Any business owner knows that they have to survive in a very competitive environment. The competition is even tougher for small and local businesses. Customers have become very aware of what they want; where they can get it and where will they get the best value for their money. Moreover, this is the age of digital market. Customers are making decisions online more than in person. Therefore, it is becoming very important that small businesses invest in digital marketing in order to be found.
What is Inbound Marketing?
In easy terms inbound marketing is about content material, attention, engagement, trust and satisfaction. Most of these elements have one goal: to help companies connect to their potential clients and establish a channel of two way communication with them in order to lead to a greater income.
The use of internet and social media is on the rise. Customers can easily access information about products and prices through the web. This has led to the creating of a new selling model. The foundation of this online selling model is content marketing. To engage the right customers, you must put the right content and information online.
Advantages of Inbound Marketing for Local Businesses
Inbound and digital marketing have many benefits; especially for small business owners. Some of these include:
1. Inbound Marketing is More Cost Effective Than Traditional Marketing
Small business owners have a small budget. Traditional marketing strategies, such as television ads and direct mail, can be very costly. However, in comparison, online marketing can save money. and often creates better results as those individuals you are engaging with are actually interested in your product as they are in a “research” conducting phase. Dollar to dollar, inbound marketing gets you further with a better outcome.
2. Long Lasting
The goal of marketing is just not to make customers but to build long term relationships with them. Loyal customers are not easy to come by. However, through the right inbound marketing tools, you can quickly develop customer loyalty. SEO and blogging are common online tools. You will be able to reach a few customers in the beginning but with consistent and good content development, you will soon notice traffic building towards your channel.
This also is in effectiev after the “sale” has occured. The goal for marketers is not only to get new customers, but to also create brand promoters. This is extremely important for local companies who often rely on referals for a big portion of their business. Digital tools such as social media allow companies to stay engaged with their customers after the sale, helping create a brand promoter in the process.
3. New Audience
Digital marketing can help you reach a wider audience. Your content on any digital and social platform will be accessible to different people all over the world. Therefore, you will be able to expand the range of your customers. At the same time, the data driven world we live in allows us to be extremely precise on who we target for certain marketing activities. This allows local companies to perhaps focus just on a certain part of town they service as opposed to an entire metro area.
4. Brand Awareness
There are so many online tools available that you can use. You can spread awareness about yourself through creative and attractive tools. These include slideshows, video, blogging, social media, and more. The amount of impressions you can get for your company/brand can be massive if done correctly, and often at a much cheaper price point.
In conclusion, it is at a point that it is critical for local small businesses to shift their focus to digital marketing if they have not yet done so. It makes sense from an economical standpoint, and it also is the way their customers are finding providers for a need they have.
Need some help getting started? Check out our free eBook on Inbound Marketing Tips & Tricks by clicking below: