You can’t expect to succeed in a market as competitive as today without exploring every possible opportunity that can lead to a better competitive advantage. Small businesses are competing with larger enterprises – and their enormous resources – for the same portion of the market; therefore, getting creative and maximizing marketing efforts will make a huge difference.
As a small business owner, you have plenty of tools and instruments to use as part of your marketing campaign. In this article, however, we are going to explore the simple approaches that can lead to huge marketing gains. Let’s get started, shall we?
Sincere Customer Service
Customers are now searching for the best customer experience when making purchase decisions. CX is becoming more important than ever, especially since customers are becoming more sensitive to the quality of service. Small acts, such as remembering the customers’ name or providing them with sincere customer service, are producing an even bigger impact than before.
Personalized customer service is quickly becoming a powerful marketing instrument to use. You don’t even have to make significant changes to get started with delivering a personalized experience to your customers. Simply train your front-end team to be sincere and provide them with the resources they need to keep customers happy.
Ritz-Carlton has been using this approach for years, and it is one of the strongest values of the brand. Try dining at one of the Ritz-Carlton properties and ask for something extra to make the dish you order taste even better. You’ll be amazed by how attentive and helpful the waiter will be; you’ll find the customer experience no less than stellar.
Complete Certification and Credentials
Certification is a great way to show that you are following a particular set of standards, and it is not uncommon to certify employees. In some industries, certification and credentialing are considered requirements. It is a great investment to make if you want to increase credibility in the eyes of customers. It incites trust and confidence, and will help customers make their purchase decisions faster.
You can acquire certification through several means. Some services can help you go through the necessary process quickly, such as the medical credentialing services provided by top names such as CredAxis. You can also send employees to training sessions before getting them certified in specific fields.
Get Endorsed
There are many reasons why connecting with industry experts and top influencers is always a good idea. For starters, you can gain a lot of insight by connecting with the right people in the industry. On top of that, you can also earn endorsements from top names with millions of social media followers.
Many small businesses have conquered the market through endorsements. Boosted, a startup that makes electric skateboards, grew into a large and established business after being endorsed by the likes of Ben Brown and Casey Neistat as well as many other YouTube stars. Boosted didn’t have millions of dollars to spend on marketing, but their products and close ties to these influencers turned out to be great investments.
All of these approaches are simple and can be implemented almost immediately. Use them to improve your marketing capabilities without investing a lot of money in the process.