Regardless of where you do your work, initiating or resuming in-person work can pose a significant challenge. Your business may need additional marketing support to remain visible to current and potential customers.
Arizona State University and Virginia Commonwealth University researchers estimate that one-third of US workers lost or changed employers since 2019. While many workers did not plan this, 2020 afforded US workers the opportunity to reconsider their career paths.
According to figures from the US Census Bureau, Americans started 4.4 million new businesses during 2020. That’s the highest-ever recorded number of startups. Entrepreneurs come from all walks of life, but the pandemic has clearly had a stunning impact on where and how we work.
The right kind of marketing support can introduce new customers to your business, generate valuable sales leads and enable your business to deliver goods and services. If you’ve just started your own business, or if you’re struggling to manage an existing one, you may wonder where you can find the right kind of marketing support.
The most effective marketing support for small businesses
Without a doubt, in 2021, the single most important thing you can do to increase the visibility of your business is to create a web site for it. If you’re not technically savvy, or you simply don’t have time to design a web site, look for an experienced design firm that can create and host your web site. A business web site is an essential marketing support that you don’t want your business to be without.
Once you have a web site up and running, it can begin to generate leads, provide information to potential customers, and even perform e-commerce transactions. Some new entrepreneurs believe that they can rely on online directory listings to generate customer interest.
There’s a hard lesson here. Customers are much savvier about selecting the businesses they interact with. Most (as in 9 out of 10) people use Google or other search engines to research businesses, products, and services before they make contact, or even make a purchasing decision.
Providing a prospective customer with information about your business is essential. Most businesses (7 out of 10) have web sites. That means 7 out of 10 of your competitors have a web site that allows customers to find them, learn about their products and services, and read reviews from other customers. Once customers believe they have enough information about their options, they stop looking. If they didn’t find your business during their research, they may never see your directory listing. Solid marketing support can ensure that your business is visible when potential customers are looking for you.
Marketing goes beyond web site design
Marketing support goes beyond having a professionally designed web site. Your web site designer can help you choose a web domain name that will bring customers to your site. The designer can also help you find a web hosting package that meets the specific needs of your business.
In addition, a full-service design firm can create a custom logo and branding for your business. You can use this on stationery, business cards, and marketing materials aimed at your target market. There’s actually some science behind creating a brand. People can more easily remember shapes and colors than names and numbers. If they remember what your business “looks like,” they’ll find you again and again.
If you would like more information about marketing support for your new business, our you want to re-energize your marketing plan for an existing one, please contact our Creative Director, Dave Ramsell or give Dave a call at (330) 243-0651 to set up a consultation.
