| Before the Internet came along and changed human | | | | Let's face it, growing a business is easy if you know |
| behavior forever, small business marketing was pretty | | | | how, but giving your business a unique identity amidst |
| straightforward. An entrepreneur had merely to focus | | | | all the competition in your market is tough. Here's |
| his or her efforts on offline marketing strategies to | | | | where branding can lend a helping hand, personifying |
| maximize returns. | | | | your business by leveraging on brand awareness to |
| With the introduction of the Internet, however, | | | | build stronger relationships with your customers. |
| entrepreneurs have now been presented with a piece | | | | Ideally, your brand should influence every aspect of |
| of technology that has already begun to revolutionize | | | | your business operation because the successful |
| the way businesses market and sell their products and | | | | brands of today will be those capable of producing |
| services. It has become the quintessential medium for | | | | customer-centric business models consistently. |
| entrepreneurs to gain better competitive advantage | | | | 4. Targeted Traffic |
| and stronger economic footing in their marketplace. | | | | Getting traffic to your business is obviously a must for |
| As exciting as the Internet is for entrepreneurs, | | | | survival. No business can survive without traffic, |
| however, it inevitably poses a new set of challenges | | | | whether it be online or offline. But the key to |
| for small businesses, specifically in marketing. So, if | | | | outsmarting your competitors is attracting targeted |
| you're a tad bit confused about creating your | | | | traffic, which pose a much higher chance of converting |
| marketing strategy to fit today's global marketplace, | | | | to paying customers. |
| then here are 7 small business marketing strategies | | | | Attracting targeted online traffic is a much faster and |
| that you and every other entrepreneur should know | | | | more cost-effective way of growing a small business |
| about: | | | | and can be achieved by utilizing strategies such as |
| 1. Start A Blog | | | | search engine optimization, buying traffic (using PPC, |
| You know a marketing strategy is working extremely | | | | CPA, or banners), recommending affiliate programs |
| well if Microsoft is using it. The revolution of the Internet | | | | and syndicating content. |
| made websites mandatory for any business seeking | | | | 5. PR |
| an online presence, but the evolution of the Internet has | | | | Want to spark a buying frenzy for your products or |
| made it mandatory for entrepreneurs to start blogging. | | | | services in a flash? Then, nothing comes quite as |
| There's a lot that should be said about blogging, but in a | | | | close as landing a press coverage about your |
| nutshell, it is a distributed media that entrepreneurs | | | | business or about your success as an entrepreneur. |
| create and relinquish control to their audience | | | | Yes, advertising in papers or magazines has its perks, |
| (prospects and customers) to establish a long-lasting | | | | but consumers know that these can be biased. Gaining |
| customer relationship. | | | | publicity via a news release, on the other hand, lends |
| Blogs are probably the quickest way to create | | | | huge credibility to your business and should only serve |
| awareness and draw attention to your business, | | | | to boost your sales for the long term. |
| building trust with your prospects and removing | | | | 6. Writing Articles |
| perceived risk by tearing down communication barriers. | | | | The Internet has made it extremely easy for anyone |
| It puts a human face to your business, illuminating an | | | | to establish themselves as an author and information |
| element of business transparency your customers can | | | | publisher. Take advantage of this by writing articles |
| easily identify with. | | | | promoting your business. Why? Because as an |
| 2. Network Online And Offline | | | | entrepreneur, writing articles makes you an authority in |
| Networking is seldom referred to as a marketing | | | | the eyes of your customers, a marketing strategy |
| strategy and those who undervalue its potential to | | | | often used by CEOs of Fortune 500s to garner a |
| grow a business couldn't be more wrong. The proof of | | | | following of pre-sold prospects for easy sales. |
| this is in the popularity of social networking sites like | | | | 7. Public Speaking |
| and So popular are these digital networking sites in | | | | Probably the hardest strategy for the publicity shy, but |
| today's Web 2.0 era that there is practically a site | | | | speaking to promote your business is a critical |
| created around every interest imaginable. | | | | marketing strategy. Communication experts list |
| Networking sites like and are specifically centered on | | | | speaking and writing as the two most important skills |
| like-minded small-business entrepreneurs like you and | | | | to develop as an entrepreneur due to the instant |
| are perfect platforms for seeking out new business | | | | recognition that these skills contribute to your business. |
| opportunities and partnerships. | | | | Small businesses experiencing a growth spurt on the |
| Let's not forget the traditional methods of networking | | | | Internet can be attributed to one common factor: a |
| as well, such as attending seminars and business | | | | successful marriage of both online and offline |
| events which, although outshone by the current frenzy | | | | marketing strategies. So put these 7 marketing |
| of online social networks, still play a huge role in carving | | | | strategies into practice and watch your business |
| out big chunks of business opportunities. | | | | takeoff from a whole new level. |
| 3. Branding | | | | |