4 Digital Marketing Tips For Your Small Business

“Have A Very Social Christmas: 4 Digital Marketing Tips For Small Businesses

Unlike big-box retailers and department stores, small businesses don’t have million-dollar advertising budgets to splurge on TV commercials and newspaper print ads.

Fortunately they do have social media, which can whip up substantial shopper interest at negligible expense and relatively little effort.

Here are four proven social media tips to generate awareness about your small business and the deals you’d like to promote to customers old and new.

1. Tap Snapchat. Nearly 1 in 5 consumers currently uses Snapchat at least once a month, according to eMarketer. Although posts on Snapchat have short life spans, they’re considered a great way to deliver instant advertising messages like limited-time offers, which is what the holiday shopping season is all about anyway. Put together a clever video that promotes the store’s biggest value deals. (For help, ask any teenager.)
2.  Facebook Call To Action. Three years ago, Facebook introduced a call-to-action feature to help the platform’s pages generate more business for commercial users. Among the buttons users can click on is a “Shop Now” feature, a good way for consumers to see what will be on sale. Another call to action is a “Sign Up” button for special events at the store, such as a giveaway raffle, a product demo or a meeting with a celebrity.
3. Text Messaging. On the day of an event, preferably moments before the shop opens, text regular customers, friends, family and anyone else in your contacts list about discounts. As the hours tick away, text the group again: “Great deals are still to be had, but they’re going fast.” Plenty of apps are available for text-message marketing. And many can be tailored to small business needs. Just don’t overdo the texting.
4. Pinups on Pinterest. Your store is likely decorated with Christmas trees, menorahs or wintry landscapes. Take advantage of your hard work by putting a selection of discounted products in the foreground of these holiday decorations. Then take a series of high-quality pictures and share the best one on Pinterest with a link to the store’s webpage.

Other smart tactics include posting quickie ads on Facebook to stir interest; having neighboring stores tout the shop on social media in return for doing the same for them; and asking customers to post pictures of themselves taken at the shop on their social media accounts. You might offer them the incentive of a two-for-one deal or some other enticement.

The holiday season is an opportunity to generate sales, yes. But it’s also a time to build new and lasting customer relationships.”

SOURCE: Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2017/12/22/have-a-very-social-christmas-4-digital-marketing-tips-for-small-businesses/#3ff5f8987851)