Online Marketing for New Businesses
All small and new businesses need to ensure their bases are covered when launching and marketing their organization online. Here are 5 tips to get you started:
1. A Logo and Brand Identity That Pops
Today’s business logos need to work on more than just white paper. Your logo needs to “pop” on paper and screens (TVs, computers, and mobile devices). Your logo must work in all sizes, from a business card to a building sign, to embroidered on a hat. It also needs to capture the essence of your business and invoke thoughts or concepts that reflect your mission, such as inspiration, financial stability, and creativity.
2. Unique Domain
Your business should buy a domain compatible with your organization’s name or mission before you finalize the branding! To look professional, you’ll need to register your domain and set up unique email addresses.
We also suggest setting up a marketing alias email address just for your communication efforts, such as marketing@ABCcompany.com. The alias email can be set up to forward to the responsible person, allowing staff changes as the business grows.
3. Reserve Your Social Media Sites
Even though you may not be ready to shout to the world, “I’m HERE!” you need to set up social marketing platforms in the name of your organization so that they won’t be grabbed by someone else. Consider this protecting your brand. Using your new marketing email and URL from Step 2, set up the following social media accounts:
- LinkedIn Company Page
- Facebook Page
- YouTube Channel
- Google My Business
- Instagram (especially if your target audience demographic is under 40)
4. Mobile-Friendly Website
Researching keyword combinations will help you market to your target audience. Try to write your web content using these keywords. Ensure your new site links to all of the social media sites you plan on using to communicate. It’s also critical that your website is mobile-friendly. A basic 4-page WordPress website is an excellent place to start. It should include the following:
- Home page — Logo, branding, and short overview paragraph of what your organization does that is full of your keywords phrases.
- About Us — Include an introduction to the leaders, your mission, and where you are located (Google My Business).
- Services or Products — Overview of how your business solves a need for its target audience.
- Contact Us — A form that allows interested parties to reach you.
5. Get Ready to Shake the Trees!
As a small business owner, I’ve often thought of marketing as “shaking the trees” to see what business will fall out. To get started marketing your organization, you’ll need:
- Business cards — Consider adding additional information to your business card, such as a call-to-action or QR code. Check out dot.cards for digital contact sharing.
- Positioning statement — This is a concise sentence or two that explains what makes your organization better able to meet the needs of your target audience. For more information, check out How to Write Marketing Positioning Statements.
- Elevator pitch — To successfully market your company, you’ll need to quickly explain to your target audience what makes your solution unique. A short YouTube video is a great way to bring your pitch to your audience and introduce yourself and the business. Here’s an article that gives tips on crafting an Elevator Pitch.
