I sat down with Tim Reid, of “Small Business Big Marketing” podcast fame, at a recent workshop, and asked him for his three leading Internet marketing tips for a small business.
His answers were pure gold and you won’t go far wrong if you take them on board; we share them with you below.
1. Be A Publisher!
Successful small business owners nowadays are not marketers; they are publishers.
Times have changed over the past couple of years, so the focus should no longer be on the old, “push” marketing strategies that dominated for so long; now the trick is to attract customers by providing valuable content, which encourages them to trust in and become familiar with you and then, eventually, to buy from you.
This content can include many different formats such as blogs, articles, videos and podcasts – they all allow you to share quality information, unrestrained by the confines of traditional media like ads, flyers or airtime costs.
This content also helps you to build a presence online and get found easier and needn’t cost much money.
Even with a modest budget, most small business owners can create videos or blogs – it will take time and effort and there may be a ramp-up period until you are creating the quality you would like, but the point is almost anyone can do it. If you can’t, it can be outsourced cheaply anyway.
The mindset of a publisher is totally different to that of a marketer – embrace it because it allows you to create content once and use it (and get paid for it) for a lifetime!
2. Podcast Or Vodcast
All it takes to be a successful podcast or video-maker is the knowledge of what your audience wants to know and a few skills to help you create the content.
Do not miss the opportunity for your small business to have its own video channel or your own podcast show; it helps to present you as an expert in your field and is something that just wasn’t possible a few years ago. App stores and hosting websites even allow you to distribute it and become more widely known.
The potential is huge.
3. Get Your Message Right!
Start creating your own content.
Before you attempt to get your message out there, know what it is.
Decide on what your brand is about visually and verbally and then think about what key messages will compel people to buy from you. Without this you may be floundering from the get go.
For example our number one message is “get found online”. This answers the key question of “what do you do?” without it having to be asked.
Similarly, at the “Small Business Big Marketing” Podcast they say “we show businesses how to be irresistible.”
Answering these questions with “we do SEO” or “we help businesses with marketing” will be met with blank stares mostly.
You need to answer what your business does in an emotional, benefit-driven way and this will get you on a winning track.
Tim Reid’s Internet marketing tips have helped us at Melbourne SEO services and I’m sure they can help you too. Start applying them in your business for some quick wins and let us know how you go. If you are looking for an Internet marketing consultant to help your business succeed online, Dave is providing consulting services. Click here to find out how he can help you.