Guest post by Amy Boyington:
It seems that businesses are so focused on hitting it big in social media or creating a viral blog that they’re missing out on other incredible marketing opportunities that work just as well – if not better.
These marketing opportunities are awesome, and you’ve probably overlooked them. It’s time to start paying attention to them, though, because these marketing tricks can help you edge out your competitors.
Apply For Awards
Winning an award proves that you have what it takes to be a respectable business that is gaining momentum in your industry.
Sure, it might feel silly to apply for awards for your business. But, if you feel like your business really deserves one, there’s nothing silly about it. In fact, being able to advertise your awards on your website, or even on your storefront, is an awesome way to attract more customers.
These small business awards are either free, or cost a low fee, to apply. And, they’re no joke. They come from trusted organizations, like the U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE.
Create a Contest
If you’ve never held a contest for your business, you have no idea of the marketing potential you might be missing out on. Social media contests have incredible potential to become viral, all because you ask your followers to ‘Like’, ‘Retweet’, or ‘Share’ your contest post.
Your contest can be incredibly simple, like a photo contest. Do you make organic toothpaste? Create a photo contest asking followers to share their most beautiful smiles. Get more exposure by asking them to tag their friends, share to their networks, or follow your account. Make sure your prize is enticing enough to make people really want to win it.
In turn, you end up with free marketing every time your contest is shared, or someone is tagged.
Focus On One Social Media Channel
Choose the best social media channel for your business
It can be tempting to try to be a winner on all the big social media networks, like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. But, your business may not be built to be popular on all of them. Instead of getting frustrated trying to figure out how to be successful on all of your social media networks, focus on the one that makes the most sense for your business.
A food delivery company, for example, will probably have more success than a digital media company on Instagram, because it can showcase its beautiful food on its account. However, the digital media company will likely find a lot more success on Twitter or Facebook than the food delivery company.
Figure out what network is already working the best for you, and stick with that one. You can still use your others, of course, but the majority of your focus should be on the network that’s already working well for you.
Hone In On The Trade Show
Did you know that creative trade show booth ideas attract visitors? Trade shows are still very popular. Wouldn’t you rather see products in action, in person, than on a computer or TV screen? At a trade show, you get to touch a product and interact with it, while also meeting the people behind a company.
The more creative your trade show booth ideas are, the likelier they are to be memorable for your audience. Make your booth an interactive experience that provides important take-aways for your audience. Leave them wanting more so they have a reason to come back to you.
Share Your Expertise
There are currently over 800 million active YouTube users, and they each spend about 15 minutes per day on YouTube! If you don’t yet use YouTube to share your expertise in your industry, you’re definitely missing out.
Think of what your audience wants to know. Sure, you can provide an informative blog post, but some people prefer visuals. Make a YouTube video or a webinar that goes along with your awesome content.
If your business makes gardening supplies, for example, create helpful videos about starting seeds indoors in containers, using pesticides properly, or harvesting vegetables. The more people see your videos, the more exposure your business gets, and the more you stand out as a leader in your industry.
About the Author:
Amy is a former preschool teacher turned freelance writer living in Ohio with her two children and two cats. Amy graduated college in 2014 with an A.A. in Elementary Education and a B.A. in English. When she’s not playing “super heroes” with her son or toting her daughter to sports practices, Amy writes for Babygaga, AdvisoryHQ, and several other blogs, including her own mom-business blog: theworkathome-mom.com.