How Digital Marketing Helps the Growth of Small Businesses?

Imagine you own a start-up. What would be your major goal? Obviously, to bring your idea into the market and give it a life by reaching the right people. How as a start-up you could get your voice heard?

In the recent years, the online retail sales have grown by 11.1% and the sales through mobile devices have grown by 23.7%, per a recent study. Undoubtedly, there is a huge potential through digital platforms.

Thanks to this digitalization!

The above statistics encourage and compel a business, moreover a start-up, to invest seriously in Digital Marketing. Whatever be your business type (a start-up, small, or medium) – Digital is the right choice to get connected with your people and generate revenue.

On the other hand, a recent survey conducted among the small business owners showed that, one in seven doesn’t plan to implement a digital marketing strategy in 2018. The reason stated was small businesses don’t find time for marketing. Most of the small businesses stated that “Marketing” was their biggest challenge.

Would you ever skip Digital Marketing? Then you are missing one of the best revenue generating channels for your business!

The digital world is getting crowded day-by-day. The Marketers and Business Owners are clamoring to get their voices heard.

The Era of Digital Marketing

This era of mobile phones and digital platforms has changed the way business owners look at marketing. People think that digital marketing is for big businesses, but the fact is digital marketing is for all kinds of businesses – be it small, medium or large.

The success of digital marketing remains elusive to most of the small business owners. The year 2018 has been promising, where 71% of small business owners plan to use social media strategies and social media content to acquire customers.

By now, you should have thought about having a digital presence for your Small Business. But how??? Read the blog to the last word to get more clarity!

SMEs & Digital Marketing

The Small and Medium Enterprises, which is commonly referred to as SMEs, has taken a great leap in recent years and great development has been witnessed in this field. Many start-ups have come into existence recently and are owned by young and talented entrepreneurs. These people have changed their mode of operating – from traditional advertising methods to modern way of using digital techniques to promote their businesses.

Several SME owners crave for innovation and have entered this competitive market with a plunge into the digital marketing methods, with digital marketing as their key source of acquisition.

A typical digital marketing campaign helps you to reach out to your customers in the global market. Digital marketing strategies have been a great advantage for these SMEs and has helped them magnify their products and services in front of their targeted audience.

Here are certain traits of Digital Marketing that makes it unique:

Cost-Effective – Digital Marketing is considered to be the most cost-effective and affordable method to easily reach out your target audience. The key highlight of Digital Marketing is its organic reach, where no single penny is to be spent.

With limited budgets, it is difficult for small businesses to perform traditional marketing. However, with the help of digital marketing, SMEs can easily increase their reach and conversions with a very minimal budget that too in a short time, say a few months.

Detailed Targeting – With the use of effective digital marketing methods, it is too easy to have a sharp focus on your targeted audience, based on the geographical/demographic areas. To put it simple, much detailing on the products or services offered can be done based on the audiences’ location, interest, and a lot more…

In Facebook, you can narrow down your Target Audience by demographics, interests, behaviours, etc… In LinkedIn, you can target people based on their designation, skills, years of experience, location, and a lot more…

Builds Trust – Truly, digital marketing is one of the easiest and best ways for a company to attract the new audience to gain the “Trust Momentum”. A well-planned digital marketing strategy will help you retain your new as well as existing customers by building a strong relationship with them.

The trust you have gained from your audience literally sets you apart from your rivals.

·         Maintaining a brilliant website,

·         Conducting contests in Facebook,

·         Publishing unique images in Instagram,

·         Showcasing your domain expertise in LinkedIn,

are some of the popular ways to get connected with your people to gain their attention. All your activities eventually earn trust in the long run.

To make it simple, online users and reviewers are the “real ambassadors” for your brand

Client’s Feedback – The real success of your business depends on client’s feedback. That helps you place your product/solution as per client’s expectation. With digital marketing, you can get the feedback on real-time. Nothing values more than a voice from your clients.

Feedback & Reviews help digital marketers to optimize ad campaigns and revise their strategies from time to time. Listening to and considering your customer feedback makes them feel important.

As we are all aware of an Evergreen Commerce Fact that “Customers and Kings”.

“A recent survey shows that 90% of customers who provide feedback and write reviews on social media platforms help others to make better decisions regarding their purchase. Another stat shows that more than 70% of the customers want to help the brands to enhance the product that they create.”

Get Started with Digital Marketing

By now, you must have got an idea about how digital marketing helps SMEs to build their brand. But then how to get it started for your business? Here are some basic steps to get started with:

Build a Website – Owning your website with all basic information helps you connect with your audience. The website includes all the relevant information about your brand that is required for your customers. Website and Hosting tutorials are much available online. With smart understanding, you can own a site at a very minimal cost.

Resonate with Your Audience in Social Media – When planned holistically, Digital Marketing would pave you high dividends. Here are some success stories that every Small Business Owner must read:

Case Study 1: Earn Your Trust Through Facebook

Have you ever wondered how a Facebook page for your business would create wonders? Here is a story of an Indian-origin Chai Walli who is now Australia’s Businesswoman of the Year.

Uppma Virdi, a 26-year old Indian-Australian girl, is a successful lawyer by profession and is now a leading Woman Entrepreneur in Melbourne.

Two years ago, Uppma Virdi wanted to give a shot and started her own tea-business. A few days later, she thought of selling the teas via her own online store. With lots of effort and hard work, she started marketing and social media campaigns through Facebook. This helped in building her own network, thereby gaining wide pick of customers. She managed to create an apt logo that matched her Business and kept her page updated, thereby targeting her own audience.  

Once a female-run local business, Chai Walli, now has an online store and a Facebook Community Page with more than 6K followers around the world.

Adding feather to the cap, the girl has bagged the Indian Australian Business and Community Awards for the year 2016.

Case Study 2: Get Connected with Your Audience Through Instagram

With the growth of social media platforms and with the entry of Facebook and Instagram, the scenario of shopping has changed dramatically. In particular, Instagram stories are now trending and are super good for your business. There are many small brands, creating exclusive content for Instagram stories to feed the audience.

If you’re planning to build your business or establish your dress boutique, then Instagram could be an ideal option. Elegant Fashion Way is a famous Instagram online dress boutique exclusively for Women. This online boutique that is built on customers’ trust now has more than 31.5K followers within a short span of time.  Undoubtedly, the brand earns lucratively through this millennial platform.

Case Study 3: Get the Most Out of LinkedIn for Your B2B Marketing

Owning a LinkedIn profile serves as the foundation for your individual brand online. It acts as a silent salesperson for your B2B marketing and connects you with the prospects, customers, and clients.

Having an updated LinkedIn profile would bring in wonders, and one real world example is Moses Hall from Chicago. He is a Real Estate Investment Strategist who found profitable success by optimizing his LinkedIn profile. His new skills and updated profile helped him generate new businesses.

With the help of the LinkedIn Business Page, you can promote your business, share details about your work culture, and products & services that you offer.

Key take away from us…

Social media platforms continue to be a prominent source for potential leads and sales. Small business owners can explore more on how online marketing strategies could work best for their businesses.

Still looking for an option to establish your brand?

Take Your Business Online. Go Social!!!