brand advocates and champions.
Hiring a relationship manager or staff, who will ensure continuing conversations and interaction online is a plus. Leverage on those interpersonal connections and showcasing your experience and expertise within your space – but remember to keep it real.
A Final Word
These days, taking your business online is the way to go.
Opening up your brand to customers online allows you more opportunities for growth, and exploring your options for scaling online will not only help jumpstart your business, but it will also better prepare you for the future.
Need help with your branding and digital marketing efforts?
We here at LOJO would love to hear from you. Set up a free consultation with us today– give our team a call at (916) 303-4080.
