You sure have seen large corporations and companies giving discounts, promotions and also advertising themselves in TVs and social media. All that is marketing and it does not only apply to the huge corporations but also to small businesses.

Marketing is one of the main forces behind the success of any small business. Your customers will need to hear about your services/products a number of times and you can only achieve this through marketing. Marketing actually builds your brand.

Below are some tips for marketing your small business:

• Get a well laid out plan

You start by putting together an organized plan. The best way to start is by coming up with as many thoughts as possible and using them to come up with objectives from which you can get the action items transferred to a to-do-list or calendar.

After that, you should come up with what you can tell people about your business to have them interested in your services or products-we call it an elevator pitch.

Try to get the input of the customer. Let the customers say what they feel. You can have an invite-only event for instance if you are opening a restaurant so that you can get your mistakes ironed out.

Then ensure that your first impression is perfect. It will build your image onwards.

• Create a website for your business

In today’s world of internet, you should ensure that you get a working website as first as possible. 95% of your prospective customers will first Google your companies/business name to get more information about your business even before approaching you for the services or products.

In addition, you should ensure that your website is more responsive. It should be mobile friendly since today people tend to use their mobile devices more than their PCs.

To track the traffic to your website, you can use Google analytics so as to understand what your customers are looking for.

For a more professional feel of the website, it would be best if you contracted a professional to do some more work on the website to keep on top.

• Use social media

Today almost everyone is on social media. If not in Facebook, it is on Twitter or LinkedIn or Instagram or any other.

One of the greatest opportunities is Facebook. You should create a Facebook account for your small business where you can talk about your services and products. You will surely have a broad base of potential customers who would view your posts and even call for further information or better still request for the services or product.

• Become an active online contributor about your business

Nowadays, you don’t have to request for the name of your business to appear on the internet. After a short while, people will start talking about it. You might even find reviews about your services or products online.

The best way is to actively influence what people hear and read about your business online. Ensure there is more positive content about the business compared to the negative propaganda out there.

You can even search the different search engines to find out the information that is out there about your small business. Then come up with a listing or claim your business.

• Make use of Google AdWords

AdWords are a superb way of advertising your business in the search engines. The AdWords should be specific to the kind of services or products you offer. Also, instead of using too many of them, you can focus on just a few keywords.

By using AdWords, you could find a great way of targeting customers from specific geographical locations. Although, do not go crazy with this as your budget might bleed out faster than your profits. Apply alternatives to Adwords in your strategy.

• Create Networks

You should create local awareness by establishing as many networks as possible. Through networking, you will comfortably get numerous business leads. You can join business associations, join chambers and also join community organizations.

Networking gives you the advantage of meeting new faces every now and then and that is an opportunity to create wider brand awareness.

If possible, you could also sponsor sporting events or any activity that is towards a good course. Also, you should give away promotional items baring your business name, contact, and logo ( a great example is a T-shirt or a cap)

• Offer coupons

Once in a while, you should offer free services or products to keep your customers happy. This easily creates loyalty among your customers.

You can also choose some brand ambassadors who can be your close friends or family members.

• Advertise your business

Basically buying traffic for your website. You have to tell people about your business. You have to tell them why they should buy your goods or pay for your services and not any other services. You have to convince them that your goods/services are the best.

Though advertising could be time and resource consuming, it pays off well at the end. You should ensure that that you are consistent. You should use repetitive branding.

Experts say that your customers should hear of your products or services at least seven times if not more for them to take any action. You should make a point of ensuring that people see and hear about your business. Remember if they are not seeing your brand they are seeing an alternative and they will end up being persuaded that it is the best.