5-simple strategies to grow your business online in less time
The number 1 barrier to growing a small business is time.
Given most small businesses are built around the age-old model of trading time for money, there are really only 2 ways to change your outcomes.
- Create more time by working longer hours – a common but not overly popular or smart approach.
- Invest in things that leverage your time – by this I mean invest your time and money in things that once ‘set-up’ will continue to produce results without the ongoing requirement of your time.
The result of following approach #1 is stress, fatigue and always needing to be ‘on’ whether you’re at work or spending time with your family – your mind always focused on a mounting to-do-list and never-ending client demands.
It’s time we changed all that. Let’s take a quick look at how we can do this by following approach #2.
Here’s the new business approach that will allow you to save time, make more money, and serve more people
It’s the ‘money in, money out’ model, or more accurately:
The ‘money in, MORE money out’ model.
This approach is the only way to create the time you’ll need to work on your business, to identify and fire the clients that are ‘not a fit’, and to implement the strategies which lead to sustainable growth and success.
This approach begins by using online marketing to generate more clients who are ‘a fit’. Something which ultimately flows through to more revenue, greater profits and the financial capacity needed to outsource all the ‘time-sucking’ tasks you know you shouldn’t be doing.
To ensure we stay on topic here, lets dive into the online marketing elements of this approach
The beauty of online marketing is this – once you’ve taken the time to get setup online you can continue to produce results without the ongoing requirement of your time, so long as you continue to invest. The cogs are turning 24/7 while you’re working, sleeping or on holidays.
As a former marketing sceptic myself, I’ve heard just about every excuse about why marketing doesn’t work for service-based businesses. Most commonly, business owners believe they don’t have the time or money to compete in the online world.
But small steps and small investments can have big impacts on the success of your business, and this is exactly what we’ll focus on to help you break through your own limiting beliefs about whether marketing can work for your business.
Your clients are already online. So, what are you waiting for?
To turn potential prospects into real, valuable clients, they need to be able to find you online.
According to recent research conducted by SEO Tribunal “97% of people learn more about a local company via the internet.”
The truth is there are countless competitors offering services similar to yours, and if they’re able to be found easily online and have a strong online presence, they may get the sale over you – even if you have a superior service, track record or customer value proposition.
So, the solution?
Depending on where you stand today, that may simply be to get online i.e. to establish your digital shopfront.
If you’re already online, that may be to polish your presence. To get active on social media, and to use smart digital marketing strategies to reach your customers without having to chase them.
Having spent the past 5 years researching, trialling, and testing just about every online marketing strategy under the sun…
Here are five of the best, most time-efficient online marketing strategies you can use to grow your business and leverage your time
1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
The purpose of SEO is to optimise your website on Google searches (or any other search engine) to make sure you appear on page 1 of Google for the services, search phrases, and solutions your ideal clients are searching for.
Google has a lot of traffic; I mean a lot. There are around 3.5 billion Google searches per day.
Investing in SEO can help businesses in a highly competitive industries stand out from their competitors. What’s more, you’ll be able to tap into search traffic with high buying intent. It’s been proven that people using Google are searching for services and solutions to their problems.
Want to learn more about how to get results with SEO? Access the webinar recording which we hosted recently with award-winning SEO expert Abrar Patel.
BONUS TIP: How often should you review your SEO strategies?
It is recommended to review your strategies and the results every month to ensure your investment in SEO is producing real results.
2. Google Ads (aka Search Engine Marketing)
If you’re going to invest your money to advertise your business online, the smartest strategy is to do so where people already are. Google dominates the search engine market with over 85% of the world’s population Googling their problems, questions and desires.
So how does it work? Basically, you post an ad (which looks like a google result) for your business which appears at the very top of the Google search results. Then you pay a fee every time someone clicks on your ad. According to Google, advertisers make $8 for every $1 they spend on Google Ads which makes it a very rewarding online investment.
Find out more about starting a Google Ads campaign.
3. Video and Audio Content
Video and audio content are the future of online marketing content.
Cisco estimates that by 2022, 82% of web traffic from all over the world will be from videos as customers are preferring video content.
As for audio, we only have to look at the phenomenal growth of the podcast industry over the last few years to see the trend. Today, more than 1.6 million Australians download podcasts, an increase of 70% from 2015.
So, how can you use this content to grow your business? Here are some simple ways you can incorporate videos and audio into your online marketing:
-
- Instead of sending a long email to a client, send a quick video to say hello or to explain hard-to-grasp concepts using free, easy-to-use tech like Vidyard
- Use videos on your social media pages and website to share valuable insights, new ideas and client success stories
- Consider creating a business podcast or a series of “how-to” videos for your customers
Well thought-out, engaging content can be an incredibly valuable tool for getting your ideal clients to know you, like you and trust you. The best part is that once produced, they become assets which will continue to enhance your brand.
4. Facebook Ads
Facebook is the world’s largest social network and its precise targeting features allow you to reach more of your perfect clients quickly and cost-effectively. This means you’re not wasting your time and money targeting the wrong people
The nature of Facebook Ads also allows you to share content to promote client engagement, helping to build brand awareness for your business – along the way building trust and authority status.
Facebook is continually changing its algorithms and rules, which means it can be challenging to keep up. If you would like some support from a social media guru, get in touch with our team today.
5. Email Automation
Talk about saving the best for last! Email marketing is without doubt one of the best bang-for-buck marketing tools available today. Almost everybody has an email address, and it was recently reported that on average people check their email a staggering 15 times per day.
Email marketing works whether you are looking to remain front of mind with existing clients – a powerful new business strategy in and of itself – or reaching out to unconverted prospects on your list to follow up on a prior service proposal, or to extend a new offer.
Better still, by automating the emails you send to existing clients or unconverted prospects, you can save yourself stacks of time. Plus, there’s plenty of tricks to make your emails more personalised to make your clients feel nurtured and special.
When coupled with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software like Active Campaign, you can track every single one of your emails to see who opens them, and whether they click on any links. All with a view to making sure your efforts are achieving measurable results.
There has never been a better time to grow your business online. If you’re ready to see the business growth you know you need, leverage the power of these time-efficient marketing strategies and watch on with pride as the results start to flow in.
Like the idea of growing your business online, but not sure where to start? Schedule a no-cost, no-obligation strategy session with our team today and we’ll help you map out a path to success. Click here to claim your free session.
DISCLAIMER: All the information on this website is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. MBS Advisory does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website (www.marketingbrandingsales.com), is strictly at your own risk. MBS Advisory will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website. From our website, you can visit other websites by following hyperlinks to such external sites. While we strive to provide only quality links to useful and ethical websites, we have no control over the content and nature of these sites. These links to other websites do not imply a recommendation for all the content found on these sites. Site owners and content may change without notice and may occur before we have the opportunity to remove a link which may have gone ‘bad’. Please be also aware that when you leave our website, other sites may have different privacy policies and terms which are beyond our control. Please be sure to check the Privacy Policies of these sites as well as their “Terms of Service” before engaging in any business or uploading any information. By using our website, you hereby consent to our disclaimer and agree to its terms. If you require any more information or have any questions about our website’s disclaimer, please feel free to contact us by email at hello@marketingbrandingsales.com.
