If you’re just about to launch your own business, you may be wondering how you can spread the word and generate some interest in your products and services. Of course, you’ll likely start by placing adverts in your local newspaper, asking friends and family to tell their contacts, and networking at events in your local area, but there are other techniques that you should try out, too. Below, we’ve put together five ways to get people to find out about your new business.
Invest in search engine optimisation
While you’ll want to spread the word about your business as soon as possible, you should also consider the long game when it comes to digital marketing. Search engine optimisation is one of the most important aspects of any online marketing strategy, so the sooner you get started on a campaign, the better. Some businesses outsource their SEO to an agency that specialises in SEO for small businesses, but you can pick up the basics yourself by reading blogs such as Moz, Neil Patel and Copyblogger. The rest can be outsourced as and when you can afford to.
Utilise social media to generate leads
Social media is a great way of interacting with new people and boosting your chances of success, and networks such as Instagram and Twitter make it easy for your brand to connect with strangers. Start by following people who follow your competitors, and some of those people will follow you back. Then, you can promote content and share your products and services, and you’ll likely generate some interest over time as your profiles and audiences grow. Social media advertising, through Facebook and Twitter, can also be useful if you’ve got a marketing budget.
Pull a stunt for media attention
If you’re offering controversial or unusual products or services, then pulling a stunt could be a great way to generate hype and get free press coverage. For example, you could offer a free voucher to anyone who gets a tattoo of your logo on their body, or you could run a competition and get people to create videos featuring your products. Of course, these are only examples, but we’re sure you can come up with something creative and get the hype train started.
Host a launch event with influencers
When you’re ready to launch your business, host an event to celebrate your achievements so far, and invite influencers and authority figures who are likely to tweet about your event and your business. The more social media attention you generate, the more people will see your brand and be interested in finding out more about your products and services. It’s as simple as that.
Use live video
Live video has exploded in popularity in recent years, and it’s one of the best ways to boost brand advocacy and engagement. Host live events showcasing your products or software updates, and get people involved by answering questions and running competitions. You should go live on multiple platforms at the same time for maximum engagement; think Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Twitch. The opportunities with live video are truly endless.
Nobody said that promoting a new business would be easy, but there are certainly lots of ways that you can give it a go. Experiment with some of the techniques we’ve mentioned in today’s post, and see which ones work best for your brand. You might just be surprised at the results.