5 Marketing Tactics that Will Help Increase Business

Business may be booming, but it can always boom bigger. Effective marketing is key to growth, but time is money, so you don’t want to waste it exploring your options or trying strategies that provide little or no return. There are, however, marketing tactics proven to increase business. Here are five approaches you can use to grow your business.

1. Go Social

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can prove invaluable to managers looking to increase business. As R.L. Adams of Entrepreneur puts it, “That’s where the so-called magic is happening.” The important point to remember? Social media isn’t a billboard, or not just. Sure, you can and should post about your products and services, but don’t stop there. Share your thoughts, information your customers can use, and industry trends. Remember, this is where you expand on your brand and form relationships with current and potential customers.

2. Cultivate Relationships

The above-mentioned relationships are all important. Old-fashioned word of mouth is still your most effective marketing tool. You can grow it and your business by nurturing both online and face-to-face relationships with customers. Pay attention to what they need and/or want and respond quickly to questions or complaints. Create community bonds by sponsoring sports teams or working with local charities. Team up with other local businesses—those that don’t compete with your own—to cross promote products and services.

3. Make the Most of Your Website

Chances are you already have a website. Mike Kappel of Forbes points out the fact that you can expand your customer base exponentially through your online presence. Content continues to be king, so make sure yours is useful and accessible. Potential customers favor sites that are easy to use—and scalable, because a large percentage of users surf on mobile devices—with contact information prominently displayed. A well-constructed site backed by topnotch customer service is a proven business builder.

4. Become the Go-To

Positioning yourself as an expert in your field is another tried-and-true way to increase business, and there’s no better way to achieve that reputation than through a blog. Become an “Authority Blogger,” offering expert professional content related to your particular field. You can extend your reach by posting content on platforms like Medium, Quora, Reddit, and LinkedIn. Needless to say, the greater your reach, the greater the increase in your business.

5. Track Your Progress

Measurement may well be your most effective marketing tactic. You want to stay on top of what’s working and what isn’t, so you can adjust if necessary. How many new followers do you have? How many of those followers actually interacted with your Facebook page or blog? Web analytics are another important marketing tool, allowing you to determine not only sales, but how many visitors you had, what content they accessed, and how long they stayed on your site.

Growing your business is always a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be rocket science. Effective marketing tactics like the ones listed here can reap marvelous rewards.