How to promote your business: the basics of entrepreneurship

How to grow a business is a question facing all budding entrepreneurs. If you are one of them or are thinking about starting your own business, then this article is for you. Below we will talk about the most effective methods of promotion, and the choice is yours. There are many ways: consulting services, help from a marketer, using advertising on various platforms, developing image and positioning.

Consulting services

Consulting – assistance from qualified specialists in a certain field, advice on running a business.

There are individuals providing services, as well as entire companies.

If you don’t understand anything about promotion and strategy building, then it’s better to seek outside help. Consultants will help you understand various marketing tricks, types of promotion, develop positioning, suggest forms, types of advertising, and the most effective channels of communication with the audience.

In order not to stumble upon scammers, choose a company carefully, pay attention to work experience, completed cases, and qualifications of specialists.

Prepare a list of candidates and be sure to conduct an interview. Promotion of a business is an important stage; it cannot be trusted to just anyone. Talk to all applicants and establish contact. Choose consultants who know how to listen and suggest options based on your wishes. Be picky and attentive, ask questions.

Remember that professional consultants rely not only on experience, but also on research, statistics, and numbers.

Decide on a budget

First of all, an entrepreneur must decide on the budget that he is willing to spend on promoting his own business. If it comes to a large business in which quite large amounts of money have been invested, entrepreneurs spare no expense on advertising. When the start-up capital allows, you can entrust this task to professionals - an advertising agency. They will make sure that information about the company flashes in and on public transport, in the media, on posters in the city center, on the walls of buildings, etc.

If we are talking about a small business, when start-up capital is already limited, there is practically no money left for good and expensive advertising. Therefore, an entrepreneur has to think about how to promote his business on his own. But this does not mean that budget methods of promotion cannot be effective.

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Experienced marketer

The second option is to hire an experienced marketer. Consultants give general advice and help build a marketing strategy, but marketing is best understood by a person who specializes in it. And if consultants are a temporary measure, then a marketer can be hired on staff to be responsible for promotion on an ongoing basis.

A marketer analyzes the market, demand, competitors, the best advertising methods and channels of communication with the audience. You can come up with ideas for advertising posts or videos together. An experienced specialist knows how to put pressure on people, encourage them to take action and buy.

It creates the image of the product, shows the advantages and features. Properly presented advertising can increase sales by 5 or even 20 times, so you should carefully select a marketer for your staff.

Pay attention to the results of past work. A marketer’s portfolio consists not just of completed tasks, but of indicators demonstrating the effectiveness of his advertising campaigns.

Conversion, engagement, sales growth, product popularity - all this speaks for itself. Ask about the result, not about work for show.

contextual advertising

The third option for promoting a business is to use contextual advertising. This is a type of Internet promotion when, along with the corresponding query result, a link to the advertised site appears.

It is based on the use of keywords. If you search for “skateboards to buy Tomsk”, then you will be shown a website that sells skateboards marked “advertising”.

If there are three types of such advertising:

• text;
• banner;
• video.

Ads are usually displayed in a browser or on a website or mobile application. It depends on the type of advertising: search or classified.

To set up contextual advertising, you will need Google AdWords or Yandex.Direct. Using these tools, you can effectively promote your website with goods and services.

To evaluate the effectiveness of your advertising, calculate the CTR. Here's the formula:

Divide clicks by impressions and multiply by 100%.

Go ahead and start promoting your business.

Getting to know the Leopece service

You can register for the service right now, it’s absolutely free:

This is what your personal account will look like after registration:

You can immediately familiarize yourself with all the tools that the service offers and approximately choose what suits you for your business. To do this, click on the left side of the Tools . Here you will find all the tools that the Leopeace platform offers. This is a great set of tools for promoting your products that you sell.

Social media

The fourth effective way of promotion is advertising on social networks, as it is now abbreviated as SMM. Most people use social media for communication, self-expression, entertainment and self-development. They spend 4-6 hours a day there, which makes this method effective and promising.

The method is distinguished by its variety and low prices; even novice businessmen can afford it. Buy advertising in public pages, groups, from bloggers, use a target so that your ad appears in the feed while a person scrolls through it.

Advertising on social networks is gaining momentum and is not going to slow down, because the duration of use of these sites and applications is only growing.

Additional methods of business promotion and promotion

Carrying out promotions

The struggle for customers is getting higher and higher every year. This trend can be seen in all areas of entrepreneurship.

Carrying out promotions is one of the effective ways to gain the client’s favor.

This method allows you to:

• increase the influx of customers for a short period - for the period of the promotion;
• capture a certain market segment by the company;
• attract new regular customers;
• increase sales by stimulating new purchases;
• maintain consumer loyalty.

Loyalty system

Loyalty systems are programs to reward regular customers. They operate in many large stores.

For example, a user buys gadgets from only one store. He has a card on which bonuses are accumulated, for which he can then make a purchase. This increases the consumer activity of the buyer, and also helps attract new customers - thanks to word of mouth. Satisfied with the pleasant bonus, the buyer tells his friends and family about the store, they believe him and turn to this store.

Cooperation with partners

Mutually beneficial partnerships always have a positive impact on business.

Building a strategy for such cooperation depends on the specifics of the business.

For example, gun stores cooperate with equipment suppliers, sports shooting ranges, and firearms training schools. A client buys a rifle, and they recommend a partner’s school for training, and vice versa - a potential buyer comes to the school and wants to buy a weapon, and he is advised to seek advice from a partner’s store. There are many similar examples of cooperation.

The success of a business depends on advertising. The marketing component is one of the main ones in every business plan. In order for a company to stay afloat and develop, it needs to be promoted. There are different promotion methods. The effectiveness of each of them is different and is not suitable for every business, but together these methods can significantly expand the customer base and increase the company’s profitability.

Advertising on TV

Not everyone can afford this type due to the high price, but the efficiency will amaze you. The audience of TV channels reaches several million people.

The price depends on the choice of TV channel, its popularity, time (prime time or regular) and the length of the video.

On TNT, NTV and Center you can purchase advertising for 36,000 rubles or more. On STS for 24,000 rubles one video.

On federal channels it will be more expensive; on Channel One and Russia 1 advertisement will cost at least 65,000 rubles. Expensive, but effective, because your commercial will be seen by millions of people across the country.

Billboards

Another effective way to promote a business is the use of billboards. These are billboards, a type of outdoor advertising. Traditionally, they are installed along streets and highways. The traffic of people passing or driving along the central streets is huge, hence the high efficiency.

In order for a poster promoting your products to generate high sales, you must adhere to the following criteria:

• position your ad wisely so that people can see it;
• make it noticeable, bright, stand out;
• use promotions, sales and other ways to engage people;
• write only understandable words, be accessible to everyone;
• Do not use swear words, insults or any form of discrimination, otherwise you will be sued and will only reduce your sales figures.

Choosing a Specialization

Even starting to work from scratch, an entrepreneur, being “on the shore”, can still choose what is best for him to specialize in:

• provision of services;
• trade;
• production;
• entertainment;
• Agriculture;
• commerce.

A whole list of possible activities is compiled, among which it is necessary to select the most promising one.

Further, when money, effort and time have been invested, it’s already a little too late to change anything.

The best option is to open another company that will operate in parallel.

Store opening

If the decision is made in favor of opening a store of flowers, cosmetics, women's clothing or children's toys, you should use advertising on the Internet by creating your own groups on social networks.

For example, tens of thousands of people post their photos and create interest groups on Instagram every day.

By creating a page yourself or hiring a specialist for similar purposes, a business owner can also get his own group, constantly updating the pages, providing maximum information, visualizing the product offered.

In addition, it would be useful to create a business card website, as well as an online store, thanks to which people will learn about the activities of the outlet even outside their native region.

Business promotion in trade also includes:

• placement of billboards;
• announcements in the subway;
• a catchy sign above the building itself;
• handing out flyers on the streets.

Trading is considered one of the most successful investments for people who do not have enough money to form a large company.

But due to high competition, it is necessary to use all possible methods of promotion.

Organization of a mini-factory

Having decided to open a furniture business and organize your own production workshop, at the very beginning of work you should not spend huge amounts of money on advertising.

Money will be needed for the following purposes:

• purchase of raw materials;
• acquisition of mechanisms and tools;
• rental of premises;
• solving organizational issues;
• hiring workers.

During the work, the most popular furniture samples among the population are initially considered, drawings are created, and only then the manufacturing process begins.

As soon as the selected samples are ready, you should, with the help of a specialist, prepare a booklet with photographs, sizes and prices of each product.

Business promotion begins with establishing contacts with specialized stores where the products will be placed, and potential buyers will be able to see the booklet and place an order.

For similar purposes, a small space is rented, a specialized website is created, and a VKontakte page is opened.

Such methods of promoting business are effective for any type of industry, be it the production of forged products, building blocks, chain-link mesh or kitchen utensils.

Notarial office

Having an appropriate promising education, legal business will allow you to adequately occupy your entrepreneurial niche.

Notaries are in greatest demand among the population, and since representatives of government agencies have a bad reputation, a private office will not need special investments in terms of advertising.

Every day, a certain percentage of Russians are faced with legal issues that require a specialist to resolve.

These include the following assurance:

• powers of attorney;
• authenticity of the document;
• wills;
• deed of gift;
• deed of sale and purchase.

In addition, many people need legal advice, which can only be provided by a specialist.

To develop a business, you need to rent a small room in the center, create a prestigious environment, hire a secretary, and set reasonable prices.

The fact that the notary is ready to receive visitors will be indicated by an official sign and advertisements in newspapers.

An additional advantage for an entrepreneur will be ordering business cards - an effective addition to the created image.

Radio advertising

Radio is still popular and its advertising is effective. Millions of motorists accompany their trips with the radio turned on, where they can listen to their favorite music, horoscopes, exciting games, columns, etc.

To make advertising memorable and the listener interested in it, many companies make advertising covers of popular songs, use poetic forms, or simply advertise their products energetically and matter-of-factly.

The main thing is that the ad sounds perky, joyful, energizes and encourages action. After all, you can’t show an attractive picture or video on the radio; it’s important to be able to hook people with words.

Image creation

Whatever type of advertising and business promotion you choose, you need to create an image. Often people do not buy a product, because the choice on the market is wide, they buy a feeling, a brand, belonging to a certain social group.

Apple is bought for status, for the feeling of use, and only then because of the quality and convenient operating system. Create the same memorable and effective image that makes people buy into your brand.

To help you achieve this, pay attention to the following components:

• Company name;
• slogan, motto;
• unique selling proposition;
• product packaging;
• website;
• your mission, positioning.

The brand's mission includes global benefits for people. For example, making water cleaner and people’s health stronger with the help of water filters, cleaning fast and convenient with the help of robotic vacuum cleaners, etc.

Make a list of your company's values, how you can help people to make their lives better and more comfortable.

It’s better to base your positioning on the opposite: what is unacceptable for you. Apple has a closed operating system, it is secure, but has a number of limitations in customization.

But the company is ready to sacrifice functions for the sake of security; this is its positioning. Minimalism, convenience, speed and safety.

Is it possible to promote a business without the help of the Internet?

The amount of starting capital will help answer the question. There are enough levers for promoting business outside the Internet. Having the amount for promotion, you can use one or more effective methods:

• advertising on television and radio;
• publication of advertisements in print media;
• distributing leaflets with offers on the street;
• posting notices in appropriate places;
• holding events in crowded places;
• advertising on buses and minibuses;
• decorating the facade of a building with a company representative.

The listed methods are worthy of attention, time-tested, but associated with a number of significant costs. As an entrepreneur and self-employed worker, you know that you need to go where the customer is. You can avoid wasting time and money by paying due attention to your online presence.

Adviсe

To promote your business, use the recommendations listed below:

1. Don’t lie to customers, be sincere, reputation is easy to lose and difficult to restore, so take care of consumer trust;
2. To be effective, use several methods at once to reach different segments of the population and audiences;
3. Do not use obscene language and insults, advertising should talk about the product and convey a positive message, and not be associated with dirt and negativity;
4. Do not build an advertising campaign around gender stereotypes, racism and other types of discrimination, otherwise you risk ending up in court, with a decline in sales and huge legal bills;
5. Remember that people buy image and involvement with a brand, create an offer accordingly;
6. Spend your money wisely, hire specialists with successfully completed cases and high performance indicators.

Partner Relations

New clients can be brought to the company not only by advertising posters, but also by other companies. For example, you are the founder of a beauty salon, and your friend owns a women's clothing store. It would seem that there is nothing in common between these two enterprises, but you can always promote your business from scratch and establish mutually beneficial cooperation. If for the purchase of goods for a certain amount the store gives a discount on one of the services in your salon, the salon will receive new customers, and the store will increase its turnover. And many similar examples can be given.

Word of mouth is also a great way to win new customers . It is enough to tell your friends and acquaintances about the new business, and they, in turn, will pass on the information to others. Even though not all your friends are your potential clients, perhaps among their circle there will be those who need your services.

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Conclusion

There are many ways to promote your business. Everyone uses the Internet, so contextual advertising and SMM are in demand and show high performance. It is still relevant to advertise on TV and radio, if the budget allows. Street advertising does not lag behind and brings a lot of traffic, the main thing is to choose a good location. Any PR campaign should be developed with the participation of experienced specialists: a consulting firm or a marketer.

Which method do you think is the most effective and why? Share your opinion in the comments and don’t forget to rate the article.

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Author of the article Ekaterina Chistyakova Freelancer. In my free time I am interested in business.

Basic methods of business promotion

Website creation

The website is the face of the company. Not only online entrepreneurs have their own websites, but also offline businesses.

Why do you need a website:

1. Increases customer base. When a client places an order through the website, he leaves contact information. They form a customer base. With its help, the number of sales increases, a casual buyer becomes a regular customer.
2. Increases audience reach. The number of active Internet users in Russia is growing. Some of them use the World Wide Web to make purchases and find the necessary information. Among them there are probably audience segments that will be interested in the advertised product or service.
3. Allows you to improve communication with clients.
4. Having a website is one of the signs of an honest company. In addition, every large enterprise has its own website. Many clients are put off by the lack of such a resource.

There are several ways to get a site:

1. Do it yourself. Using online designers and ready-made templates.
2. Order from a specialist. This is the best variant. It will relieve the entrepreneur from a number of hassles and save him a lot of time. In addition, professionals are interested in doing their work efficiently; they value their reputation.

What content to publish on the site:

• detailed information about the company;
• documents confirming the integrity of its activities;
• contact information – so that users can contact the manager;
• informational articles, product reviews;
• news from the life of the company - help create a favorable information field.

SEO optimization

Creating a website is not enough. In order for it to have visitors, it needs to be promoted in search engines. This is what SEO specialists do.

SEO optimization is important for a number of reasons:

1. Allows you to bring your site to the first pages of search results.
2. Improves his reputation.
3. Increases the number of visitors.

Why is SEO optimization necessary? There are probably already sites on the Internet with similar content. Some of them are competitors. To get around them, you need to promote your site using SEO.

Advertising on TV, radio and media

This source of traffic attraction is underestimated. Companies involved in marketing use it less often than 10 years ago. However, television, radio and the media are excellent platforms for advertising your products or services.

ATTENTION! Advertising on TV and in the media allows the audience to remember what the product looks like. Even if the name is forgotten, the product will be found in the packaging store.

Television, radio and media are not suitable for every business. Only consumer goods are advertised on TV and radio.

The situation with the media is somewhat different. There are different media, designed for different audiences. For example, sporting goods are advertised in sports magazines, and fishing accessories are advertised in fishing magazines. In this case, advertising works effectively.

Social network

This is a popular trend in advertising. Companies not only have websites, but also their own pages on popular social networks.

Social networks are an effective way for businesses to communicate with customers. Research by marketers shows that the majority of active Internet users communicate with business representatives through social networks - this is more convenient than going to a website and looking for managers’ contacts.

In addition, it is a convenient tool for finding new clients.

Social networks have advertising accounts. They help an entrepreneur set up an advertising campaign for different audiences. Information is broadcast only to those users who may find it interesting. This saves time, budget and increases conversion.

Social media marketing is divided into two types:

1. Direct advertising aimed at increasing sales.
2. Brand advertising. Creation and development of pages on social networks. Techniques are used that increase audience activity - competitions, surveys, publication of useful and interesting content.

IMPORTANT! To reach a higher audience, use as many social networks as possible. For example, some people use only VKontakte, others only Facebook, Instagram or Telegram. This must be taken into account when planning an advertising campaign.

Posting advertisements

The method, although outdated, can provide good returns.

The main thing is to make your ad better than your competitors. They all look the same and differ little from each other. The reader stops paying attention to them; for him they are intrusive advertising.

To attract attention to your ad, you need to compose it so that it stands out from the rest:

• use only color printing;
• use large font;
• design using creativity;
• add materials that will attract the attention of the target audience (target audience);
• Write only to the point, do not pour water.

Banners and billboards

Despite the fact that most marketers prefer online promotion, outdoor advertising is also successfully used.

Its most popular formats are banners and billboards. They are noticeable and are guaranteed to be seen by a potential client. The main thing is to correctly attract attention and choose the right place to place such advertising in order to get the maximum return.

Articles and press releases

Additional sources of attracting clients are articles and press releases published in the media.

The media live off advertising. Printed publications write articles to order. Their formats may be different. Guerrilla marketing is commonly used.

This method is especially effective for promotion in the regions. Local media is an excellent source for a PR campaign.

contextual advertising

Contextual advertising is the promotion of a website in search results. The most popular sources of promotion are Google and Yandex.

Benefits of context:

1. Flexible customization for specific search queries.
2. Only interested users access the site.
3. High audience coverage.
4. Competitive price.
5. High conversion.
6. It has a positive effect on website SEO optimization.

Services for support, advertising and website promotion are provided by yasite.ru

Newsletter

Email marketing is sending advertising letters to customers. This is not always direct advertising or sale of goods.

If a client has subscribed to the newsletter, he is interested in the company’s activities and follows its development with interest.

What information do mailing letters contain:

• about new arrivals, updates;
• about promotions, sales, advantageous offers;
• useful information content - instructions, generalizations, life hacks;
• congratulations (for example, Happy New Year, birthday).

ATTENTION! Email marketing doesn't always live up to expectations. It is used as a source of additional traffic. Most clients do not read mailing letters due to the large flow of spam that arrives in their mailboxes.

Does this mean that such a tool is ineffective? No. It works and brings benefits to the user if you follow the rules of email distribution.

The main rules of email marketing:

1. Don't spam. Send emails only to those who have subscribed to the newsletter. If a client got into the database by deception, there is a high risk of getting banned. He must know the company from which the letters come, so the purchased databases also do not work.
2. Don't send emails often. The client values ​​his time and will not read them. In addition, this is another risk of getting banned.
3. The contact database is divided into segments. If a company has a wide range of services or products, the interests of customers differ. This needs to be taken into account.
4. Send only interesting and useful content. Sending letters to remind about the existence of the company does not make sense. Nobody will read them.
5. The letters are beautifully designed. Text alone is not enough. You need to attract the user’s attention with good layout, only after that will he read the text. The appearance of the newsletter is the face of the company, the client knows about it.

Creating a corporate identity

Corporate identity is what allows the client to remember the company and separate it from competitors.

The main attribute of the brand is its logo. This is the sign that is depicted everywhere - in advertising, on the website, on business cards, on shop windows, signs and even clothes.

Users remember what the logo looks like. It evokes a certain association in them. For example, the McDonald's logo is associated with fast food, Adidas with sportswear, Disney with interesting films.

The designer’s task is to create a memorable symbol. Examples of well-known companies show that there is no need to come up with anything abstruse. The main thing is to make it beautiful and easy to remember. The example of McDonald's is the most illustrative.