ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR BUILDING AN ONLINE BRAND
by Susan Melony, ©2017
(Oct. 19, 2017) — You’re always looking for ways to improve things if you own your own business. You’re probably especially passionate about ways to improve your bottom line.
Improving your product or service, pricing, and branding are all important, but they aren’t the only ways you can boost your business.
If you’re looking for simple ways to increase your customer base, and in turn, increase sales, follow these four tips.
Create a Mobile App
Mobile apps are the wave of the future, and the future is here. Make sure you have a website, and make sure that website is mobile friendly, but you should also consider creating a mobile app because they can benefit your business in many ways:
- It can enhance and build your brand
- It can enable you to connect more effectively with customers
- A mobile app makes it easy for people to make a purchase
- With loyalty programs and coupons, it can provide more value to your customers
Get Serious About Content
Many people spend a ton of time designing the perfect website. A responsive, modern design is sure to get noticed, but it isn’t what’s going to hold the attention of your visitors. You need great web content to do that.
Whether it’s a blog, an ebook, or your web pages, the right content can position yourself as an expert in your niche and establish your brand, all while informing your customers about what you have to offer. With the right SEO approach, you can even make yourself more visible on the internet, which will ultimately enable you to attract new customers to your site.
Use Social Media
Many businesses have a social media account on one site or another, but it isn’t utilized. In order to do social media right, you have to update the account regularly.
It may sound like a hassle, but once you get into a groove, it really isn’t very hard at all. Make a plan to post a coupon, a picture, or a special deal every morning and you’ll increase interest in your brand.
Create an Email List
The final marketing frontier for many small businesses is the email list. It’s a great way to stay in direct contact with your customers, because believe it or not, people who sign up for your email list will likely read your emails.
The hardest part about this tip is actually building your list, but once you have that list, you can automate your emails. That way, you aren’t spending hours each week composing and sending out messages when you could be using that time to do something else.
Don’t think you have to do it all on your own. Many online software programs can help you get started without the need to spend exorbitant amounts of money. If you need more support, you can hire a digital marketing team to help.
No matter how you go about following the four tips on this list, you’ll be glad you did when you see how much they boost your business.
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Susan is a writer, blogger, marketer, and entrepreneur based in Kansas City.