Marketing for a new business can be very daunting and it is sometimes difficult to know where to start with so many options available.  The most important thing to consider is your budget, so that you don’t overspend precious resources, and, in most cases, it is key to consider what marketing you can also undertake without spending much at all!

After that the first step is planning, and this is often overlooked with the urgency to try to promote your business and make profit, however writing a marketing plan will save both time and money in the long run.

Start by identifying the key strengths of your new business; what products or services do you offer and how do you differ from your competitors?  A competitor analysis here is good if you can, but most importantly you need to pinpoint what could make you stand out from the crowd.

Next, think about your ideal target audience, who are they and which marketing channels might be most appropriate to engage with them? Again, it is hard to market to everyone at once so funnel this down so that it becomes manageable.

Visibility is critical – you need to ensure that your new business can be found online.  Most consumers will start their search for a product online so ensuring that your ideal customers can find you is vital.  A well thought and easy to navigate website is imperative and search engine optimisation techniques will help your website to be found online. There are plenty of online resources to help you here and Google Digital Garage is a great place to start!   Setting up a Google Business Profile will also pay dividends, as this will help with both search optimisation and is a place where customers can leave reviews to pique the interest of others.

When considering social media, be very strict with yourself and only plan to post on the channels that your target audience prefers.  You may like Instagram but potentially your audience might be on LinkedIn so consider your options carefully and choose one or two channels to start with.  There are loads of free tools on the marketplace to help you write content, design imagery and schedule your posts. 

Writing blog posts and articles, creating email campaigns, speaking at local events, networking, and attending exhibitions are all ways you could also investigate to build your brand awareness. Consistency is key and seeing results may take a little time so don’t give up!

Overall ensure that you track your performance and use this key information to help you plan future campaigns; again there are so many great free tools available online to do this.

Marketing doesn’t have to be scary – it can be great fun and is a powerful way to move your business forwards.

Article written by Sheryl Tipton, Tipton Marketing