how to market your small business

A Guide to the Marketing Process

how to market your small business

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH

DEFINING VALUE

ONLINE PRESENCE

STRATEGY

REPEAT BUSINESS

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H O W T O M A R K E T Y O U R S M A L L B U S I N E S SPA G E 2

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Across America, local businesses compete on the same Main Street as established national brand names. We’ve all seen the rise of the massive chains that sell everything from groceries to haircuts to sneakers. Competing against these large companies with deep pocketbooks and recognized brand names may seem overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, small businesses have some significant advantages—the most important of which is that you can adapt your business to deal exclusively with the needs of your community. You don’t have to force a one-size-fits-all solution based on national averages. Instead, you can create better personal connections with your local community—something that your local customers may value much more than having the cheapest prices in town.

master the art of local marketing

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This guide has been thoughtfully created to help great local businesses like yours thrive by giving you the tools and know-how to harness the power of your community.

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YOU CAN CREATE BETTER PERSONAL CONNECTIONS WITH YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY




The foundation of successful marketing starts at home. Customers buy because of either a need or a desire, which are very different things. It is important that you take the time to understand your customers, whether you are meeting needs or desires.

Why do people choose your business? Is it your product and its perceived level of quality? Is it the service you offer? Is it the personal connection you have with each customer? Through observation and interaction with your customers, you should be able to identify a lot of useful information. When you start to realize certain patterns and habits, you can begin to understand what connects your regular customers with your target customers. Most local businesses—from restaurants to tax accountants—could, in theory, serve everybody. But it is surprisingly difficult to target “everybody” and stand out.

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do your research




Location: Where Are Your Customers?

For your local business, the location of your customer base is probably the town, neighborhood or city where you are situated. One question you might need to ask yourself is: “How far are people willing to come?” This will depend upon the availability of alternative choices and how much competition you face. If you are a fine dining restaurant, people might come from far and wide. If you are a pizza delivery shop, then your target area might be a bit more closed in.

Demographics: Who Are Your Customers? Anybody could be your customer; but, to make your marketing appeal to a target audience, you need to consider who is most likely to be your customer.If you run a trendy bar, you may appeal to a younger crowd. If you sell expensive jewelry, then you may want to target people with higher disposable incomes.

Psychographics: Why Are They Your Customers?

While demographics show who your buyer is, psychographics offer insights into the reasons why they buy. Demographics represent the facts. Psychographics deal in feelings. They represent the interests, activities, and opinions of your customers. Here are some examples of psychographic preferences:

healthy lifestyle as opposed to those who don’t

opposed to those who prefer cooking at home

opposed to the self-proclaimed technophobes

as opposed to people who buy clothing for practicality

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Marketing works best when you break the general population down into smaller groups of people. These groups, called segments, usually have significant commonalities that you can tap into. Successfully identifying these groups enables you to target your message in the right way to the right people. Here are some of the most common building blocks of customer segments:

A B C




Google AnalyticsGoogle’s web analytics service is one of the most popular analytic tools on the internet because it shows the full customer picture. Google can help you get to know your audience and their behavior on your website. With newfound insight you can find the audience you want. LEARN MORE > HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/ANALYTICS/

Facebook InsightsFacebook offers extensive data about who’s viewing and interacting with your page. But with so much information, it’s important to know what to pay attention to when analyzing activity and building out your strategy. LEARN MORE > HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.

COM/HELP/336893449723054/

Yelp MetricsOne of the best places to interact and hear from customers is Yelp. Take an important step by claiming your business on Yelp to make sure all the information is accurate. As an added bonus when you claim your business on Yelp you gain access to Yelp Metrics. This analytics tool will give you unique information such as who is checking in to your business online, how many people are getting directions to your business and even clicks to your website. LEARN MORE > HTTPS://BIZ.YELP.COM/

LivingSocial DashboardWhen you run a promotion with LivingSocial you gain access to in-depth data that you can use to inform your marketing plan. Our merchant platform allows you to track your promotion’s success with data such as revenue earned, customer demographics, and social reach. LEARN MORE > HTTPS://MERCHANT.

LIVINGSOCIAL.COM/WELCOME

R E S E A R C H

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https://www.facebook.com/help/336893449723054/

https://merchant.livingsocial.com/welcome


Impactful marketing goes beyond advertising, your website, and your social media content. Everything that touches your customer affects what they think of you. Aside from your product or service, it also includes little things that you may not think about. For example, the cleanliness of your space influences customers’ perceptions. The way you answer the phone sets the tone for future interactions.

be different, be great

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THE FIRST THING TO REMEMBER IS THIS: MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE ANYWHERE AND PART OF EVERYTHING




Be Unique In Your Product/ Service Offerings

No matter what business you’re in, it’s important to provide good value to your customers. That doesn’t mean cheap. It means the right price for the right quality in the mind of the customer. A fine dining restaurant can charge a hefty bill because their customers find value in the uniqueness of the food, the environment, the service and the exclusivity. The details that go into the customer’s experience justify the price of the product or service. If you are operating in a crowded marketplace, it is the unique qualities you offer that will enable you to stand out.

Most importantly, whatever you offer must be consistent. If someone returns and is disappointed, all of the goodwill earned from the first visit may disappear. If people know they will get exactly what they expect each

time, and they like it, then you are on your way to gaining a regular customer base.

Be Unique In Your Interactions With Customers

When you buy something from large e-commerce retailers, you normally get an email to confirm purchase, payment, shipping and delivery. These notices keep you in the loop. As a local business, it is important to keep your customers in the loop too. If you are shipping items in the mail, consider following a similar approach to the leading e-tailers. Their approach has become a standard, and consumers have grown to expect that level of service. But being unique is about the small things too: letting customers know about sales or specials, putting up signs in your business to promote events and promotions, or regularly updating your website or social media channels. Your customers will respond to quality

communication that adds value to their experience. Your customers are people, even if they are buying from another company. Don’t be afraid to add a human touch to everything you do and don’t be afraid to reveal who you are to your customers. That personal connection could be one of the keys to your success.

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Ask yourself what your customers expect and what makes you a better choice than the alternatives. Here are some areas to focus on:

TAKE ACTION

D O W N L O A D S : SWOT Analysis Worksheet, Competitive Analysis Worksheet.

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http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/l/74522/2015-08-17/232kry/74522/32224/swot_analysis___local_marketing_guide.pdf

http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/l/74522/2015-08-17/232kry/74522/32224/swot_analysis___local_marketing_guide.pdf

http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/l/74522/2015-08-17/232kqf/74522/32218/Competitor_Analysis___Local_Marketing_Guide__1_.pdf

http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/l/74522/2015-08-17/232kqf/74522/32218/Competitor_Analysis___Local_Marketing_Guide__1_.pdf

http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/get-started

H O W T O M A R K E T Y O U R S M A L L B U S I N E S SPA G E 1 0

A well-crafted website and online profiles will help your business create buzz, bring in new customers, and give your company a voice.

How you present your business online sets the tone for what people expect in-person. Your online presence not only offers a first impression, but is an opportunity to give your business some credibility and personality. Make sure the personality complements the visitors’ experience, whether that’s with approachable quirkiness or chic sophistication.

create online buzz

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If you operate a storefront on Main Street, then some people will inevitably find you by walking by. But these days, most people find businesses on their smartphones through internet searches or mobile apps.

Today’s phones are loaded with GPS technology enabling individuals to easily look up the nearest Italian restaurant with good reviews, the closest bookshop or best-priced salon.

i. Make Sure Your Content is Up-To-DateWe cannot stress enough how important it is that you are properly registered with all the relevant location services. It really will make a difference! Make sure that you use a consistent address in all of your location service providers and fill in the fields properly. When you are listed, people can check in and leave reviews, which could positively affect your local search results. If someone is searching for a business like yours and they see 5 stars and lots of glowing reviews, they will almost certainly come to you. If you are not listed, they will never know.

ii. Review Your Calls To ActionOne thing that people forget to put on their sites is the call to action. You need to lead people into the action you want them to take—whether it’s to book a reservation, make an appointment or pick up the phone and call.

iii. Get Found With Powerful SEOSEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization” and it’s becoming increasingly important with the rise of smartphones. There are a number of things that you can do to ensure that when people search for a local product or service you offer, they find your business.


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25% of those purchases are at brick-and-mortar businesses

4 out of 5 mobile web searches result in purchases

$ $ $ $

25%

MAKE SURE YOUR CUSTOMERS CAN FIND YOU

(Source: 7th Annual Local Search Study.

Neustar Localeze and 15miles)




This will ensure that your information is up-to-date and the pages appear active.

You want the descriptions on your pages to match the language people will use when searching. If you sell lasagna, make sure your website talks about lasagna or no one looking will find your business!

Restaurants can talk about food, or give away recipes. Hairdressers can post pictures, talk about the latest styles, or discuss the hair disasters of famous celebrities. If you create interesting content on a regular schedule, it will push you closer and closer to the top of that search page.

One of the most important ways in which you can increase your rank in search pages in response to a customer search is by the number of quality links that direct to your website. A link from a major news site will have much more impact than one from a small blog. So get involved in your community, send out press releases and don’t be afraid to ask websites, like the online versions of local newspapers, to link to interesting content that you create.


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HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD DO TO BOOST YOUR WEBSITE AND PROFILES IN SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS:





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i. Where to ConnectYour first decision is which social media platform(s) to choose. Even if you are familiar with one particular social network because you use it personally, this does not mean that it is the right social network for your business.

FACEBOOK: A great place to have conversations with customers and brand evangelists, promote events, and interact with the community.

TWITTER: Concise (140 characters), engaging messaging in real-time and an audience prone to sharing. Great for spur-of-the-moment interactions and promotions.

INSTAGRAM: The platform for messaging with a primarily visual impact. Great for featuring photos of food, hair or nail styles, fashion, photography, and more. Take your time getting to know how the different networks work. Ask your customers which networks they use. And don’t choose so many that you can’t manage them effectively.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS VERY EASY TO

GET STARTED AND AN EXCELLENT MEDIUM

FOR MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH

YOUR CUSTOMERS.




post anything you might regret. Once it’s out there, it’s public—even if you take it down.

beg for shares or retweets. If your content is interesting and valuable, you won’t have to.

spam. Social media is designed to be exactly how it is described: social. It’s not a broadcast network.

over post. Four to five really good tweets per day is fine on Twitter; whereas with Facebook, one or two times a day can be enough to engage your customers. Aim for quality rather than quantity.

tag people in photos that are publicly accessible without their permission.

worry about how many followers or likes you have. A strong following takes time

to grow. Focus on quality, and it will come.

complete all your active social network profiles in full and use enticing cover photos and profile images.

have an underlying theme to the content you post. People should learn what to expect from you. Your job is to make them want and anticipate more of it.

ask questions and answer other people’s questions. Each engagement creates or strengthens a customer relationship.

check out followers before you follow them back. If they are sending spam messages, avoid bumping their numbers.

read every post very carefully before you send it. Proper grammar and spelling are vital.

use hashtags where appropriate but don’t put a hashtag in front of every word. Research hashtags to ensure you’re not joining an existing, unrelated conversation.

share other people’s content if relevant. They will know you shared it and will appreciate the supportive gesture.

have fun! These are your existing and future customers. It should be a pleasure to interact with them and build the relationship.


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DO DON’T



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ii. Listening To The BuzzIf everything goes according to plan, other people will start to mention your business online. This is generally a good thing! It means the word-of-mouth effect is kicking in. But how do you know if people are talking and what they are saying?

Across The WebMany services allow you to set up free alerts where you type in the name of your business, or any other keywords you are interested in. You can use these alerts to select the types of notices you want to receive by email any time your business name is mentioned in blogs, news or videos. You can set up as many alerts as you like. Try tracking your competition, or any relevant subjects that apply to your business. This can be a tremendous source of interesting content to share across your social media networks.


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People will comment on how easy you are to find, how quickly they could make a reservation, how they enjoyed your service, and whether they thought the value justified the cost. Welcome your online reviews, and make sure that you regularly check your inbox for review notifications from all the online services with which you are listed.

i. Making Good Reviews Work For YouIf someone posts a compliment, say thank you for his or her kind words. Whether it’s a post, a tweet, or a tip, social media makes it easy for you to respond quickly. Make sure that your response is public, grateful, and genuine. Address the poster by name in your reply. Quickness is key. Replies made within minutes will have much more of an impact than a belated note made a couple of weeks later.


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HARNESS THE POWER OF REVIEWS TODAY. THE MOST POWERFUL FORM OF WORD-OF-MOUTH MARKETING IS ONLINE REVIEWS.




ii. Intercepting the Bad Reviews & Solving The ProblemUnfortunately, negative reviews do occasionally happen, but they are not the end of the world. No one wants a negative review, but how you respond can be used to your advantage.

Negative reviews present you with an opportunity to win over the customer and deepen your relationship with him or her, and the people who see the interaction unfold.

· It shows customers that you care.· It makes them feel important and appreciated.· It provides an opportunity to invite them back.

Negative reviews, especially ones that are exaggerated or unfair, can be deeply upsetting. But it’s important to remain calm—don’t let your anger or any other negative emotions take over when faced with this situation. Our best advice is to see this as an opportunity to turn the situation around. Genuine customers tend to be fair-minded. No one expects perfection. But making a personal connection and demonstrating you care about customers can really set you apart, especially if you are competing against larger or more established competition.


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respond quickly when negative reviews appear.

address each concern or point of contention. Where there is a legitimate complaint, answer it and be clear with what you have changed or intend to change.

invite the customer to return. You can, privately, offer them a special deal, but do not do this publicly as people might think you are bribing them for a second chance.

thank them. They are helping your business get better.


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ask them to take the review down. This will most likely backfire and will be a lost marketing opportunity.

threaten legal action. This approach can go viral very quickly.

ignore bad reviews. They have a terrible habit of taking on a life of their own.

DO DON’T





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TAKE ACTION

D OW N LOA D S : Social Media Posting Calendar, Seasonal Themes.

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

If you want to see whether you are being mentioned on social media, there are free tools available. You type in a keyword, such as your business’ name, and it will show you mentions across a number of social networks, as well as analysis on the overall sentiments expressed in those posts.



TWEETDECK: Handling multiple accounts for your brand or yourself can get confusing. TweetDeck can help you streamline all of your interactions in one place. Create custom columns to keep track of different types of interactions. You can also sort tweets by topic to stay up to date on subjects important to your business.

ICEROCKET: IceRocket is another tool that can help you monitor your social media presence. This real-time search engine can help you keep track keyword and company mentions on blogs, Twitter, and Facebook.

http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/l/74522/2015-08-17/232krf/74522/32222/social_media_posting_calendar.pdf


http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/l/74522/2015-08-17/232kqt/74522/32220/seasonal_themes___local_marketing_guide__1_.pdf


It’s important to figure out your options, what kind of marketing works best for your business, and how you’ll effectively execute on a plan.

While traditional print marketing is always an option, online marketing has much greater reach, a lower price, and easier measurement techniques.

strategize & shine

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i. Social Media MarketingSocial media is all about earned media over paid media. Valuable content and shareable experiences are what’s going to earn you the social attention of your customers.

Users might share your original content or go out of their way to sing your praises to their networks. The organic creation and growth of this kind of marketing contributes to its credibility and value. To be successful with your social media marketing, you need to create a plan.

ii. Capturing Current EventsIt’s a technique known as “newsjacking”. With a little attention and timing, you can find great success leveraging breaking news and current events to create relevant, poignant, and engaging content.For small businesses, this means finding a breaking news story that has local implications or relevance, and then inserting yourself into it by quickly creating complementary messaging through email, social media, or with a limited-

time promotion. Your content could be serious, or a great opportunity to make people laugh. A restaurant might react to an event by creating a special menu item named after it with a humorous twist. A salon might offer a design or treatment based on a famous celebrity that has suddenly hit the news. If you manage to get in there while online searches are peaking you may experience a period of high visibility and benefit from rapid social sharing. Plus, local journalists, who themselves will be searching for background information, may include you in the story to add a local angle.

Don’t forget, however, to be wary of sensitive news and topics. Even the edgiest businesses will be criticized for thoughtless attempts to profit from another person or group’s expense.

iii. Press ReleasesPress releases are written for the media such as journalists or

bloggers to support their own valuable content. Unlike content marketing that requires a level of direct customer benefit, it’s okay to use press releases to announce any new changes, events, or offerings. Your press release could be the announcement of a sale, a new product line, a special event, or even the hiring of a new hair stylist. For local businesses, this can lead to some publicity in the local press. Don’t forget to share your press releases on social media just like any other content. If you regularly create and share valuable social content, people won’t mind an occasional link to a press release that announces important changes at your business.


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ONLINE MARKETING





PRESS RELEASE TIPS


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iv. Paid Web AdvertisingFor those willing to shell out some cash, traditional online ad placements can help increase visibility and drive people to your website and ultimately to your business. Many social media and networking companies have made it easier for businesses to create ads that target local consumers.

When budgeting for online ad placements, be conscious of your business goals. Targeted web ads can be costly as your target audience grows, and the impact on your business’ revenue and success is often difficult to measure.

v. Deal & Voucher MarketingOffering a group voucher deal from a company like LivingSocial can help grow your business:

of active subscribers in the local area, increasing visibility and influence.

of new customers so you can plan for the business coming your way.


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When using marketing platforms like LivingSocial, it is important that you are prepared. Your Your LivingSocial promotion could bring in a number of new customers. Are you able to meet the needs of the influx of customers if they all come in at the same time? If you are a restaurant, can your reservations system handle this? Will you have enough supplies and inventory to meet demand? Be smart when setting sales limits so you’re in total control. LivingSocial promotions are most successful when they generate repeat customers. Make sure you offer an item or experience that customers will want to repeat. With thought and preparation, a LivingSocial promotion can be a tremendous way of bringing in a lot of new customers. Plus, your partnership will come with useful data tracking and support. Read about some businesses that have found success with LivingSocial here: HTTPS://MERCHANT.

LIVINGSOCIAL.COM/WELCOME/TESTIMONIALS


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https://merchant.livingsocial.com/welcome/testimonials


COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES The best way to grow your business and increase your local influence is to get involved in your area. Host neighborhood events, welcome collaborations with other local business, and give back to the community when you can. It creates a positive reputation and gives even more local consumers an opportunity to interact with your business.


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TAKE ACTION

DOWNLOADS: Goal Setting Worksheet, Social Media Posting Calendar.



http://info.livingsocialbusiness.com/l/74522/2015-08-17/232klp/74522/32216/Goal_Setting___Local_Marketing_Guide__1_.pdf



Long term success is all about building genuine relationships that turn your new customers into regulars and—better yet—brand evangelists.

keep them coming back

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BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS UPFRONT

You’ve heard it before. Building real, human relationships with the people who walk through your doors, call you, or contact you online is essential to the success of your small business.

Get to know your customers and guests. Learn their names. Say hello when they arrive. Say goodbye when they leave. No matter how someone found your business, treating your new and potential customers with respect and kindness is going to be the key to bringing them back. Plus, they’ll be sure to tell their friends when they’ve had a stellar experience.

CREATING LOYALTY OFFERS

Sometimes repeat customers need a nudge. What that nudge looks like is up to you. Tempt your customers with an offer they’ll love: a free appetizer, a glass of champagne on arrival, a product sampling, or exclusive savings.

It’s easy to reach your new customers with a service like LivingSocial—you’ll have direct access and can message them after their first visit. But you can also distribute loyalty offers by:

send a thank-you note with an offer included

creating an offer rooted in social media with a secret password or a reward for engaging online

this can be effective especially in the case of a negative review to earn your business a second chance. (But be wary not to encourage more negative reviews for this reason—opening a private line of communication for this may work best.)

giving them a coupon or punch card on their first visit to redeem when they return.

KEEPING THE CONVERSATION GOING

In today’s socially-fueled culture, you are constantly engaged in a dialogue with your existing and potential customers. Use that conversation to your advantage. Get on social media to engage with your customers—ask questions, thank your brand proponents and address the concerns of your critics. Interactions don’t end when people walk out your door, and that’s a good thing!

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