Why You Need a Writer (or Successful Marketing 101)

Successful Marketing Strategies

               Let’s sum up this month on customer retention by reviewing specific behaviors which can benefit or grow your business. In my research I went to Indeed, a company specializing in connecting employers with new employees, because they certainly look at the broader picture. They broke down marketing plans into specific efforts you can utilize to grow your business:

1.      Leverage social media.

2.      Start a blog.

3.      Maximize search engine optimization.

4.      Create a call to action.

5.      Engage influencers.

6.      Build a mailing list.

7.      Create an affiliate program.

8.      Engage customers with a chat.

9.      Host webinars.

10.   Develop customer personas.

I am not suggesting you implement all ten strategies. I’m suggesting you choose two or three, and it’s no surprise which I find most effective. Because I research successful business management 52 weeks a year, a few ideas ping back and forth across my radar week after week.

               Leverage social media. I know you’re busy. Hire someone to do this for you. Posting on Face Book, Instagram or your website three to five times a day keeps you in the limelight. These posts should be mostly engaging and educational. And did I mention—It doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.

               A good influencer generates a week or month of posts at a time, creating a campaign, slowly building toward an outcome. Once in the groove, posts are generated in a matter of minutes and the effort becomes quite cost-effective. It’s also quite valuable if you have a business built on keeping and generating sales. Your influencer takes your pictures, your successes, your merchandise…spinning stories and ideas that pique the imaginations of readers…and your business shines.

               Start a blog. You don’t have to write it yourself. As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t. Does that surprise you? Like social media posts, these should be informative, not salesy…yet they should “sell you and your product” by telling stories. You need someone to brag about you, and it’s always better when it’s not you tooting your own horn, right?

               A good blog educates readers about what you do, your expertise, your ability to satisfy their needs and why you are valuable without ever mentioning your name. Then when your name is mentioned, it resonates with the reader. It becomes a call to action.

               Host webinars. Many of us are camera shy, and you don’t have to be the face of your business. Hire a writer to produce scripts for you. Select topics which entertain, educate, or describe your merchandise. Let employees audition to be the stars. Utilize the same intro and closing in each video, one which focuses on brand recognition.

               Current and future clients will watch these videos, and your business will grow. Most of you don’t know that I love to quilt. Well, I produce about one quilt a month, and I love certain parts of the process. I recently acquired a new product and turned to You Tube for tutorials. Based on what I saw, I decided to expand my inventory of tools produced by this particular brand. I never saw the owner’s face. I just watched how it was used and listened to the engaging conversation on the video, and I was hooked. They kept a new customer who determined to buy more of their product with no eye contact, no need to fry the camera. I’d say that was a win!

               Maintaining your customer base is certainly a key part of maintaining a successful business. It doesn’t just happen. It requires effort, specific effort. It requires attention to the nitty gritty of what entertains and educates your customer base. It requires an effort which you, as the owner, should not be creating. YOU run your business. Bring in someone to “sell” your business. Grow your business by keeping customers, always bringing them back for more.