Whether you are a new start up, or have been in business for a number of years, there is one key principle that is essential for growing your company: establishing and continually adding to your pot of leads. This principle is essential regardless of whether your product is aimed towards consumers or other businesses. The key difference is the length of time it will take to convert those leads into sales.
The stages of the sales cycle are called 'the funnel' or 'the pipeline'. To ensure a healthy, regular income stream into your business, it is important that you are continually trying to 'fill the funnel' with fresh prospects. This article explores some of the methods you can use to capture more leads to market and try and convert. And don't worry, we will explain how you should adapt your approach depending on whether you are selling to consumers or businesses.
Commonly, many small businesses feel stranded when it comes to marketing their business. They look at major players in their industry and see them advertising on prime time slots during Coronation Street every night of the week. Of course, the immediate thought is, "Well I could never afford to pay for advertising like them, its too expensive.". Well you might not be able to afford television advertising straight away, but there are other options that are much more accessible to small businesses.
1) Utilise social media channels to market your business
If you haven't already, you should explore advertising on social media. The beauty of this channel is that it is totally flexible to your budget and results are easily quantifiable. We thought it would be really useful to explore the three core channels along with their benefits.
Advertising on Facebook
Facebook is an essential, yet easy channel to launch. Facebook offers great targeting options for very little spend and you can really personalise your adverts to your audience. Facebook allows you to run a range of campaigns from promoting your page to running a lead capture form. If you are looking to use a lead capture form, its important that you have something to offer in return for their information. For example, monthly email tips on your topic of expertise.
Facebook is also a good platform to explore for B2B however, be aware of Facebook's algorithm as your advertising can be penalised if you are targeting an irrelevant message to the wrong audience.
Instagram marketing
Instagram is another channel you can explore if you are looking to target consumers, however this channel requires a greater level of attention and really requires daily posts and maintenance. Our advice is to explore Instagram when you have the time to do so. Prior to starting posting on Instagram, have a think about the topics your target audience is likely to be interested in. For the greatest success on this channel, its best to approach your posts from a content led perspective, over trying to push what you sell. Instagram should be used to drive visitors to your blog and from there, you can use email pop up boxes to encourage them to share their information.
LinkedIn advertising
If you are marketing to businesses, LinkedIn offers a great platform to get your business in front of key decision makers within your industry. If you choose to advertise on LinkedIn your goal needs to be one of the following:
Brand awareness - visibility of your post
Website visits
Engagement e.g. likes or comments on the post
Video views
Lead generation
Website conversions
Similar to Facebook, LinkedIn offers a range of options to advertise your business through including:
Sponsored content
Text ads
Sponsored in mail
Video Ads
LinkedIn also allows you the ability to target your posts based on your audiences demographics such as their position, tenure and their industry so you can be confident you are not wasting budget, showing your adverts to the wrong people.
2) Explore local advertising
Many new businesses invest in a website for their business, however are disappointed when they receive very little interest when it launches. One really simple way to get traffic to your website is to explore local advertising. This could range from something as simple as leaving a flyer in your local post office, to creating an advert in your local directory which is mailed through the residents doors. Some local radio stations even offer areas on their website where businesses can advertise their products. In our experience, it is useful to include a trackable call to action (e.g. utm tracking) so that you can measure the volume of visitors to your website from digital links. Consistency is also key. If you decide to advertise in your local door drop, be prepared that the first, second or even third advert doesn't result in any leads. It takes time for customers to recognise a brand and even longer for them to trust it. Stick with it and soon you will start to see results.
3) Start a blog
Customers come to your business because you are the expert in the field. Its likely that you have knowledge and wisdom that you can share with your potential customers that they will also find useful. Starting a blog is a great way to be able to document your knowledge in a super accessible way.
Blogs are really great tools to keep prospects coming back to your website. Over time, your perception will improve and you will build a level of trust with them. This might mean that when it comes to making a purchase, your prospect picks you over your competitor because of this established trust.
Blogs also are great for attracting visitors who have never heard of you but are searching on the internet for an answer to a question which you know. From here you can encourage them to sign up to receive further tips via email and thus introduce them into your funnel. Getting blogs ranking on search engines however takes time and skill. There are multiple factors that get a page ranking at the top the search results. Design 49 offer expertise in digital marketing including having a wealth of knowledge and experience in writing search engine optimised content. Why not check out our marketing services?
Well there you have it! Three super simple, but effective tips in growing the awareness of your business and the number of leads in your funnel. Why not let us know how you get on by leaving us a message in our "get in touch" section. Or if you get a bit stuck, we are always happy to brainstorm some ideas to get you started. We regularly write tips to help small businesses grow. Simply sign up below to make sure you never miss out!
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