Small IT companies often have a hard time marketing themselves, despite their expertise in the world of computers. Establishing a strong brand presence is vital for a small business. There are several marketing techniques that will really help you find new clients and draw more people to your business. The following six tips will explain a few simple strategies to help your business compete to succeed.
Strengthen Your Social Media Presence
Far from being the optional platform is was even five years ago, social media now offers proof of validity to consumers. Social media is a very cost-effective marketing and advertising mechanism. Grow your audience by posting relevant content on a timely basis. Include information about your business, but remember to also entertain and education your audience with news and useful, informative tips. If you are unsure about the best way to strengthen your social media presence, consider hiring a specialist to either jump-start or manage your campaigns.
Sponsor Events
Along with the sense of satisfaction of being an active member of your local or national community, sponsorships promote brand awareness in a very positive manner. By sponsoring charity events, you give your business an edge over competitors that choose to not be involved. Sponsorships also level the playing field by placing lesser-known brands next to those that are more established. It can also be beneficial to attend other community events in order to get exposure for your company. You don’t have to host or create your own event to make an appearance to the community.
Utilize Google AdWords
AdWords is a paid search advertising platform for the Google search engine. By linking your AdWords campaigns with Google Analytics, you are given valuable data on your traffic and conversions, which will in turn help fine-tune your AdWords campaigns to target the most profitable sectors. AdWords makes the process so simple that even if you have little to no paid search experience, you can begin building a small campaign immediately and build on it from there.
Streamline Your Website
To make sure your website is bringing the traffic that leads to conversions for your business, make sure you are following search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. This includes keyword usage, relevant core content, and descriptive meta tags. Consider your website your calling card and 24-hour customer service platform. Utilize unique and relevant content that describes your business and services, and make sure your site is responsive, meaning that the content is readily available across devices. With mobile users representing a large and growing population of internet searchers, responsive site design is increasingly important. Finally, be sure your calls to action are clear, concise, and visible on the page without scrolling, whether that is a “Contact Us” or “Download” button or link, or any other call to action.
Blog Fresh Content
Along with the core content found on your streamlined website, fresh content keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more. Blogs, e-zines and newsletters are excellent platforms for creating new content as well as sharing industry news, educational tips and useful lists.
Consider Promotional Products
Distributing creatively designed promotional products can be a cost-effective strategy to increase brand awareness while offering something useful or entertaining to your potential customers. These promotional products can be imprinted with your company’s logo and contact details so every time they are used by current and potential customers, you gain marketing exposure. Promo pens, custom mugs, personalized calendars and many other branded items are excellent to have on hand at conventions and seminars. They can also be an effective means of empowering your employees to promote your business. Promotional products like these act as walking billboards, ensuring that you gain repeated marketing exposure every time they are used by recipients. Some small IT startups in Virginia have been able to attract new clients with the t-shirts they have designed on websites like http://www.halo.com/promotional-products-richmond-virginia.aspx by making their name and logo more prominent and visible in the community.
Building a competitive image involves strategy. These few steps will go a long way toward establishing a strong brand and growing your client base. As an IT company, you might be used to the “computer stuff,” but one important part of marketing your brand and your company is to get out in the community and build relationships with people. It is important to not only have an online presence, but a more humanistic presence in your local area in order to attract potential customers.