I’m just starting out. I don’t think my small business can afford marketing!

We’ve been in business for a while, but I just don’t feel comfortable with the amount of profit we’re making. I can’t possibly pay for marketing, yet!

You may have these exact thoughts when planning your small business budget. However, a better question may be, “Can I afford NOT to pay for marketing?”

Although marketing is an added expense, it’s an expense that will bring you more customers or clients. If you have more clients, you have more money!

Before embarking on a serious marketing journey, it’s important to have a clear vision for where you want to go. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the minimum number of clients I need in order to break even?
2. What is the number of clients I need in order to make my ideal profit?
3. Do I have enough staff, space, or resources in order to serve that number of clients?

Once you have a target number of clients (or profit amount), it’s time to decide on your marketing channels. It’s important to note that there are many different ways to market your small business, and each of them has an associated cost. You don’t necessarily need to spend thousands of dollars in advertising each month in order to grow your customers. 

There are 3 main channels you can use to market your small business:

1. Social media advertising (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) This is a relatively inexpensive way to get your name out in the community. For a few dollars each day, you can reach people in the Bloomington area who have interests related to your small business services. At a minimum, you should plan to invest some money using targeted ads on social media. 
2. Google ads / Google My Business It’s no secret that Google is a big player in digital marketing. Google ads are a great way to catch people who are searching for topics related to your small business services online. Google My Business has fantastic tools that help increase your web search presence.
3. Print ads, radio, sponsorships, billboards, etc. The more traditional forms of marketing are still alive and well! Depending on your type of business and the type of customers you’re trying to attract, these may be good avenues for you. These types of marketing are usually more expensive, but they certainly have a place in a well-planned, balanced marketing strategy.

Streamline Group can help your small business reach your goals! We can guide you through the process of setting up social media accounts, Google ads, Google My Business, or even just talking through which marketing channels are a good fit for your business type. Contact us today for a free consultation!

4 reasons you need online reviews – NOW

When you’re looking at products to purchase from Amazon, you probably read the reviews.  As consumers, we use the opinions and experiences of complete strangers to help us guide our purchasing decisions! 

The same is true for local businesses. When potential clients are deciding on the company they will choose to complete a service, it’s not uncommon for them to look at reviews on Facebook, Google, and Yelp. Here are 4 reasons you should encourage your customers to leave a review for your small business:

• It builds credibility.  According to seotribunal.com, research shows that 73% of consumers trust a business after seeing it has positive reviews. The more reviews you have, the more it seems as if people choose you over your competitors. Obviously, positive reviews are more beneficial, although a few less-than-glowing reviews aren’t the end of the world. They provide you with an opportunity to show the community how you make things right when a customer isn’t satisfied. A great response to a negative review can actually go a long way! Also, responding to reviews shows that you care about customer satisfaction.

• It helps your business be “found” on the web. Customer reviews are actually a determining factor in where your website shows up in a list of search results. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) uses a variety of factors to determine the order web pages are displayed after someone performs a search. One (of many) factors used to determine SEO is the number and types of reviews left on your business on Google, Facebook, and Yelp. 

• It helps improve your product or service. Asking for customer feedback is a sign that you want to make sure your clients are happy! When someone leaves a negative review, take their feedback and examine your current policies or procedures. Is there something you can do to address their concern? If so, let them know. Others who are reading the review will see that you are constantly working to improve!

• It may be the deciding factor in someone’s decision to buy or call! If your small business has similar pricing and service offerings as your competitors, a potential customer may have a hard time choosing which company to contact. Reviews can often help push the client to make a decision. Be sure your business has as many (positive) reviews as possible!

Need help getting your customers to leave reviews? Contact Streamline Group to make a plan for getting more of your clients to provide feedback after working with you! 

https://seotribunal.com/blog/stats-to-understand-seo/#local-seo-facts