Small businesses often come with small budgets, leaving many companies wondering if branding is worth the investment. Even the tiniest mom and pop shop should take the time and effort to craft a strategic branding campaign. So how does one get the most bang for its buck? The following online strategies will stretch dollars a long way.
Website: For any business looking to generate leads, a company website is an absolute must. Save money by cutting out crazy flash animation. Focus instead on usability and helpful information. Visitors will be scouring your page to find out more about you and to determine if your products or services fit their needs. If they don’t feel like they’re getting what they need, they’ll exit quickly.
Facebook: Nothing beats free! A fabulously designed facebook page is a definite plus, but not a must. If you choose to go the diy path, be sure to focus on the important features: a link to your website, a listing of your products or services, and meaningful interaction with clients. Give clients a chance to provide valuable feedback and be receptive to all of it – positive or negative.
Twitter: One of the very best sites to use for word of mouth marketing. Select a clean and professional photo for your profile pic, a simple background, and a short but powerful bio. Link to your site and be sure to monitor all mentions of your business. Address any negative feedback and offer a solution. Clients will thank you for it and will most likely tell others.
Company Blog: This is your chance to show off your expertise and strengthen your SEO. In this particular area, a small investment goes a long way. WordPress is the best for business blogging. Not only does it have advanced functionality and helpful tools, search engines reward points for its usage. Blogger, on the other hand, is free but not nearly as SEO rewarding. Steer clear of sales pitches. Write instead about topics of interest and parts of your business that your customers want to know more about. Enrich your content with well thought out keywords and tags.
