Promotional Efforts in Reaching Your Target Audience

For some, small business equates to a mom and pop corner store. Everyone in the neighborhood knew the owners by name and would not dream of driving across town to patron another store. That was comforting to the owners because word-of-mouth and repeat customers were the only marketing tools needed.Most likely, you are a small business that is far from the above description. You identify with the bootstrapping, hardworking history, your tools today consist of integrated marketing solutions. The unique needs and goals of your business involves expanding your reach beyond the neighborhood.Learn the Decision-Making Process of Your ConsumersIn the last 20 years, drastic changes have occurred in the marketplace. 

In times past, the consumer looked for newspaper listings, combed the phone book or asked friends and family for recommendations. The business with the biggest ad space in the yellow pages was the one who got the attention – and customers.This modern age works under a short and fast buying cycle, but the decision-making process is more complex. It takes too much time to turn pages in a phone book, if you can find one. What consumers can easily find is their smartphone, laptop or tablet to quickly search for a local business. Visibility for small business is now connected to algorithms and the like to get sales.Using an Integrated ApproachWhat this means for your small business is to adopt an integrated approach. Also known a multi-channel, you are using multiple platforms to drive a consistent brand message. 

Promotional efforts are not limited to a one page ad – unless the ad is found on a web page. Your efforts persistently reach your target market where they are without them spending too much time searching for you.Reaching your target audience through different means has a greater impact than traditional methods. That is because reaching them involves being where they are, knowing where they will look and delivering what they need.

Nevertheless, your integrated approach must go beyond the message you want to send through your brand. It also includes creating strategies and campaigns that market through multiple channels. Social media, advertising, email marketing and content marketing can complement each other to meet the marketing goals of your small business.Focusing on one method at a time is tempting, but not practical. You only catch a few people in this rapid buying cycle. Simply blogging or engaging consumers through social media without including a variety of digital marketing activities causes you to miss a larger audience.