Author: Evan Newman

The days of relying on flyers, posters, radio and television spots are not dead, but they are gradually declining in importance for brands. There is no shortage of ways to get recognised in 2018 as the free and easy access to the internet and smartphone devices has altered the usual methods of marketing.

 

From small startup enterprises to large global corporations, there are now some fundamental practices that every company can embrace when pushing their agenda in the digital sphere.

 

Here are the key techniques that fit this category.

Blogging

 

Should you argue that your enterprise is an authority on a niche, from plumbing services to practicing law or providing IT support, then blogging is an ideal means to showcase your value to the market. Writing extensive pieces that gives the consumer a greater insight into your knowledge is a commodity that can be sold for a price or issued as an incentive for customers to rely on your services.

Business Directories

 

The majority of business directories are open, free portals where you can place your name among the many leading candidates for a given niche. They will be sorted according to type and profile, as well as physical location should you happen to possess one.

Multimedia Adverts Through Images and Video

 

In order to drive engagement and ensure that your bounce rate is as low as possible from an optimisation perspective, you need to include multimedia as part of your content strategy. This is an outlet that can arrive in a number of different forms, from image galleries to filtered pictures and videos from YouTube and Vimeo applications. They help to engage the user with multimedia content that is not static as it allows you to boost your brand awareness and showcase a strong degree of expertise and creativity.

Social Media

 

Social media is no longer seen as a Gen Y toy or an added luxury that can be tapped into sporadically. Sites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and LinkedIn are free and easily accessible portals where millions of consumers absorb marketing content every minute of every day.

Google Adwords

 

Want the visibility to publish your brand’s message but don’t have a large consumer base already on hand to view the content? Well Google Adwords is an ideal platform where you can score clicks simply by investing revenue into targeted online advertisements. The only limit is the amount in which you want to invest as you can cater the spot to any form of demographic.

In 2018 the advice given to businesses is to think digital. Everything is geared towards the online experience where brands have to optimise their website and develop a social media profile that is the envy of their peers.

 

Whilst this is largely true for most niches in the world of commerce, there is an offline element based in the “real world” that is still as prevalent today as it was in decades past. Consumers still gravitate to messages and brands they can feel, see and listen to first hand.

 

So if you are tired about hearing the new ways to push your marketing agenda online, why not examine some of the key techniques that still prove successful?

Guesting Writing For Magazines and Newspapers

 

Magazines and newspapers still have currency and a subscription base depending on what publication it is and what community is purchasing. Should you lend your voice to a niche-specific magazine or a spot in a newspaper, you can provide brand awareness and illustrate your expertise all at the same time.

Sponsoring Local Enterprises

 

From local soccer clubs to disability programs and more, sponsoring anyone of these community-based endeavours tells the local consumer that you are invested in the region and the people that populate it. That recognition can be reciprocated in turn by customers who respect your organisation giving back to the community.

Direct Mail Campaigns

 

The mailbox is still a location that consumers check regularly and unlike email that can be largely ignored, a flyer or business card placed in mailboxes is still a terrific and direct means of marketing. Do not abuse this tactic to fall foul of spamming consumers, but the occasional mailbox drop is a great way to generate local cut-through.

Hosting and Co-Hosting Events

 

Whether it is an educational workshop that allows people to see first hand your knowledge and expertise to hosting a Q&A session, events are a great means of offering the public a tangible experience they can take away with them. The entire process does not have to be done all off your own accord of course, as local companies can join forces to co-host events held in local parks, schools, shopping centres, at gala days and fun run events or wherever large groups gather to form a community.

Product Giveaways

 

A good old fashion giveaway can really draw in people to appreciating and trying a product or service for themselves. It helps to drive excitement and interest in the brand where before people were closed off. It is a traditional means of garnering momentum, even though the giveaway is something of an investment.

Social media does not have to be this luxury extra that brands have to utilise for the sake of an obligation. It also does not require a team of Gen Y experts to execute properly with many of these apps providing an easy to use interface that anyone can take advantage of.

 

Should the task appear daunting on the surface, rest easy in the knowledge that a few key pointers can offer a shortcut to your social media problems. Here we will outline a series of techniques that will assist your efforts.

Fill Out Your Profile

 

Many small to medium enterprises will often leave their profile as an afterthought. It is best to ensure that your logo, URL link and description is up to date and includes the latest promotional message and call to action (CTA). The profile will be the first port of call for many visitors, so use this as a moment to cash in when they visit your page.

Post Regularly

 

One of the best shortcuts to understanding the minutiae involved with social media is to get posting as regularly as possible. Upload famous quotes, documents, news feeds, funny GIFs, videos – anything that can speak to the niche in question acts as content that can be of value to your brand. Social media is a means of opening up pathways to communicate with your consumer base. Embrace that opportunity.

Consistent Branding

 

A simple first step to shortcut your way to success is ensuring you have a consistent brand message for all of your accounts. From the URL to the domain name and the title of the posts, make sure that there is a definitive link that can be defined between all profiles. This includes your Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn accounts.

Be Visual At Every Opportunity

 

They say that a picture tells a thousand words. Should that be true, then uploading optimised images will save you writing that thousand words whilst engaging users with multimedia content that boosts your visibility. Branding in 2018 can be defined by many things, yet it is those enterprises who can translate a message through visible interpretations and expressions that really score a leg up on the competition.

Just Engage!

 

Social media can be seen as an alternative means of customer service. When followers leave comments, feedback, questions and ratings – engage with those people! Accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are open to the public, so there is no point attempting to avoid scrutiny. Answer their queries and publish your ability to find solutions and reward regulars.

Running a small to medium business is an exciting adventure that opens up your brand to a number of opportunities. Being able to grow and expand your operation makes for an enticing endeavour as you venture forward into the open marketplace.

 

However, the practice of being an owner comes inherent with a series of key responsibilities. You are in charge of more than your own ambitions and objectives with all of the staff, sponsors, partners and consumers relying on your service.

 

Should the core constituents be exposed to injury, illness, death or malpractice, then the business will be exposed and vulnerable. Here is where insurance plays a crucial role to provide a genuine safeguard in the event that problems arise.

 

So why should your business sign up for insurance as coverage? Here we will argue the advantages of investing in a scheme that fits your enterprise.

Finding An Ideal Provider From Large Market

 

The field of business insurance is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. There will be providers and brands out there who can cater all types of packages that can suit each individual enterprise. The coverage that will tie in with your operating model should be available on the market as you have the capacity to open a dialogue with providers who promote themselves as the ideal insurance brokers.

 

From insurance that covers workers compensation, vehicles, property, liability and more, business insurance brands have had to becomes more adaptable to a marketplace of companies who come to table with different needs to their competitors.

Protection of Assets

 

There is too much at stake to not buy in to an insurance scheme for your business. Accidents can occur at a regular basis, particularly when there is physical work involved. There will also be continual fluctuations in property value as well as the condition of staff who could be coming and going from the enterprise. Protecting your assets is a fundamental reason why business insurance matters.

Acts As Contingency

 

Should values drop or the business faces a challenge having to pay for damages or substitute when employees leave, then a resources are stretched to their limits. In some cases this can mean the difference between being an entity and going out of business, so tapping into an insurance package that acts as a safety net is imperative for owners. It prevents companies from selling or liquidating assets, or even needing to utilise saved funds that were saved for other investment purposes.

Unless your enterprise happens to be a local corner store that is not in the business of promotion, then there should be no excuse to fail at an online presence in 2018. From small operations to large and wealthy global conglomerates that have representatives on every continent, it is paramount that your operation embraces the digital landscape and takes advantage of what it has to offer.

 

The thinking by many marketers and customer service professionals has been forced to change over the past decade as free and open internet access combined with the boom of the app market, smartphone integration and the social media phenomenon has ended the argument for good.

 

As if to drive this point home further, here we will outline the benefits of running your business enterprise online.

Being Open To 24/7 Customer Service

 

If you happen to have a call desk that is open during business hours, the inverse of this scenario means that customers are closed off outside business hours. There should be an email address to ask questions and send feedback, alongside a social media presence that gives regulars a chance to communicate at a time that suits them.

Opening Pathways and Venturing Beyond Local Limitations

 

Being an optimised and well produced business means having a presence that is connected to other brands within your niche. That network helps improve your visibility as well as communicating to your customers that you are striving to provide value. The beauty of the internet is that there are no barriers to this marketplace. You can source knowledge and expertise from other cities, interstate or anywhere overseas. There are no limits.

Content and Product Efficiency

 

Sticking to traditional models of ordering goods or services can take time, money and resources that could be better utilised elsewhere. From faxing paper to filling out documents, running an online portal for consumers to do really does improve the overall business model from top to bottom.

Showcasing Professional Presence

 

There is no question that an online platform that promotes a clean, slick look with a professional production tells the audience that you are a quality brand of repute. By failing to meet these standards, the message is crystal clear to the consumer base – we will not cater to your needs.

Saving Costs

 

The final benefit is straightforward – costs are cut down when operating online. From printing and calling to promoting marketing materials, a digital process will save revenue on a daily basis throughout all facets of the operation.

Entrepreneurial individuals who love to innovate and begin new ventures will usually have the passion and ingenuity to undertake a startup with the right amount of gusto. Yet no one can begin a project in this manner all off their own accord.

 

From talent scouts to department heads, accountants and engineers – your startup could comprise of either a handful of trusted associates or an entire department of employees.

 

Whatever position your startup is in, it is worthwhile making note of the current and upcoming challenges that will surely be faced in the weeks and months ahead. Some will be classified as relatively mundane and straightforward, whilst others will require more diligence to tackle properly.

Elbowing In On The Competition

 

Business is a cutthroat exercise at the best of times and when a startup emerges on the scene, noses can be put out of place, figuratively speaking. Dealing with competition is part and parcel and becoming a fully fledged enterprise, yet that can carry with it a degree of conflict as other brands look to gain at edge at every opportunity. Embrace this challenge and be prepared for the conflict.

Managing Growth

 

Although most startups will fail within the first 12 months, those that can stay the course will have to manage the growth aspect of the business. From hiring more people to managing more portfolios, dealing with a higher volume of customers, organising additional social media accounts and beyond. Have a strategy in place that ensures you can map out a timeline of events as the expansion of the business is incorporated into the overall plan of the enterprise.

Finding Suitable Staff

 

Acquiring people who have the expertise, experience and chemistry within a group is hard. They also have to be candidates you can trust and there will have to be an acceptance that this process might require some trial and error. Take your time with this activity.

Fostering a “Business Culture”

 

The next phase is to ensure that a healthy business culture is established. Begin this process by outlining a policy that is 100% transparent where communication pathways are opened at every avenue. Allow new members to feel integrated, welcomed and valued.

Adapting To Change

 

Startups will be forced to change their initial projections, whether positively or negatively. Additional competitors could emerge and external market fluctuations will alter how you proceed moving forward. Implement a structure that allows for this changing dynamic to occur whilst not affecting your long-term goals.

Do you have a startup business concept in mind? Are you looking to branch out from your 9-5 job and breakout from the mundane routine that has defined your career to date?

 

Should you fit that description, then you will be considering whether or not you have what it takes to be a fully fledged entrepreneur. This is not a decision to take lightly.

 

Even history’s most successful innovators from Steve Jobs to Richard Branson encounter numerous setbacks and challenges that threatened to prevent their inclusion into the business world.

 

Yet what these icons share is a series of characteristics that defined their success. Some of these attributes can be learned over the course of time whilst others have to be inherent within the person to begin with.

Knowledgeable

 

To be an entrepreneur, you must be an authority on the subject. All aspects of the business have to be understood as a point of practice because there will be stumbling blocks and opportunities that require a strong degree of expertise.

Embraces Change

 

In a digital world where concepts around customer service, online integration and globalisation has altered what we originally thought business would be, there has to be a flexibility and adaptability to change. The best in the business will have a capacity to think on their feet but also ensure that their model is not tied to a structure and process that is vulnerable to a fluctuating market. That takes skill and instinct.

Disciplined

 

A successful entrepreneur will have the motivation to stick to a disciplined routine at all costs. Even though there will be downtime to consider opportunities and reassess your standing, business leaders that get ahead have the ability to show up at the start of the day and be the last to leave.

Risk Taker

 

Taking a leap to even attempt to the journey to becoming an entrepreneur is a risk to begin with. That spirit has to be embraced throughout as business operators take educated leaps of faith. Nothing in this environment is a guarantee, so risk should be viewed as an asset if understood correctly rather than feared.

Forward-Thinking and Progressive

 

Where will the market be in 12 months time? What about 3 years, 5 or 10? Entrepreneurs must be forward-thinking characters who are planning their moves ahead of time. Strategy is incredibly valuable in business and it separates the good performers from the greats.

There are many features that can define the quality of a business. From the amount of sales and revenue brought in on an annual basis to customer satisfaction and brand recognition on the web, there will be a litany of benchmarks that an enterprise can be judged upon – both internally and externally.

 

What should be upheld at all times is a set of ethical principles that must be practiced at every possible opportunity. These are guidelines that all owners and employees alike should abide by in order to understand the difference between right and wrong, as well as being a thriving and viable entity moving forward.

 

So what are the ideal ethical business principles that should be embraced by your operation? Let us examine the key elements that define a quality enterprise.

Provide Training Activities Across The Board

 

Many of the principles that you wish to uphold will be understood from any walk of life in a professional environment, yet there will be intricacies that means some of these guidelines can be lost in translation. Ensure that you have a structured and scheduled training program in place, both for incoming staff and current staff to make clear what standards and practices are personified by the brand.

Accountability

 

There is no point implementing a set of principles and a code of conduct if those that exploit the system are not held accountable. From the owner of the business all the way down to an intern, an organisation’s standards and convictions will be put to the test when someone in a leadership position attempts to flirt with the rules and breaches them. A process must be put in place to hold these individuals accountable where policy is universal.

Leadership Through Actions

 

It is quite simple to craft a document filled with bullet points that discusses what guidelines and principles a company should enact. It is something else altogether to see leaders actually follow through on these policies when the time comes for it. From opening doors to younger employees and people from diverse backgrounds to holding educational seminars and more, executives and individuals in well paid roles should justify their position by being advocates for these principles.

Promoting Positive Working Environment

 

Working at a business where individuals feel threatened or neglected will often fester throughout the organisation. By opening dialogue and communication pathways where employees feel empowered to talk transparently, impediments and barriers are broken down. A positive working environment translates to a successful enterprise.