Does My Small Local Business Need Digital Marketing?

Digital Marketing | Does My Small, Local Business Need Digital Marketing?
7 Reasons Why You Need Digital Marketing For Your Business.

1. More Cost Effective

Don’t take my word for it. Take the time, if you haven’t already, to check on the cost for traditional advertising channels like print media or television and radio spots. Even the local, Pennysaver publications can cost around $200 a month in certain markets. Now, compare that to a paid, internet ad campaign through Facebook or Youtube and you’ll realize you can reach a larger audience with that $200 that has more of a chance to see and be interested in your product/service through targeting. As a small business, whether you’re local or national/worldwide, resources can be limited and it’s imperative that each dollar spent is maximized.
2. Content Creates Connections
Traditional media leaves you with a limited message that is hit or miss. In the digital space, once you grab someone’s attention, you have the opportunity to craft meaningful messages that inform and influence their purchases more effectively.
Your content can be curated and tailored to certain audiences and you can establish your unique voice. This creates credibility which creates the connections that drive buying behaviors.
3. Meets the Mobile Customer
Not to insult your intelligence, but the obvious must be stated; the largest group of consumers are using their mobile devices daily. Not only are they using them to shop and review, the social aspect of the online experience influences and informs they’re behaviors possibly beyond what they even realize. On top of that, they’re actual purchases are now made on their mobile device. What does that mean for your business? Digital marketing messages are no longer an option. This is especially true for small, local businesses who have to compete in the marketplace with typically limited resources. You have to meet customers where their eyes are already looking.

4. More Revenue
We’ve established that digital marketing campaigns can increase your return on investment with the wider reach you can achieve but what does that mean to the bottom line? The obvious answer is more attention and awareness = more revenue. Furthermore, the advantage to digital marketing is the ability to track, analyze and predict with the data you can extract from those campaigns. Sound too complicated? There are plenty of tools and resources that can simplify that for you or you can always CONTACT US for help.
Just a word of advice, you’ll want to ensure that you have the processes and systems in place to handle the increase in traffic. Phone inquiries, emails, customer coupon redemptions, etc, can get overwhelming and burdensome for smaller operations. We always recommend automating basic tasks first and then delegating the rest for best results in efficiency. Tools like Trello, Podio, Grasshopper, and (SMS automation) are extremely valuable for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
5. Enhance Customer Experience
As previously explained, the real power of digital marketing, when done correctly is the data that you can use to gain insight on your customer’s as a group and individually. You’ll be able to gain valuable information about their preferences and tendencies so that you have the opportunity to create a better experience for them if you so choose. This will increase and maximize the long-term value of every customer who purchases from you.
6. Gain Competitive Advantage
Most businesses are turning their attention to social media, Google Adwords, paid ads via Facebook or YouTube and SEO but the fact of the matter is that for many it is a new frontier. What that means for a small local business or newer entrepreneurs is opportunity; opportunities to increase your knowledge of digital marketing and surpass your competitors who haven’t learned the best practices. Having the ability to observe, monitor and learn from the mistakes of others is valuable to implementing your own strategies. A thoughtfully planned and executed digital marketing campaign can explode any business regardless of size or time in business.
7. Gain Credibility
Digital marketing grows from social proof, social media signals and real testimonials from clients who have previously used, joined, purchased or availed of a service or product marketed by your business. Most clients would trust a service or a product when people they know give positive feedback or information about a particular brand. So a good recommendation by an individual with a strong following on Facebook or Twitter could make or break your business.