Best Advertising Tips for the Small to Medium Sized Business

Marketing and advertising tactics have changed a lot over the last decade due to the rapid technological growth and social media. If you are a small business or company who has tried marketing the same way you did even just a few years ago it's likely that you're wasting a lot of money. The truth of the matter is that a wise business owner changes with the times and gets the most from both their advertising and marketing budgets.

Today there are a wide variety of tactics that can boost your conversions quite fast by utilizing inbound and outbound marketing tactics including, but not limited to:

• Social Media Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Link Building
• PPC Advertising
• Backlinks
• Content Marketing

And so on...

There are many marketing companies that will provide all of the above for a reasonable monthly rate and in many cases, they will provide discounts or specials rates. However, if you're a business who is looking for the best solutions that you can handle on your own, the article below talks about the top ten low cost advertising techniques: 

• Create partnerships and cross promotions. Find other companies that hit your same target audience and are complementary to what you offer. Come up with a win-win barter proposal of how to steer clients to each other. Or, offer bundled promotions using the products/services of each to boost interest in both of your companies. Or, pool your marketing dollars together and create a campaign you could not afford on your own. It can be as small as one or two partners you barter with individually or a group, similar to the wedding industry where florists, hairstylists, veil makers, dress makers, bakers, and printers work together to help each other out.
• Find place-based advertising opportunities that are creative and free.Example: an author coming out with a book about parenting had post-it notes printed about it and they were posted above diaper changing tables in the area. A financial consultant had bookmarks created promoting his business and put them in financial books at local bookstores (very creative, however it may not have gone over well with the bookstore!). Think of how you could use your partnerships as mentioned in #1 for more place-based opportunities.
• Have an effective website. An old study says 70% of people will research online before walking into a store to purchase. That percentage is probably much higher now. A website is a must. There are free services you can use like joomla.org, etc. Or, you can use a blog format like WordPress.com. Having a custom made website with your domain and email is not cost prohibitive as some might imagine. Be sure to use search engine optimization (SEO) to bring people to your site, write articles and place them in free ezines to push people to your site; and use social networking to push people to your site (MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). Of course, it may require that you invest a little time in learning new technology that you may not be familiar with, but the reward is well worth the time invested.
• Teleseminars and webinars (webex.com) are cheaper than doing in-person seminars. This is good for businesses that have a long purchase process or a complicated product that is best sold as a demonstration, etc. You can also film a demonstration/presentation and place it on YouTube.com and your website.
• Leverage your workforce to spread the word. This can be accomplished through inexpensive flyers or coupons and/or magnetic signs on their automobiles. This can also be accomplished through word of mouth but it is far more difficult to control the message.

You can read the rest of the article here.

If you're a small to medium sized business that has yet to implement a successful marketing campaign, it's due time. Both inbound and outbound marketing is a way for you to build relationships with your current or prospective clients and grow your business -- faster than many of your competitors. Today there are many companies that you can hire -- and for a reasonable price -- to manage your marketing campaigns, like Classic Image. These companies will handle the day-to-day marketing needs of your campaigns while you can focus on what matters most... growing your business. In many cases you can get a reasonable quote to jump start your campaign, ensuring that you don't break your bank.

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Revamping Your Brand

Revamping Your Brand is Imperative for Continual Business Growth

While it might seem like a lot of work, all businesses large and small should consider revamping their brand, depending on the following factors:

• Age. How many years has your company had the same look and feel? How long have you had the same logo design where things are measured in weeks and days today? It's imperative for continual business growth to keep your brand fresh...
• Introduction of a New Product or Service. If your company is about to roll out a new project, property or product it might be a good idea to update your brand or logo, keeping your business fresh. 
• A merger. If there is a change in leadership within your company then you might want to consider making a change. 

If your company is experiencing any of the above you might want to assess your business and where it stands as a brand. Even with that said, however, it's important that you don't just change for change's sake or because you're tired of your brand. You shouldn't make a change until you fully understand just how much it's going to cost, both dollar-wise and emotionally. A change in your brand isn't just another marketing campaign, it's more than that so you want to ensure that you choose the best company to help you with all of your branding needs---at an affordable and reasonable price. 

There are major companies that have recently decided to revamp their brand, such as Apple. Google, Inc and Android based devices are rising to the forefront so Apple has decided to boost their brand, offer more features and other enticing product offerings. 

According to this video, released in June 2013, Apple is looking to revamp their brand and stand out from the new Operating System rave Windows 8. 

In addition to the new operating system, Apple has decided to revamp their advertising campaign -- a wise choice, in my opinion. 

What are your thoughts on Apple's revamp? A good or bad idea? 

If you would like help with revamping your business' brand, contact us today to discuss your needs and the world of possibilities that a brand revamp will bring to your company. 

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