If you are launching a new business, then you need to promote it via multiple methods in order to get the word out and bring in new customers. To help you out, we’ve rounded up 11 different tips to help you get started with promoting your new business. Many of these options are free or low cost, making them feasible for new businesses that might not be bringing in a lot of income yet. Without further ado, here are 11 ideas for promoting your new business, from posting to social media to handing out promotional gifts.
1. Create a website.
Every single business should have a website, even if you don’t actually sell anything online. Most consumers find companies via internet search, and you won’t show up if you don’t have a website! Create a simple website with all the essential information, including what products or services you offer, your hours and location, and your contact. It doesn’t have to be complicated; a simple one-page template will suffice for many businesses!
2. Optimize for SEO.
Once you have your website up, you should update it to follow search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. These practices include giving each page of the website a unique name and including search keywords in your copy. By following SEO best practices, you increase your website’s chances of appearing on the first page of Google results whenever consumers search for businesses like yours. You should also register your business with Google and verify your business profile to make sure you come up on maps.
3. Update it regularly with content.
Another thing that can help increase your website’s search ranking is to update it regularly with content. Written content can be crawled by search engines for relevant terms, while visual content gets more engagement, especially when cross-shared on social media (more on social in a minute). Not every business has the bandwidth or budget to keep their website updated with blogs and press releases, but it can make a big difference if you’re willing to put in the work.
4. Use email marketing.
Email may seem old fashioned, but it’s one of the most effective ways to reach customers. Email is the perfect way to inform people of new product launches, send out time-limited discounts, and more. If you’re not already collecting your customers’ email addresses, then you definitely should be — and if you already have their emails, start leveraging them with an email campaign!
5. Get on social media.
Social media is another free marketing channel that you should definitely be taking advantage of. There are many different social media platforms to choose from, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even TikTok. Most businesses usually choose a couple of different platforms to focus on depending on their ideal customer demographic as well as their product or service. For instance, very visual products do well on Instagram, while relevant brand personalities do well on Twitter.
6. Leverage local resources.
If you are a local business, then you should definitely check out what resources are available to you. Your local chamber of commerce likely has opportunities to promote local businesses, and some local publications maintain online directories as well. You should also see if there are local events such as charity drives and outdoor markets that you can participate in as either a vendor or a sponsor to further spread the word.
7. Participate in events.
Speaking of events, it may also be beneficial to participate in other regional or national events that are focused on your industry. These events can be expensive, especially if they will require a lot of travel, but many businesses find them a worthwhile way of expanding their reach and raising customer awareness in new geographic regions outside of their hometown.
8. Order promotional gifts.
Whenever you attend an event, you should bring along promotional gifts such as custom pens or printed tote bags that you can hand out to everyone you talk to. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t be deterred: There are plenty of bulk gifts under $5 a piece that you can get. You might be surprised how far your budget will stretch when placing a large order, so don’t be afraid to stock up for multiple events at once.
9. Focus on customer loyalty.
It’s easier (and cheaper) to retain an existing customer than to recruit a new one. Devise a customer loyalty program to encourage your current customers to keep coming back again and again. Maybe you offer a coupon code on their birthday or one-year anniversary, or you give them a discount once they make a certain number of purchases or spend a certain amount of money.
10. Ask customers for reviews and referrals.
While you’re at it, you should also ask your customers to leave you positive reviews on websites and social media platforms, which will make your businesses look more appealing to potential customers who have never heard of you. You can also ask trusted customers to provide you with testimonials to post on your website or product pages to further promote your business.
11. Consider paid advertising.
A lot of the ideas on this list — such as posting to social media and listing yourself in local business directories — are either low cost or completely free. However, sometimes you need to dedicate some of your budgets to promoting your new business, and that’s where paid advertising can make a difference. These paid ads are available on Google, social media platforms, and e-commerce websites such as Amazon and Etsy. These paid ads can help put you in front of consumers’ eyeballs while you wait to climb the rankings organically.
We hope these tips helped give you some inspiration on ways to promote your new business. Good luck with your new business launch, and we wish you the best of success!
