An important aspect to owning a small business is getting your face out there and reaching out to your public. Your community is your main public, therefore it is necessary to network in an efficient manner!
Marketing is the key to success for any business!
Here are important ways to promote your business to your community…
Festivals/Events
There is probably a good amount of events that occur in your community, such as festivals, conferences, and career fairs. There are plenty of community events in the Tampa Bay area! Events like these allow various organizations and companies to set up a table and/or tent to display their products and services.
This opportunity for promotion is excellent! It allows you to communicate with people who live in your area! A great benefit to going to these event is that it shows your support of local happenings, whether it’s a fundraiser or job fair.
In addition to the fun opportunities for networking, these events help you unite with the rest of your community. This sense of being is beneficial for you and your team.
Hand Out Freebies
Who doesn’t like free things? Handing out free promotional items is a great way to get your name out there! That’s because your company’s name and/or logo is printed on the various items. When those who take the freebies use them, there is a great possibility of many people seeing the product. Therefore, these products act as free advertising for your business when people use them!
Be sure to use good products that anyone would want to grab. Various promotion companies, such as Discount Promos, offers a wide variety of items to choose from. Displaying and/or handing out your freebies gets attention from consumers which could help set you apart from the rest!
Develop Relationships With Clients
It’s good to have a professional relationship with a client, but it’s even better to have one that evolves into a real friendship. The key is to view a client, or potential client, as someone who is more than just a number. But rather, a person who you will help grow their business and vice versa. Take the time to really get to know the people you interact with. Take a real interest in what they have to say and how they feel. Whether it’s someone you’re trying to get to work with you or someone who is already a client, try to be personal as well as professional. This shows people that you’re a compassionate business person, who truly cares about the public.
You never know when a relationship will turn into either a referral or an increase in revenue!
Build Partnerships With Another Organization
Get to know other entities in your area, ones that would be compatible for you in a partnership. Practice good networking skills to execute at various meetings and events in order to get to know other managers and CEOs who live in your area. Networking like this helps you to really get to know various professionals and begin to develop relationships that can only be beneficial for your efforts as an entity.
Learn about the 7 Tips for Networking.
Once a relationship has developed over time, work with your team to propose a partnership with the other company. If you have a good amount of trust and respect for each other, there is a more likely chance that the other company will agree to the partnership. That is because they are able to see where you’re coming from and the ways that the partnership could benefit their company. That is because when either company gets reached by a new client, the company suggests and promotes the other business as part of a combo deal.
A good partnership is one where one half compliments the other half, to optimize services for the client. For example a food catering company could partner with a bakery, so that way when they’re asked to cater a wedding they can include a wedding cake from the bakery as an ultimate service package for the client!
Another example is a financial advising company partnering with an insurance agency to give their clients an exclusive opportunity to optimize their insurance when receiving financial advising assistance.
Partnerships like these aren’t mergers. It is having separate companies work out a deal to combine together to help certain clients with a bonus package of services. These partnerships seek to provide convenience for the client as well as try to provide more revenue for both companies!
With solutions like these, you can help to better optimize your image in your community! Remember to take advantage of events in your area, practice good networking, and continue established relationships! You may even enjoy checking out Marketing Online and Offline.
Learn more by reading 10 Simple Marketing Tips for Small Businesses.