On this week's blog, Casandra Sunday takes over by peeling back the curtain and sharing her top 5 tips and tricks when marketing your trade business.
So—you’re a business owner looking for ways to market your services or products. Don’t know the first thing about marketing? Maybe you feel a little intimidated and don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, you’re not alone— and you’re in luck!
Find Your Target Audience
Not to sound like your high school marketing teacher but— this really is the first & most important step when marketing your brand. Knowing who to deliver your content to is the only way you’ll ever reach your future clientele. So take my advice— find your audience, grab ahold of them, and don’t let go! Be it Real Estate Agents, homeowners, interior designers or even a gc, market to that specific audience.
2. Blogging is a Powerful Tool
Blogs— I truly consider them to be a secret weapon. Running a blog provides an outlet to provide professional insight, advice, and the chance to answer some frequently asked questions from your target audience. The real beauty of a blog is the flexibility behind it. You can choose the frequency in which you post, the content you provide, and even the ways in which you promote it. If you haven’t already— you need to start a blog.
3. Social Media is the New Black
This one is pretty self-explanatory. If your business isn’t on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn— you’re missing out. Not only are you missing out on the BILLIONS of people (and potential clients) that use these sites, but also the amazing new business analytics tools that they provide! These tools give you direct insight into your engagement, the ability to run paid ads, and you can even run paid partnerships with other brands!
Creating video content for Reels is another great way to promote & grow your business. Data collected from Instagram shows that reels provide 40-70% more engagement compared to posting an average video post. With its over 2 billion users, and statistics like that, it would be foolish to pass up using this brilliant (and free) marketing resource.
4. Offer Value Through Testimonials
There’s nothing more powerful than word of mouth. As a consumer, if there’s one thing that I do before investing in a brand or business, it’s look at their reviews. Client testimonials can truly make or break you, so always strive to treat every client like a critic you’re passionate about earning a five-star review from. I also love to shout out client reviews on business social media platforms. It makes those who take the time to share their experience with your business feel special, and also gives you extra content for your pages. (Win, win!)
5. Local Businesses Are Your Best Friend
Last but certainly not least, the gem is local businesses. Firstly, and this should go without saying, please support your fellow locally owned & operated businesses. One of the best ways to do so is by collaborating with other businesses for special events, promotions, and much more. By doing so, you create a mutually beneficial relationship between your brand and another— with the goal being to earn you both more clientele. (And let’s face it, being able to split the cost of hosting an event or running a promotional ad is another big win, win.)
In closing, I'd like to emphasize that no matter what marketing strategy you choose to pursue, staying consistently true to your brand and passionate about your business will speak volumes to all present and future clients. Whether you have a high budget or low budget (or even no budget at all), there are plenty of easy and affordable ways to promote and market your business like a pro.
