Director of Marketing Point of View
Jaime Ng, Director of Market Development, PurpleClick Media Pte Ltd
Every day we hear from business owners who understand that they need to use digital marketing to reach new customers online, but are often overwhelmed by the complexity and number of online marketing options. They sit on the sidelines, eager to get in the game but are confused about where to START.
The advent of the internet has significantly changed the way businesses market themselves and their products. There is no longer any doubt that buyers go online to research before they purchase products and services. Companies that have websites, and put in the efforts to market online, can reap the rewards of connecting with these shoppers.
Regardless of the size or focus of your business, digital marketing has a lot to offer. Having a digital marketing strategy in place has become essential for the success of any business.
The good news is that online marketing doesn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming or expensive!
Consider this:
- Online outreach often costs less than offline efforts
- Launching new campaigns can be lightning fast – meaning that potential customers will see your promotions pretty quickly
- Changes and updates can be made almost instantly, usually at minimal cost
- Measurement tools quickly show what’s working and what’s not.
Digital marketing costs less than traditional media marketing, so they are more easily amortised over time to deliver a better return on your investment. It allows you to more effectively target your desired market, so you can reach out to an already receptive audience who is primed to be interested in what you have to offer. Best of all, digital marketing is extremely flexible, allowing you to quickly react to changes in your industry or in the market itself. Online marketing success stories can sometimes leave a small business owner wondering if it would really work for them. What if you don’t have a website, can you still reach customers online?
Here are some strategies we have learned over the years to help different kinds of businesses start or improve their online marketing efforts…
| SHOPFRONT BUSINESSES | LOCAL SERVICE BUSINESSES |
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Even if you are a restaurant, neighbourhood grocer, salon, retail shop and other shopfront businesses can use an online presence to drive offline success. Try:
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Traditional companies like plumbers, electrician, real estate agents and the like can gain loads of payoff from online marketing by making it easy for customers to find them. Try:
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| ONLINE-ONLY BUSINESSES | ONLINE & OFFLINE BUSINESSES |
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Online retailers like blog shop and ecommerce store can spread the word about their offerings, stay connected with customers and keep traffic flowing in the virtual door with online marketing. Try:
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For business that are online and offline, the sky is the limit for attracting business and connecting the two. Try:
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