50 Ways to Boost Your Business

Here are 50 marketing ideas to help you gain more customers and grow your business.

1. Write a blog! Ensure the blog posts are full of useful and interesting content. Google ranks quality content and being ranked more highly on search engines will mean more visitors to your website. Aim to write blog posts which are around 2000 words long.
2. Send out regular mailshots to your clients – remind them you are there and make them aware of any new offers or services. Remember to ensure you are following GDPR guidelines.
3. Have branded uniform if appropriate. This might mean a simple logo on a t-shirt or hoody. Not only can this look professional but it also helps to spread your brand. Even if you are a work from home business a simple branded top can make a great first impression when attending networking meetings or an exhibition.
4. Join online networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and tell people you are on there. Ask friends to share your page and follow/like your posts. Plan your social media posts and ensure they are engaging so they stand out on your followers’ timelines.
5. Local radio stations: Have you got something interesting to say? You may get a free time slot or get a good deal on advertising time. If you are selling to the public this can be a great way to gain more business.
6. Competitions: People love getting something for nothing and competitions are a great way to attract people to your business (website etc).  Make sure if they enter they give their contact details for future mailings. Competitions can be run through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter or a local radio station or newspaper.
7. Don’t forget your email signature.  Add your telephone number, website address etc to help people get in touch with you. This can also look more professional which will instil confidence in the reader.
8. Double sided business cards: Depending on your business this can be a great way to tell people more about what you do. You can also use double sided business cards as mini flyers which are more likely to be kept easily in someone’s wallet or on their fridge. If you do a lot of face to face networking it can also be useful to make sure you have some white space on your card should you want to write something such as a price or a meeting time.
9. Look into local networking groups and ask if you can pop along for a visit to find out if they are right for your business. There are a wide variety of business networking groups from the traditional breakfast meetings to other groups based around a hobby such as walking or a sport. This can be a good way to increase your network and gain more business links.
10. Look into sponsoring a local Facebook news site. Many popular news or weather sites offer advertising on their page to help support their service. Make sure if you sponsor a page that your artwork looks great and is set to the correct size and resolution.
11. Is there are another business that you could pair up with whereby you recommend their services and in return they pass on your details to their customers?
12. Have a stall or a float at a local event such as a festival or fair. This can be a great way to increase brand awareness within an area. Look into sponsorship opportunities and ways to get your brand noticed.
13. Contact all of your friends and relatives and ask them for referrals. Be clear about what your business offers and what kind of referral you are looking for.  It’s is surprising how many people will have a link to a potential client but they just won’t have thought about passing on your details before. People are usually more than happy to be supportive. Give them your flyer or business card so it’s easy for them to pass on your details.
14. In your day to day life talk about what you do. Your hairdresser or mechanic might just be looking for someone who does what you offer. People in these kind of professions are constantly talking to others, so why not make sure they keep you in mind should a potential customer pop up! They may even be happy to take one of your business cards and/or flyers and pass it on or post it up on a notice-board.
15. Write a press release and send it to your local newspaper or a publication related to your business market. If writing is not one of your skills, hire a professional. Many copywriters will have experience in writing press release articles and know what kind of stories will stand out and be noticed.
16. Keep your website up to date. Google loves new content and visitors to your website will be encouraged if your website has some recent content, such as a recent blog post or piece of news. Don’t forget to update photos and graphics as well to help your website look fresh.
17. Look into running an online pay per click campaign to get more visitors to your website. This can be daunting and time consuming, so consider hiring a professional. Before you sign up check to see if there are any free trials or vouchers available. Once set up always keep checking back and monitoring any paid advertising to ensure it is still working for you.
18. Are there any exhibitions where you could sell your product or services? Look into exhibition opportunities and the costs involved.
19. Is there anywhere you could put up a flyer or banner for free? Perhaps your local community centre, supermarket or library.
20. Send out free samples to potential customers. This can be a great way to show off your product and stand out from your competitors. People love freebies!
21. Have some pens printed up with your company name and phone number on and send them out every time someone makes an enquiry. Free pens are also great for handing out at events and exhibitions.
22. Advertise on a billboard. This can be a great way for some local brand exposure. Make sure to hire a professional designer to ensure your advert looks good and works for your target market.
23. Ask a local radio station about creating a memorable jingle and run a radio advertising campaign to promote your brand. Jingles can be a great tool to get your name out there and remembered!
24. Buy advertising space on a relevant website.
25. Create and upload useful video blogs to YouTube. If your content is useful people will find your videos!
26. Encourage customers to pass on your details by offering a referral award.
27. Set up a frequent buyer rewards scheme.
28. Volunteer to help out a local charity or an event. This might not get your direct business but it will help raise the profile of your business. It’s also rewarding to help and support others.
29. Could you offer a work experience placement to a school or college or become a mentor?
30. Write a book! You might be lucky enough to find a publisher but if not you can self-publish.
31. Sponsor a local sports team. This is a great way for getting your brand out there into the local community.
32. Place an advert in a relevant publication. Hire a designer to create a professional and effective advert design. Consider having seasonal adverts to keep your message fresh and relevant to the time.
33. Participate in discussions on online forums. There are forums about most subjects, find your niche and get chatting! Many forums allow you to have a signature with links in which will mean every time you post your website, contact details etc will follow your message. This can be a great way to get more clicks back to your website.
34. Have an advert on in-store TV displays such as at a hotel or within a post office.
35. Share your business social media pages on your own personal page and ask your friends to like, love and share your page and posts.
36. Read and comment on other blog posts and include a link to your website if possible.
37. Answer questions on Quora and link to your own blog posts where suitable and relevant.
38. Add your business details to online directories. These links back to your website can help your Google ranking.
39. Apply for a business award. Most sectors will have awards and this can be a great way to increase your credibility. If you are successful, you then have a great piece of news for a press release and social media posts! Don’t forget a photo!
40. Send out an email newsletter using a free service such as MailChimp. Ensure any email campaigns follow GDPR guidelines.
41. Offer visitors to your website an incentive to sign up to your email newsletter such as 10% off their first order or a free gift with their first order.
42. Look into guerrilla marketing and ways you can get your business noticed! Be creative!
43. Embrace the hashtags when tweeting or posting.
44. Live Stream via Facebook or YouTube.
45. Guest blog. By blogging on another person’s blog or a business blog you will increase your audience.
46. How good is your SEO? Look into hiring an SEO expert to make sure your website is not missing visitors.
47. Use humour! Funny posts are often shared on social media. Articles and posts with humour are more likely to stand out.
48. Have seasonal graphics on your website. This will help your website look fresh and up to date.
49. Put your logo onto your car or van. Full vehicle livery can be really eye-catching if done well however just a simple logo, what you do and phone number can be just as affective.
50. Collect testimonials from your clients. These reviews can then be added to your website and shared on your social media pages. Don’t forget to ask clients to review and rate your services on Google.