As a small business owner you might not have all the resources to do the kind of advertising that some big companies with so much money possess, you need to embrace the opportunities that internet marketing offers. Recent research has proven that many consumers now do research on search engines and social networks before the buy anything, which means that the internet has now become a very important element that shapes consumers’ purchasing decision. This is why you need to establish your place on the internet stage so you can be found. So what are the advantages of internet marketing for small business owners?
Personalization Offers
You can create personalized offers to your customers after you have built their purchasing preferences and history. You can also make targeted offers that reflect consumer’s interests by tracking the products information and web pages they have visited. Data from this kind of information can also be used to make products campaigns to help make more sales and promote your business.
New Costumers
Usually it is very hard for small businesses to find new and local customers because they can’t afford the kind of money that is needed to do traditional advertising. So what do they turn to? Online marketing. This can be achieved through a number of methods including article marketing, blogging and SEO.
Cost
The cost of marketing products and services on the internet is much smaller compared to doing so in a retail shop. Not many people will be able to locate your offline shop because of location restriction and geographical setting. If you’re online, you can target a larger number of customers and get better traffic to your site which will definitely result in higher sales.
Convenience
With online marketing you will never have to worry about opening and closing shops since websites and other means of internet promotions are based on 24 hours. The convenience is also beneficial for consumers since it will be easy for them to make purchases and place orders at anytime that is convenient for them. The cost of hosting website is also very little compared to renting an offline shop. There are no electricity bills, no employee salaries to pay and no insurance costs to settle.
Global Reach
With online marketing you can get customers from all over the world patronizing you, without the need of setting local outlets. With this advantage you can build for yourself an international business where costumers from other countries can get supplies of your local products via shipment. The world market is evolving everyday and businesses that catch up with these updates can find there way into the new markets to attract new customers from different cultures and backgrounds. You can do this by using your website as a marketing tool to expand your horizon, and reach out to thousands and millions of people across emerging and diverse markets across the globe.
Compete With The Big Boys
There is nowhere else a small business can contest with the big companies except on the internet. The online world has made it a level playing field for small businesses to pick up all the customers that the bigger boys have missed. You can use your website as a marketing tool to promote your products and services against all level of competitors.
Relationships
The internet provides a way for people to develop relationships with their customers to help increase client retention levels. To develop relationship you can send follow up e-mails to appreciate your customers and confirm the transaction. Regular emails sent to customers about special offers will help maintain a relationship and help build a sense of friendship and community.
Drew Appleton is a freelance SEO and online marketing consultant who specialises in helping small business to increase their brand awareness.