Online Marketing for Small Business: The 4-Part Framework for Marketing Success
Are you a busy business owner looking to increase eyes on your product or service? While there are many different avenues a business owner can take to help boost their visibility and strengthen their community, the best strategies follow this 4-part framework for marketing success.
What type of marketing is best for small business?
Before diving into this framework, you may be wondering...what type of marketing is BEST for small business? Unfortunately, theres no single answer to that question. The marketing that works for one business may not work for yours, due to the time required, target audience, location, etc.
There are many factors that impact selecting a marketing strategy, so think about what would work best for your business and lifestyle as you go through this framework. If you aren't sure, don't be afraid to experiment!
4-Part Marketing Framework
Now, let's explore this 4-part marketing framework that will help your business expand its reach and foster relationships within its community.
1. Visibility
The very first step in any marketing strategy is visibility. Visibility is simply getting the word out about what you do and who you serve. It's ensuring that you reach the eyes and ears of your ideal client, so they become aware of you.
The truth is, many businesses overlook the importance of visibility. They get SO excited about their product or service (and rightfully so), that they forget to prioritize visibility before putting it out into the world.
Think about an online course example. You have this incredible idea for an online course, so you work around the clock creating it. You organize the modules, hit publish, and wait for the students to roll in. What's the problem? No one even knows the course exists—especially not your ideal clients.
Instead, if you prioritize your visibility first, people already know you're an authority in your niche. They understand who you are and how you can help them. Then, when you launch something, they're itching to buy. Your visibility strategy should help you get in front of new people every single month.
What are some ways to boost your visibility? Social media is the first and likely most obvious example. Focus on posts that reach non-followers, so you can hopefully turn them into followers. You can also start a podcast or be a guest on others' podcasts. You can blog and prioritize SEO and Pinterest. You can do some good old fashioned networking in your city. If you're an overachiever, choose a few different visibility strategies to see what works best!
2. Connection
Once you've captured your ideal client's attention through visibility strategies, it's time to nurture them and create a genuine connection. This is how you move your followers from random usernames you see on occasion to people you truly feel like you know. While this step may seem time consuming, it's powerful.
Here's how you foster connections via social media. First, reply back to all your comments and DMs. If someone takes the time to reach out, be sure to pay them the same amount of respect. Next, utilize your stories for more personal, behind-the-scenes moments. This allows someone to connect with you on a deeper level. Third, take time every day to engage with others. Reply to stories and comment on posts by your ideal client. You want this to feel really natural and organic, so post simply to connect. Don't force it.
The next goal is to get your more engaged followers onto your email list. You do this through a lead magnet or freebie. Create something valuable to promote for free in exchange for someone's name and email address. Some ideas include a free PDF guide, checklist, video series, email challenge, template, quiz, etc.
Next, tie your content to your lead magnet. Hook people in with your content, then have them comment or DM a word to receive your lead magnet. Send them to the link in your bio. Use link stickers on your stories. Your email list is an asset that you fully own and have control over, which is why it's much more valuable than followers. I recommend Flodesk for your email marketing provider, and you can get a 30-day free trial and 50% off your first year here!
Once people are on your email list, serve them frequently (weekly, biweekly, or monthly) with content. Share additional tips and tutorials and stories. Don't be afraid to sell, which brings us to step #3.
3. Customers
You're consistently growing your visibility channels and email list, so what comes next? Of course, it's time to sell. While you're encouraged to sell on all platforms, know that your email list has 36x the ROI of social media. Therefore, it's the best place to sell!
On all your platforms, ensure that it's crystal clear how people can work with you. Don't make your ideal clients search for the link to book! Guide them every step of the way. Include a variety of passive selling techniques, like adding a "Work With Me" button to your link in bio, and an active selling technique, like talking about a client transformation on stories with a link to book.
Within your emails, you can add a P.S. at the bottom with a blurb about working together or your availability. You can even send out full selling emails, with a story about a client or background on an offer. Experiment and focus on the strategies that align best with your community.
4. Flywheel
When you have a strong community that you nurture and sell to consistently, AND when you provide a top-tier client experience, something happens—you gain momentum. If you've ever heard of a funnel approach to marketing, it starts with someone first becoming aware of you and ends with them completing their work with you. I don't like funnels; I prefer the flywheel approach.
The flywheel marketing approach compounds your efforts. It's constantly attracting, engaging, and converting your ideal clients, turning them into your own raving fans that attract, engage, and convert others for you.
We don't want your best clients to be done the second your time working together ends. We want them to be your personal hype squad, excited to refer people to you because they had such a wonderful experience.
You can do this through a variety of ways. First, you can simply ask for a referral, even now or in the future. During your offboarding process, ask your client if they know anyone else who would love the product/service they purchased. Next, you can create your own ambassador or referral program. Reward your past clients who send you more business by giving them a commission or gift card. Lastly, create a VIP group with exclusive perks and specific promotional requirements so it's a mutually beneficial relationship.
Please note that while you can put these things in place to further boost the flywheel effect, providing a positive client experience should naturally encourage others to send you referrals.
How to Start Marketing
Do you feel inspired and lit up about taking your marketing seriously? Here are some tips to getting started.
What is the best marketing platform for small business?
This blog post explored lots of different options when it comes to the 4-part marketing framework, but as you know, it starts with visibility. If you're wondering what the best marketing platform is for small business, click here to take the free quiz!
Get Your Custom Marketing Strategy
If you feel a little overwhelmed about your marketing and you'd like to speak with an expert to create your custom strategy, I offer 60-minute strategy sessions where we can go through exactly that. This is essentially time for you to "pick my brain" and focus on any marketing topic of your choosing. Click here to book your session!
