Create a Google My Business (GMB) Profile

We cannot say enough about how important Google My Business is for your online presence. With approximately 94% of searches happening on Google property, Google takes the throne for the most popular search engine out there. Creating a Google My Business account is completely free and easy to use. The best part is, your profile shows up directly on search and maps when a user is looking for your business.

Begin Building Up Google Reviews

Google Reviews are different from many others, as the reviews are directly embedded into the search engine. Google reviews appear next to your listing in map and search. Therefore, they will always be seen if someone comes upon your business listing!

Any customer can leave a review for your business, as long as they have a Google account. Businesses often offer additional incentives for leaving a review. This can be a helpful tactic because it gives a satisfied customer a reason to leave a positive review on your businesses’ behalf.

Utilize Social Media to Increase Sales

As social media continues to become increasingly popular, there is no doubt it can be of benefit to your business. Social media is an excellent way for you to foster a relationship with new and existing customers.

Social Media Advertising

Many social media sites allow for advertising which can drive revenue and traffic to your website. Facebook now owns Instagram so you can create an ad through Facebook Ad Manager and it will reach your Instagram audience, too. If other sites like Pinterest or LinkedIn are of interest, those are also great advertising avenues to consider.

Build a Community

As mentioned, social media is an excellent way to connect with your audience. You can increase sales by simply forming a strong relationship and connecting with someone who trusts you enough to do business with you. Sometimes, it takes time to nurture a relationship, but there is no doubt that it will pay off. Once you build a community, they can also help your business by liking, leaving reviews, and recommending it to friends.

Research Your Market

It is important to take the time to understand how your customers interact with your product or services. You can increase your knowledge of your customers through a variety of tactics. One of them being feedback. You can gain customer feedback through surveys, focus groups, or interviews. Is there a pain point that a customer has in your sales or business process? Reach out and ask. It can never hurt.

Another great idea is to look at your data from Google Analytics and study the performance of your landing page. How are various elements on your website performing? How much are customers interacting with your ad campaigns? These are some things you should give thought to.

Create a Community with Other Businesses

Another way to increase sales is to make connections with other small businesses in your area or industry. You can refer businesses to one another, but you could also partner with them in other ways. For example, say you’re a small beach clothing shop and you create a giveaway on your Instagram that includes sunscreen from another business. This could be a great partnership for years to come.

Focus On What the Business Needs

Sometimes we can be too focused on the things that can be solved easily. Remember that issues like IT and HR are problems that can be delegated to certain branches of the company. If you need managed IT support, consider hiring an outside business to help you out. On the other hand, if a new hire employee has specific questions about how time off or sexual harassment is take care of, refer them to HR.

Nurture Leads with Email Marketing

If you have a prospect’s email, creating automated email campaigns is an effective way to gain their business. Oftentimes, the sales process is not just ad to purchase but can take some time. This is great news, because per Oberlo, for every $1 spent on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $42.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 9 Ways to Increase Sales In Your Business appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Let’s face it, we live in the age of technology. While business owners used to be able to advertise in the newspaper, or through word of mouth, that’s not as effective as it once was. These days, it’s all about the internet. 

The web is a great place to build an audience and reach new people who might be interested in using your services or buying your product. Billions of people use the internet, so the pool of potential customers is large. What’s also pretty great is tech companies use algorithms to target groups of specific people. However, the potential clients do not come easily. You still have to put the legwork in and appeal to the people you want to reach. Fortunately, there are simple ways to help you get started. 

Optimize Your Content 

It’s a good idea to add content to your website, even if you are offering a service. This content, if optimized correctly can attract people to your business site and they could later become customers. For instance, if your company is related to home repairs, you can write blog posts giving homeowners tips, reviewing paint, talking about common problems you run into in homes, and other stuff like that. 

Optimizing your content just means you’re going to take steps to try to get it to rank high on search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) techniques include adding keywords that people often search for, as well as including meta descriptions, tags, and authority links. The higher you rank on the search engines, the more traffic you will get to your website. 

Once your content is optimized and you’re getting a decent amount of traffic, apply for accounts with ad companies like Google AdWords. If the ad companies approve you, you’ll be able to monetize the content on your website. Not only will the site attract new customers, but it can also make some extra cash for you too. You also need to know how Google Ads automation works to understand more about the metrics and relevance of your website.

Use Social Media 

Once you have your website up and running, it’s important that you use social media to appeal to more customers. Platforms like Facebook are terrific because you can spend a little money advertising your business to a targeted audience. For example, if your company appeals to parents of small children, then you can target men and women between the ages of 20 to 40 in specific areas. Facebook will then send your ad out to people in that group. 

Social media can also help you interact with your customers in a down-to-Earth way that appeals to them. If you’re a funny person, make sure they see that. If you’re compassionate, find ways to express that. When you have a customer base that feels as if they know you, they’re more likely to be repeat customers. 

Don’t be afraid to use your platforms to go live, post videos, and share pictures. Those all help boost you on the platform’s algorithm. People like posts that they can interact with and it will pay off for you in the end. Who knows when you might have something go viral. 

Be Consistent 

Make sure that you’re always consistently updating your website, content, and social media posts. This shows people that you are committed to your business. If you have a website or social media account that hasn’t been updated in a while, customers might think your business is defunct. 

Once you learn how to navigate the internet, you’ll know what works for your business and what doesn’t. Posting content, optimizing, and interacting with people will be second nature to you. Just like with everything else in life, the more you do something, the easier it becomes. 

The payoff will be a loyal customer base who spreads the word to their family and friends.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Expanding Online Presence to Increase Profits appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The internet is a hugely powerful promotional tool for a business. Whether it’s through the use of clever SEO to help grow a website, a solid email marketing plan, or a creative and unique promotional video for YouTube, if a business isn’t online in some shape or form, then they’re probably not doing it right. Social media is arguably the most powerful tool of the lot, too. 

Of course, not every business necessarily needs to have an online presence, but the vast majority do. That doesn’t mean that every single business is marketing itself online in the best way possible, though. In fact, we’ve seen several horrific social media campaigns over the years, and even from some of the big boys too. Get it right, though, and a business can essentially tap into a huge and new audience, therefore growing the brand and any creative output they wish to share with the masses. Put bluntly; social media is a vitally important tool in modern-day business. 

There’s an extensive selection of different businesses promoting services, products and the like on social media also. Fitness brands have used platforms like Instagram to get a wealth of influencers on board, gaming companies have YouTubers endorsing the latest FIFA game or playing online blackjack at slotsheaven.com in the UK live to the masses, alongside food companies promoting its latest lactose-free milk on Facebook or a local butchers sharing images of its latest rump steaks to its army of local followers. It can be a saturated space, that’s for sure, but do it right and your business could witness impressive growth. 

With that in mind, here are some of the best ways to promote your business on social media. 

Join the right platform 

The most popular social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the newly emerging TikTok. Each platform tends to attract different audiences or perhaps has a mix of people using them. For example, TikTok generally has a younger audience, therefore making no sense for a cruise company promoting senior cruises to use it. Assess your target audience and social media platform they’re likely to use and go from there. 

Read More: The Most Popular SMEs Industries Booming On TikTok

Create a content calendar

Content is key, making it crucial for all social media managers to have a plan. Last-minute posts and rushed images can lead to low-quality content which can harm your online community. To avoid this, create a simple content calendar to enable you to feel more organised and essentially deliver better, more thought out content. Plan your posts in advance with the relevant hashtags, images, links and any other content, and you’ll reap the rewards.

Encourage engagement

The main aim for a business when joining social media should be to create an online community and therefore encourage engagement around the business and its services, hopefully spreading more awareness in the process and ultimately helping it to grow. To feed into this, though, engagement and interaction are key. Ask questions, obtain for feedback, repost interesting content, and comment on other posts.

Don’t be spammy 

To avoid coming across as spammy with endless promotional plugs that can annoy followers, try implementing the one-in-seven rule, which basically means that for every one directly promotional post, six other posts should be content-based. Don’t sell too much or you’ll lose people. It’s that simple. 

Address problems quickly 

There’s no use in having a social media presence and hardly using it or not being responsive to your audience, therefore making it vitally important to monitor mentions and reply to any issues accordingly. Always remain professional and be friendly at all times, too.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post The Best Ways To Promote Your Business On Social Media appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Propelled by the global health pandemic this past year, the much-vaunted but oft-postponed digital transformation that’s filled reams of thought leadership blogs for the past decade happened in a few months.

However, it’s easier for some businesses to adapt than others – for instance, a digital marketing agency which already does much of its business online will find switching to 100% remote working far easier than an artisan sock suspender manufacturer.

If you’re struggling to work out how to go digital with your own specialist business, don’t panic – read these 5 erudite ways to market niche businesses online.

Google My Business

Other search engines are available, but with a near-global monopoly Google is the only game in town in many territories.

And even if you don’t yet have a website, you can stake your claim to a lucrative slice of the search giant’s online real estate with a Google My Business account. This is basically a handy free Google listing that contains a business photo, description, opening hours and contact details – bagging one is a no-brainer.

Well-designed website

If you really want to establish and cement a robust online presence, it’s worth investing in a website. It’s still the best way of showcasing your products and services, introducing customers to your brand values and facilitating online sales by setting it up for eCommerce.

You’ll need to fill your website with SEO (Search Engine Optimised) content too, so that it ranks highly on the likes of Bing and Google, while disciplines like conversion copywriting and good UX (user experience) will drive conversions like sales once people land on your site.

Convincing case studies

What you do or sell might be a little dry and technical to laypeople, but the results it can deliver for customers are probably really exciting.

This is where well-written case studies supported by attractive photos or an explainer video are really effective – for instance, Ormiston Wire is a specialist firm with lots of fascinating case studies where its products are used in everything from TV puppetry to architectural art.

Social media

Used properly, social media can be a really effective way of connecting with customers in a relaxed, conversational, yet business-driven manner online.

But if you expend too much energy on every platform, you’re likely to disappear down a rabbit hole – find the platforms where your audience actually hangs out and focus on these. For instance, LinkedIn is by far the best option for B2B firms, while Instagram is great for firms with visual products, like tattooists and craftspeople.

Video content

Video content gets lots of traction these days, especially on social media platforms like LinkedIn – so whether you want to create a short, snappy explainer video clarifying what you offer and why customers need it, or personal branding content that lets new customers put a human face to your firm, it’s worthwhile.

You don’t have to be an expert either – take a #MadeOnAMobile course with filmmaker Jon Gill and you can be creating your own corporate videos on your mobile in no time at all.

This is an article provided by our partners’ network. It does not reflect the views or opinions of our editorial team and management.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 5 Ways To Market Niche Businesses Online appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Small and gargantuan businesses alike have been through unprecedented changes in the last 20 years. Globalisation, and digital technology, has permeated every layer of each company, and marketing is no exception.

And while some companies have been through a process of ‘What’s marketing’, and ‘Oh – sort of like advertising, right?’, more and more specialist marketing companies have cropped up and taken on the task of proving how it’s done.

So, if you’re currently trusting someone else to do the majority of your promotion, here are a few ways you could do a little DIY marketing yourself.

Acknowledging your fount of knowledge

Nobody knows more about your business than the people who work there. If you imagine a pyramid of knowledge that relates specifically to your business and brand – you’re right at the top. Then, it’s likely to be your customers, clients, and maybe even your competitors.

Marketers or marketing agencies, no matter how much experience they embody, will forever remain further down the pyramid. This is important to remember, as it will help you to recognise that, in an ideal world, you should be doing as much marketing as you can, internally.

Understanding exactly what’s what

Many agencies will claim to be able to do the lot; marketing, advertising, PR. And that’s not to say that they aren’t capable of performing each different task. But what you won’t know, unless you ask, is whether they are going to further outsource the tasks they ‘take’ on your behalf.

This is where it’s worth you understanding a few basics, such as what separates marketing from PR, marketing from advertising, and the many facets of digital marketing. If you already maintain your website, in house, or pay someone else to do this, it’s also worth taking some time to ensure that your pages are ready for digital marketing. It’s likely that an agency could do this on your behalf, but it could be another way to tackle a little more of the work internally.

Recognising the smaller, bigger picture

Let’s say that your annual turnover is (and sorry if this figure is way out – it’s just an easy figure to remember!) £1 million per annum. If a marketing company were able to increase that by 30% each year, you’d be pretty chuffed with the £1.3 million, right? However, a smaller increase, of say 1%, week by week – which is achievable in-house – would actually work out to be far more effective over the year.

Essentially, by simply taking the time to do a little more yourself, the rewards are there. Plus, you’ve got the time to learn how to improve your strategy, albeit while finding the time to do so. But this is part of seeing the ‘smaller, bigger picture’. By finding a little more time to concentrate on marketing internally, the overall rewards could be significant.

Investing in yourself, as opposed to others

There are plenty of variables to consider here, including your budget, number of staff, and existing infrastructure of hardware and software. But by understanding the above points, and recognising the simple, hopefully effective things that marketers and agencies have done for you, you’ll be better placed to recognise which areas of your business are worth investing in right now.

For instance, considering the revenue you now know can be generated, could you hire your own marketing professional, or expand your team? Could you do all your print marketing internally, with a high quality, modern printer by Duplo International? And what about paying for internal marketing training – as opposed to paying someone else to do it, while gaining no new knowledge?

By taking stock of how much money you’ve spent on external marketing, and knowing that this only meant buying a few hours of another person’s time, imagine what you could do with that money yourself. Plus, at the end of the day, you know more about your business than anyone else – and that will never change.

This is an article provided by our partners’ network. It does not reflect the views or opinions of our editorial team and management.

Contributed content

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Outsourcing Your marketing? Here Are 4 Ways To Do More Marketing Internally appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.