Starting a new business involves a lot of work. From getting your finances together to finding a space to run your business, it can take a lot of time to get your business off the ground.
And even when you’re in a good place to launch, how do you even begin to get your business noticed amongst the competition?
A quick Google search for a business that offers services like yours, in your local area, will soon show you just what you’re dealing with.
Say you’re starting a personal training business or opening a new nail salon, you’re probably facing a pretty strong market for what you want to do. But does that mean it’s impossible to turn your business into a success?
Not! You just need to adopt a strong marketing approach to help you get noticed.
Explore the following ideas to help your new local business stand out, ready to blow away the competition.
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Add some polish
All too often, people launch a business via an Instagram page, lacking much thought into how their business ‘looks.’
Building a brand for your business helps you add a little polish, so it’s worth spending time developing a brand strategy before you launch.
From adding a logo to thinking about the value statement for your business, it can all help to give your business a professional edge that people will be drawn to compared to one of your not-so-polished competitors.
Set up a strong website
Never underestimate the value of having a website. Websites are a fantastic way to showcase your services, but they can also be useful for bookings and enquiries. Consider your website your shop window to show off exactly what you can offer people.
Work with a website developer to help you create a website that stands out and is valuable to prospective customers. You don’t have to have anything flashy – a simple but professional-looking website is all you need.
Search engines and even voice search through Google, Alexa, etc, are still key ways for people to find goods and services online, so making sure you’re in these spaces will give you a better chance of ranking higher for those local searches.
Get ready to spend a lot of time on social media
Social media is an important tool for building your brand. Love it or loathe it, you’re going to need it if you want to start making an impression. Start by looking at what others are doing in your industry.
Hairdressers, for example, are making relevant, watchable content from hair makeovers and hair styling tips – showing off the services they can offer their clients. Just like this one:
By finding creative ways to showcase your talent, you’ll soon see your views increase and watch enquiries grow. Explore more tips for social media marketing for small businesses to see how you can use your accounts to generate business.
Work with some local influencers to generate some word-of-mouth
Sticking with the social media theme, if you’re going to make an impression locally, you need to start getting the word out to locals in your area. And influencer marketing is one of the best ways to do this.
If your services are area-specific, then it makes sense to work with people in your local area to help promote them.
They may not have the following of huge online trendsetters, but your local influencers have the strongest connection to your target audience, who will look to them for recommendations in their area.
Developing an influencer strategy doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. While some influencers may demand a payment for their services, some will happily provide a review in exchange for some freebies, or an invitation to check out your services.
Find some people who have an engaged following, and start making those connections to help your business grow.
Don’t forget to rope your friends and family in too – their networks can be worth more than you realise when it comes to word-of-mouth and putting your business on others’ radars.
Throw a launch event
Want to have a little fun with your business launch? Throw a launch event. A launch event can be a good way to introduce yourself to others and get people talking about your business. This may take a little budget, but it will be worth it to secure some early leads and get your business off on the right foot.
Launch with a great deal to create some demand
As well as a launch event, consider launching with a great deal to create some demand. It could be a special discount for the first people to try your services or a taster price to hook people in.
Everyone loves the thought of a bargain, and once they’re in, you can show the true value of your services and hopefully develop some long-lasting customer relationships early on.
Make your business visible in your local area
Finally, it’s time to make your business visible. Some of the ways you can do this include sponsoring local teams or good causes, as well as traditional forms of advertising like billboards, local paper, etc.
Attending networking events is another great way to make your business more well-known, some events cater for everything from young entrepreneurs to digital marketing networks and others.
Become a part of the community and make the connections that count.
Besides being present offline, you also need to make your presence known online. Get yourself a Google My Business profile to make sure you’re visible on Maps and all other tools that will help people find out where and who you are.
Effective marketing is vital for achieving business success. Putting in the effort will help your business become more recognisable so that you can build up a strong customer base and thrive.
