Online Marketing Action Kit
Get the help you need to grow your business
By Robin Anderson
There are a variety of different types of startups. Fashion, self-help, educational, entertainment and more. Many are using technology to build the foundation of their new product or service. And while they possess a strong level of proficiency, or even genius level for development, some may not have the experience or time to build awareness and generate excitement online for their company and products.
Introducing Fly to Soar’s Online Marketing Action Kit
We have created an online resource center to help startups take advantage of some of the many digital tools available to promote, extend your reach, and engage with customers.
Our Online Marketing Action Kit consists of 5 guides to help you get started marketing your business:
Google My Business
Google My Business is a FREE tool offered by Google that allows businesses to add essential information to create a business listing, making it easy for customers to find your business via search, and obtain key business details, such as easy access to your website, customer support, and more. In addition, you can use the analytics to learn what’s most important for your customers.
Why sign up?
Have you ever googled your business to see where it ranks in search? Not necessarily by business name, but using keywords in an effort to find a business that has the specific products and services that a customer would look for? As a startup, your ranking in Google search may not show up on the first or even second page search results page. So how do you get your business to rank higher?
One way is Google My Business. Signing up for a business listing boosts your ranking. As you know, the key to reaching your customers is to make it extremely easy for them to find you. The less work they have to do, the greater the likelihood your business will be the lucky recipient of the ‘click’.
Learn how to get a listing on Google My Business with our Guide - How to use Google My Business.
Build an Online Presence
As a startup, one of your last communications considerations may be your online presence. The time, effort, and the budget required to have a presence may not be a priority. However, for those who may be interested in what you are doing - investors, future employees, customers, it is essential to have a website and to begin building a social media presence.
Doing so helps you to start building a community prior to needing customer engagement. It takes time to build a following. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more are examples of key places to form your community of current and potential customers. Pick the social media platform where your prospective customers hang out and spend their time.
Take a look at our Guide - How to Build an Online Presence. It steps you through the process of how to create an online presence within Facebook and Instagram. Make it easy for your customers to engage with you.
Video/Photo Tours
A virtual video tour is an additional way to get customers to see your company and products. Companies creating video tours are becoming more and more popular and customers are happy to watch and listen at their convenience. For some customers, the video they view will be the first impression they have of your business.
Why create a video for your startup?
People are viewing videos more than ever before. An easy way to start is to make videos that will have the most impact on your startup, such as a product video. Use video to explain the problem your product solves, with the features that give you a competitive advantage. Create a video about your company, for investors and interested customers. Then make a video of your customers. Customer testimonials are a great way to prove product validation and traction.
See our Guide - How to Give a Video/Photo Tour to help you visually build a video or photo catalog of, as well as about your products. This will help your customers when conducting research to preview the products and or services you have available.
Social Media
Social media allows you to easily and quickly engage with your current and potential customers. You can promptly promote offers, your amazing products or services as well as share relevant news to keep customers up to date.
Why use social media?
Social media platforms enable you to form a meaningful community with your customers and potential customers. Today people read what other people are saying or what experience they have with a company and their products. People share their stories online through reviews, comments, photos and videos. Social media improves your reach, frequency and quality of communications with your community.
Our Guide - How to use Social Media to Increase Business steps you through the process of using social media to connect and form a meaningful community with your customers.
Startups have limited resources. Every task and penny spent needs to help move the business forward. One challenge is to find ways to grow the business in a cost-effective manner.
Email marketing allows you to stay connected. And, it is one of the most effective ways to drive sales even for those with strict budgets. In fact, 80% of business professionals believe that email marketing increases customer retention. Communicating directly through email allows a business to build a relationship with their audience which results in an increase in sales and customer loyalty.
The benefits of using email to market your business include low cost to administer and distribute, ease of reaching your customers, ability to customize your message, and flexibility to create custom campaigns for your most loyal audience. Also, the return on investment outweighs the time and effort needed to put the communications into action.
Read how with our Guide - How to Grow Your Business Through Email as it helps you learn how to incorporate email into your everyday business operations. Low cost to administer, and its ability to reach the masses makes it an attractive marketing tool.
Need help elevating awareness of your startup and attracting customers? Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with Fly to Soar.
Fun Fact
Dale Carnegie, writer of self-improvement courses, wrote the popular book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” in 1936. He believed that the most successful business people ‘were not those with the most technical know-how, but rather those with the best people skills.’ It has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
Online Marketing Action Kit How to use Google My Business How to Build an Online Presence How to Give a Video/Photo Tour How to use Social Media to Increase Business How to Grow Your Business Through Email