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How to create a marketing plan for your small business - build a brand, target customers and set prices that will maximise sales.

The internet has transformed business marketing. No matter what you do, the internet is likely to be at the heart of your marketing strategy.

Social media is firmly established as a marketing tool. Having a presence opens up new lines of communication with existing and potential customers.

Good advertising puts the right marketing message in front of the right people at the right time, raising awareness of your business.

Customer care is at the heart of all successful companies. It can help you develop customer loyalty and improve relationships with your customers.

Sales bring in the money that enables your business to survive and grow. Your sales strategy will be driven by your sales objectives.

Market research exists to guide your business decisions by giving you insight into your market, competitors, products, marketing and your customers.

Exhibitions and events are valuable for businesses because they allow face-to-face communication and offer opportunities for networking.

Top strategies for building a strong online presence

In 2024, a strong online presence is crucial. Whether you're a brick-and-mortar business or an online retailer, a strong online presence is key to building brand recognition, reaching new customers and making a profit.

Standing out from the crowd is crucial for any business, and in the online space, there's a lot of competition. Building an online presence can feel like a difficult task, and there are a few factors you need to get right for the best results.

If you want to build a strong online presence from scratch - or to improve your online presence - these are the strategies you have to implement.

Why do you need a strong online presence?

There are several reasons why you should be prioritising your online presence. Having a strong online brand helps to build trust with your audience, increase brand recognition, get discovered by new customers and, most importantly, get more conversions.

How to increase your online presence

  1. Improve your website

Consumers have high expectations when it comes to websites these days, and ensuring you have a modern, aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly website is key to ensuring you have a solid foundation for a strong online presence. You want to ensure your website doesn't just look great but functions well, too.

Ensure you invest in a responsive website that is easy to use; this is especially important if you require consumers to book appointments with you or if you're an ecommerce business. Having an easy-to-reach website will reduce your bounce rate and encourage returning customers.

  1. Quality over quantity on social media

Social media is crucial for building a strong online presence, but you don't want to have too many social media platforms, especially ones that your audience just isn't using. Invest your time and energy into the platforms your consumers are using, whether that's Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn or something else entirely.

You should aim to have one or two accounts that have good engagement and quality content rather than several accounts with little to no activity. If you're not sure where to start on your social media journey, enlisting the help and expertise of a social media agency can really help boost your social media accounts.

  1. Prioritise your audience

When it comes to social media, your online presence doesn’t improve just because you’re gaining followers. If you’re simply trying to gain as many followers as possible in a short time, it could mean you aren't generating a quality following. You want to cultivate a following of individuals who are interested in your niche.

Having a social media page with followers who are actively interested in your products or services is far more beneficial than having a page with a huge number of followers who will never purchase from you.

  1. Be active

It's the same advice that you've probably heard time and time again, but if you want to create a strong online presence, you have to be active online. You want to ensure you’re publishing quality content regularly. Whether that's content for your social media platforms, blogs for your website, or anything in between, You also want to ensure you're actively interacting with your followers and your audience to create an online community that is built on trust and consistency.

If you can't manage posting across multiple platforms, stick to just one or post informative, high-quality blogs instead. It's better to be active and post high-quality content than to post inconsistent or low-quality content.

  1. Trial and error is key

When building your online presence, you may have to try multiple strategies before you find something that fits. Don't be discouraged if things don't work immediately; keep trying out different strategies, and improving your online brand. Eventually, you will have an online presence to be envied.

Enlisting the help of marketing experts can help you get the ball rolling if you're not too sure how to get started on your journey.

Copyright 2024. Featured post by Tom Welbourne of The Good Marketer, a marketing agency in London which drives more traffic, generates conversions and increases sales for small- to medium-sized businesses.

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