7 Marketing and Promotion strategies for Businesses

Explore our 7 tried-and-tested marketing and promotion strategies for businesses in 2024. From harnessing the power of Google My Business to maximizing social media engagement, this blog offers practical tips to boost your online presence and drive growth without breaking the bank.

7 Marketing and Promotion strategies for Businesses

If you own a start-up or a locally set-up business and looking for ways to expand your reach, generate more leads, and drive more traffic on a low to no budget, then you must focus on our recommended marketing and promotional strategies to stay ahead.

We have developed solid marketing and promotional strategies that always work for us and will also work for you.

First, let’s understand,

What are marketing and promotion strategies?

Marketing and promotion strategies are techniques and tactics used to increase awareness, generate interest, and drive sales of products and services.

Marketing and promotion strategies aim to effectively communicate the values of a business by creating brand awareness, fostering customer engagement, and driving sales and revenue. By targeting specific audience segments with tailored messages and offers, you can increase the relevance and effectiveness of your marketing efforts that align with your business goals and objectives. Moreover, you can effectively reach and connect with your customers which will lead to growth and profitability.

Small businesses, or mainly local businesses, generally have tight marketing budgets, and promoting their businesses is challenging. To compete in the market and to be aware of the brand's existence. Despite being a challenging task, you can stay abreast with these low-budget and free promotional and marketing strategies with the right approach and a positive mindset.

1) Create a free Google My Business Account

Google My Business has become the most effective marketing strategy for local businesses. Create a Google My Business account so your business becomes visible on Google Maps and your knowledge panel appears on the right side of the search engine. Also, Google's algorithm has a separate section; when someone searches for the “family restaurant near me” keyword, a separate panel emerges on the top, and you have a high chance of being visible. Isn’t it cool! To create your Google My Business, you must have verified ownership. Update your business information, update your photos, and encourage your customers to drop a review to build trust and confidence in your future customers.

 Here you can learn to set up your Google My Business Account.

2) Post and engage on Social Media

Social media has become vital for businesses of all sizes and forms and should not be neglected if you want a strong online presence. Increasing social media engagement and building a community has become a free marketing and promotional strategy. Create Business accounts on social media such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and present your brand personality to build trust in your audiences.

  • Communicate with your followers.
  • Engage with your audiences through polls and Q&A.
  • Promote blog posts and drive traffic to your website or other online platforms.
  • Creating quick, entertaining, informative, shareable posts or reels for your audience

Creating your social media account is not enough; you should be active on your account to attract your audience's attention. You can hire a Social media marketing agency to save time and effort.

Here’s our Bonus tips that can change your Social Media Presence:

Tag people or brands on social media 

You can reach out to more people by tagging your loyal customers and related brands/clients/vendors, you have worked with or associated with. It will exponentially grow your followers and potentially attain leads or clients for your business. You can ask them to tag your social media handle on their post or feed and to share your business story on their page.

Use hashtags 

Use Hashtags on social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to broaden your reach. Align your hashtag strategy by adding a mix of broad hashtags that will help you cater to your niche, specific hashtags that are good for resources and advice, location-based hashtags to attract audiences from specific locations, and custom hashtags that describe your business.

Focus on Content 

Your content strategy must focus on creating content for your audiences that they resonate with. Create entertaining yet informative content for them, that will be catchy enough to stay in your audience's core memory; alongside, you can share informative content.

3) Focus on Local SEO 

Local SEO is one of the best free Marketing and promotional strategies that local businesses should focus on. Google's algorithm is designed to serve accurate, high-quality, and relevant content according to any search query. Although Local SEO is free, it takes time and effort. Here are must-dos for Local SEO to promote your business:

  • Add location-based keywords to titles, descriptions, and body content of the website.
  • Focus on local citations, mainly on directory submission and review sites; make sure your business information across all platforms is identical.

4) Invest your efforts in Email marketing plans

Email marketing is a great marketing and promotion strategy to interact with audiences who have previously engaged with your brand. Also, the email marketing concept is not new, but it’s worth investing your time and effort to get a strong return on investment. Here’s how you can ace your email marketing plan:

  • Focus on creative and personalized Subject lines, and customize them according to different audience segments.
  • Every email should be compelling and offer something to customers to encourage audiences to take the next step.
  • Track your email marketing analytics and Run A/B testing to see what works for you and what offers resonate with your audience.
  • Nurture your subscribers via emails until they convert into paying customers.

5) Referral programs 

Referral programs can be particularly effective for businesses where word-of-mouth recommendations affect purchasing decisions such as retail, e-commerce, hospitality, and service-based businesses. Referral programs can help businesses expand their customer base, increase sales, and foster long-term loyalty and engagement. Referral programs harness existing customer relationships to acquire new customers by offering incentives for successful referrals.

6) Content Marketing 

Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract, engage, and retain a specific audience. It focuses on providing information, entertainment, or solutions to address audience needs and interests, ultimately driving profitable customer action. Types of content marketing that you can focus on:

  • Blog Posts: Informative articles that address audience interests and pain points.
  • Videos: Engaging visual content that educates or entertains your audience.
  • Infographics: Visual representations of data or information that are easy to digest.
  • Podcasts: Audio content that provides valuable insights or entertainment.
  • E-Books: In-depth guides or resources that offer comprehensive information on a specific topic.
  • Case Studies: Success stories that showcase how your products or services have helped customers.
  • Whitepapers: In-depth reports or analyses that provide thought leadership on industry topics.
  • Webinars: Live or recorded presentations that offer educational value to your audience.
  • Social Media Posts: Bite-sized content shared on social platforms to engage your audience.
  • Email Newsletters: Regular updates or promotions are delivered directly to your audience's inbox. This content helps you connect with your audience, establish authority in your industry, and drive engagement and conversions.

7) Network Events 

Networking events provide valuable opportunities for professionals to connect, share knowledge, and establish meaningful relationships within their industry. These events can take various forms, such as conferences, seminars, workshops, or industry-specific gatherings. Attendees can exchange ideas, learn from experts, and expand their professional network, leading to new business opportunities, collaborations, and partnerships. Networking events facilitate face-to-face interactions and foster a sense of community among participants, helping to build trust and credibility. By actively participating in networking events, professionals can enhance their visibility, broaden their professional circle, and stay informed about industry trends and developments.