2021 – The internet is already getting flooded with tips, how-tos, techniques, and blah, blah that you should follow this year, especially after 2020. You will find a good number of detailed posts about small business marketing techniques for 2021.
However, at the end of the day – whether 2020 or 2032 – strategic planning and smart execution – is all that matters. And when you are doing small business marketing – you need to create a blueprint and follow it from top to bottom. A minor mistake can cost you your 2021 small business marketing results!
So, there’s no time like the present to start building your marketing plan to help your business grow in the coming years.
Here’s a simple-to-the-point 10 Small Business Marketing Plan to kick-start 2021
Let’s Start With:
1) Defining your Target or Business Goal
Before you start strategizing and implementing your marketing plans, you need to define your business goals.
Is your brand interested in just sales, or do you want to achieve something more?
Is your brand aiming to reach 100% sustainability, or are your products and services aimed at providing complete after-sales service?
Are you looking for a chance to grow your business into an international conglomerate, or are you looking to keep it local?
Whatever may be your target goal, it is best to keep it defined from the start and create your marketing strategy to cater to your goals.
2) Getting a mobile-optimized website ready
The age of mobile is upon us. Or instead has been upon us for some time now.
Mobile market share worldwide is 51.2% as compared to 44.3% desktop market share.
So, if your website is not mobile optimized, you will be losing out on customers big time.
If you want to have a mobile-optimized website, then ask yourself these questions:
- How quickly does my website load?
- Is your site responsive or adaptive?
- Are images optimized for mobile?
- Can you browse easily through your webpage?
- Can I find answers about the product?
Before you look into any marketing tactic, you need to make sure that your site is optimized for mobile. That way, you gain more happy customers.
3) Optimizing website for search engines
Another essential section you need to cover before you start your marketing strategy is optimized for search engines.
Ask yourself this: If your website is not SEO-friendly, how will customers find you online?
But, how can you make your website SEO-friendly?
You can:
- Analyze your website data to see what is working and what is not.
- Do a complete analysis of keywords for your website using Google Keyword Planner or other third-party tools
- Add long and rich content that answers queries of customers
- Remember to optimize for on-page SEO. Add optimized titles, descriptions, URL slags, and meta tags to make sure your website is on-pointe
- Create a strategy to get backlinks to your website to add credibility
4) Fine-tuning your content marketing plan
One of the most important factors to remember when building a marketing plan is to create a content plan before.
Adding a proper content marketing strategy will help in conversions and build trust with your audience and generate leads.
Create a content marketing plan that connects with your brand’s goals and make sure that you work towards them. Add content that will enhance your products or services and create a sense of utility in potential customers’ minds.
5) Creating excellent content – that makes sense to your audience
When creating content, make sure that you have a good read of what your audience wants.
Use online trends to discover upcoming topics and find out the latest trends that customers are interested in. Make sure the content you create is relatable and has enough information to make it an exciting read.
6) Making use of the best Call-To-Action or CTAs
CTAs are very important, especially for eCommerce brands. If designed the right way, CTAs can be the make or break point for any brand. Having a clear Call-To-Action button helps a website steer a customer’s attention to the next stage in the buying funnel.
Most tutorials will show you how to create CTAs and the best design and text to use but remember they must be connected to your brand and must follow the tone of voice used throughout.
7) Taking the most opportunity out of social media
Social media is an essential part of an eCommerce business marketing plan. Social media is a great way to connect with hundreds and thousands of potential customers in one shot.
But, you need to tell your story without sounding too cheesy or boastful. With social media, you can learn about your competitors and check how their social posts are doing with the same target audience.
Another added advantage of using social media is that you can directly connect with customers. Your customers or potential customers can ask you questions now, and you can connect with them over a more friendly setting.
8) Sticking to the good old Email Marketing Plan
With a simple email marketing plan, you can’t go wrong. After all, your customers willingly gave you their email addresses to connect with.
But why is email marketing important?
- It is one of the most cost-effective strategies with the highest ROI – For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $42
- Emails let you connect your marketing channels to create a more fluid buyer journey
- Customization is one of the most significant advantages of email marketing. You can customize the experience for individual customers when sending out bulk emails to let them know that you want to create a bond or a relationship
- You can completely automate your email marketing strategy to make sure the burden does not fall on your shoulders
So, plan out an email marketing strategy and stick to it.
Let your customers know what’s happening with your brand and update them about the latest collections or services, or additions to your business.
9) Tracking and analyzing results – on repeat
One thing you need to know about eCommerce marketing is that your customers are the end-all. It is because of your customers that your business is moving forward.
So, if you don’t research and study up who your customers really are, you will miss out on a lot of revenue. Tracking data and analyzing the results will help you create better connections with your customers. They allow you to track your customers’ expectations and see how your posts or your shares connect with them.
According to your customers, when you analyze data and create marketing strategies, it makes a sort of loyalty-feeling in your customers. When you look after the needs of your customers, they will look after you.
10) Delighting and developing a long-term relationship with leads
Remember that not every lead will become a customer. That does not mean that you should not lose hope – a lead has every potential to become a customer.
So, you need to develop long-term relationships with the leads you have.
Let them know that you care – that they are always on the back of your mind. When you take an active interest in your leads, they will also take part in you. That is when your lead will be a loyal customer – when they realize that you as a brand are loyal to them.
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