Getting people to buy your product or service can be tough, especially in the face of strong competition. Consumers today are spoilt for choice when it comes to variety, and with them being constantly bombarded by traditional and digital marketing adverts, it’s even harder for consumers to be loyal to one brand. Having a fantastic product or service no longer guarantees a steady customer base, and with more new players entering the market every day, how do you stay relevant? More importantly, what are the marketing strategies that you can employ to ensure consistent profit growth?
Harness the power of social media
This marketing strategy is of course, not new. It is, however, one of the most effective digital marketing methods to grow your customer base and widen outreach. Advertising on social media – coupled with a solid product or service – is likely to bring you satisfied customers that will voluntarily promote your offerings among their social networks. According to Statista, the number of daily active users on Facebook numbered 1.13 billion in 2016 – hardly surprising, considering the fact that social media usage is growing by the day and that most people would have at least one social media account. These platforms are the first point of reference for most people when it comes to research and information gathering on a particular retailer, product or service, so be sure to take advantage of that knowledge by having a strong social media presence.
Use social media to not only promote your products and services, but also engage with your current and potential customers. Providing quick responses to questions posed by customers on social media also helps to endear you to your customers. As with any content platform, it’s important to publish engaging and informative content on your social media page to educate customers on your offerings. Customers today are a discerning lot and more likely to appreciate businesses who feed their thirst for knowledge. Plus, useful information is more likely to be shared!
Go mobile
Research shows that by 2019, mobile advertising will represent 72% of all US digital ad spending. This tells us that mobile consumers represent a large market that you can’t afford to neglect. Most people depend on their smartphones to help them with their daily tasks, so it’s safe to assume that their smartphones are constantly with them. Because of this, more people are accessing the internet via mobile devices than ever before, making perfect sense for businesses to be mobile-friendly. Take a leaf out of digital marketing tactics by optimising your website for mobile usage. If you run an ecommerce business, be sure to include ‘Buy now’ buttons and use bright colours to draw the user’s attention to latest deals on the website.
To widen your business outreach and consequently boost your sales numbers, consider offering exclusive mobile-only coupons that can only be downloaded via a QR reader. This lends an air of exclusivity to your offers and encourages more people to visit your mobile website. You may also want to utilise communication apps such as WhatsApp to broadcast latest information and deals on your products and services. People are more likely to read a phone message compared to an email, so prioritise optimising your electronic data mailers for mobile phones to reach customers that are constantly on-the-go.
Grow your credibility ratings
A credible business commands the respect and loyalty of its customers, and naturally gets more sales than the average business. There are many ways to raise your credibility ratings, but one of the best methods is to publish a solid sales pitch on your landing page. A sales pitch with clear messaging tells customers that you believe in your products and services, and are confident that users will also find them more than satisfactory. This engenders trust in your offerings and puts potential customers at ease, making them more likely to make the purchase.
Start by incorporating customer testimonials into your landing page, it being the first webpage that users see when they access your website. Customer testimonials can be short messages placed by customers on your social media page that extol the virtues of your products, or excerpts from genuine emails or letters from customers thanking you for the excellent service they received. Be sure to select testimonials that clarify how your product or service has benefited them instead of a general message that states ‘Great service!’. You can also enhance the strength of your sales pitch by highlighting your credentials, experience and any other information that would raise your business profile and portray you as trustworthy.
Ultimately, you want to tell potential customers that your products are a cut above the rest and that you offer top-notch services. You could also draw attention to several benefits of your products and state them clearly in the sales pitch. Tell your customers in detail how your product or service can help them tremendously. If your product offers multiple benefits, prepare separate sales pitches for each benefit and how it caters to different customers.
Give out samples and freebies
It’s no secret that everyone loves freebies, even more so when they are given an item that they fancy. More importantly, this marketing strategy can be used in both traditional and digital marketing, effectively killing two birds with one stone. If you own a physical retail store, giving out free samples of your product allows customers to try your product before making a purchase. This is particularly helpful for expensive products, as customers would be more willing to make a purchase after having tried it. You could also offer online coupons for customers to redeem through their smartphones – this is particularly effective if you offer services such as painting or decorating, whereby a free consultation can come in handy. Food and beverage businesses, meanwhile, could consider offering discounts on meals or a free dessert or drink with every main meal purchase.
To increase sales during slow periods, consider time-specific promotions such as teatime snack deals for restaurants and discounts that are applicable between a certain time frame for retailers. You could also publicise a competition on your business’ social media page that encourages your followers to share or like an image or product. This not only increases business outreach and publicity – subsequently drawing in potential customers – but is also a great way to engage and thank loyal customers.
By following these few steps, you are already on your way into improving sales for your company. Feel free to read more related articles or visit our website.
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