7 Ways to Deliver Your Marketing Message

This is the third of three posts this month describing my Builder, Creator, Deliverer Marketing approach. Small business owners must manage so much. In these posts, I explain the breakdown of some marketing tasks and how to accomplish or delegate them. Read the first post on being a builder and the second on how to create content.

Now that you’ve begun to build your small business marketing program and created some content, you might wonder where to put it. The “deliverer” portion of my marketing approach focuses on this — including some things many business owners forget.

Here are some ways to deliver your message to potential clients:

Your Website - Your website is, of course, a primary place for you to offer content and information. Make sure your site represents your brand, looks professional, and is easy to navigate. Learn more about website design.

Social Media - Social media is a must-have for every business in any industry today. But that doesn’t mean you must post on every network. Choose the two that make the most sense for your business. You’ll figure that out during the Builder portion, as you research your audience. Where are they spending time? You’ll also decide which social platforms based on what types of posts you want to create and your goals. For example, if you want to reach 35-year-olds and up and use a more casual message, and you plan to advertise, then you need a Facebook page. If your goal is sales, you might focus more on your individual LinkedIn profile. The platform you choose also depends on what you have to share. A retailer is going to find it easier to join Instagram, but plenty of B2Bs can and do find success there. Social media is its own beast, so check out our other posts for more on this.

7 Critical Tips Regarding Social Media Images
The Importance of Social Media in Your Small Business Marketing

Landing Pages - Business owners often link content back to their website, which is a good thing. But in specific cases, you want to build a separate web page, called a landing page. This page is focused on one goal: conversion. For example, you might use a landing page as part of a marketing campaign around a particular piece of content (or series) all with the goal of getting more signups. We explain more about landing pages here.

Networking - Yes, networking is part of your marketing. Neworking probably feels more like sales, but when you network, you’re meeting cold leads. You market by planting the seed of your brand in every meeting, every interaction. You might deliver content to people via business card or brochure during these exchanges. How is your brand introduced on those items? How is your brand presented in your clothing, your way of speaking?

Speaking Engagements - One sure way to get your content and message out there is to talk in front of a group. Public speaking is not for everyone, but if you can master this, you’ll be ahead of many other, shyer small business owners! In our content post, we talked about presentations. A presentation is your chance to have a captive audience and demonstrate yourself as an expert. Although you’ll have to work a lot to earn money as a speaker, each small group is an opportunity to meet potential new clients.

Email Newsletters - People love to complain about spam, and you may fear alienating customers. But studies show email is a consumer’s preferred method of contact by brands. Furthermore, email works, even after decades of use. It’s still the best ROI you can buy (if done correctly). After all, it’s far easier (and cheaper) to repeat or upsell to a current customer than to acquire a new one. Put your name in front of people each month with a newsletter. Even if they don’t open it, they’ll see your name as they clean out the inbox. Email newsletters are most effective when they are consistent and offer something. That doesn’t mean a discount or deal every month; if you do that, customers will come to expect it and get angry when you don’t. So only do that if you’re willing to commit. What you offer might be information they can use or find entertaining. Give them a reason to open that email!

Ad Campaign - Small business owners often avoid paying for advertising. But today’s tools make it cheaper to acquire advertising that’s far more targeted and effective. The trick is to plan a campaign or a series of campaigns in advance. These may have different messages, such as on per quarter each targeting a different audience segment. This point goes back to our Builder post; if you don’t research where to advertise and how, you’re just throwing money into a hole.

Questions about the ways to deliver your message? Contact us for a free consultation.