If you’re an indy small business owner it may seem difficult to compete with the million dollar marketing budgets of big business.
And it is.
You’re right.
At least traditionally, dollar for dollar. You just can’t. Not without an angel investor of some kind. But don’t dismay. There are advantages you have as a small business, like agility in decision making and that personal touch that makes all the difference.
4 Easy Ways to Beat Big Business
A Smile and a Special Something
What makes a fortune cookie so special? For most of us, it’s not the taste. It’s that message we assume is just for us. As a small business owner you can provide your customers with those same special touches. You can gift wrap the purchase in beautiful floral tissue wrap when the customer’s not looking or you can add a special message in their bag. You can give them free samples (Sephora does this) or send an email thanking them for their purchase and offering them a discount for their next one.
Offer Free Classes
Offering free classes, low-cost ones, or free trial classes bring in traffic and often drive purchases. Look at PetSmart’s puppy classes. They know if you come to class each week, you’ll leave with something from their store. Figure out a way you can provide customer value like that and they’re likely to spend more.
Become an Online Resource
Yes, big business is doing this like crazy, just check out Walmart’s amazing content marketing. Seriously. They have some great articles on their site. Luckily, a lot of people don’t know about them. But you can corner the market, so to speak, on the local end and become an online resource with nothing other than time. You don’t need to write, if you don’t want to. You can be just as successful in reaching an audience through podcasts or videos.
Get Known as the “It” Person
The Bartles and Jaymes guys. Frank Perdue. Orville Redenbacher. The Colonel. These are all examples of personified brands. Do those old guys really make wine? Of course not, but they sure did sell a lot of it. Becoming the face of your brand helps people connect with you. This has become incredibly easy and inexpensive with social media. The one downside to doing this is if your face becomes your business brand, selling your business could prove difficult; but you can worry about that after you’re wildly successful.
In order to beat big business at its own game, you need to personify your business, become as approachable online as you are in store, and serve as a resource for your community. Social media reduces the barrier to entry of becoming successful in these activities and marketing tactics.
Contact us at ThinkQuik today if you think it’s time your business gets noticed.
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