With my beloved Patriots out of the running, I really don’t care about the outcome of today’s game. That said, the festivities around Super Bowl Sunday have been raging since 10am and I am looking forward to game-time.
No, not so I can see the crowd filled with Cheese Heads and Terrible Towels, but so I can oogle at the Super Bowl ads.
Most of us will never work on a Super Bowl spot, but we can appreciate the work and dedication that goes into their creation. The research, creative genius, testing and flawless execution make the breaks in the big game a treat for viewers year after year.
So, if you don’t have a Super Bowl sized budget, what are the most cost/time effective marketing activities you can do to promote your small business? Here is my short list:
Develop/Maintain a Web presence
By developing and maintaining an up to date website, you ensure that consumers can find the basic information they need to evaluate your product/service…but developing that website is not enough. No matter how great your site is, you need to be sure your site can be easily found. This is where blogging and SEO comes in.
Blog
By blogging about your area of expertise, you have the ability to showcase your skills and the potential to become a thought leader in your space. You can blog about anything, from experiences with customers to successful projects and anything in between. Blogging on a consistent basis will also help you with SEO.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is essential to any web strategy. If you want customers to find you, you need to make sure you are doing all that you can to own your keywords. I will devote an entire blog to SEO this week, so check back for more on this topic.
Social Media
Social media isn’t for all businesses, but for many it is a great tool for word of mouth marketing and for engaging with your existing and potential customers. Not all networks are created equal, so be sure you are using the right network for your message and your audience.
Obviously, every business is different, but it is essential that you target consumer can find you when looking for your services. Just because you don’t have the budget to reach 100mil viewers this Sunday doesn’t mean your marketing tactics won’t be effective!
Go Packers? Go Steelers? Meh. I’m ready for the ads!
coreyolo 