The new year is here! 2020 changed the game for many small businesses especially in the methods that have to use when reaching new customers. 2021 will be different but in many ways, the strategies employed to grow sales will remain the same as business owners will have to double down on the new ways that shape the marketing landscape. Here are 3 tips for marketing in 2021 that will help business owners maximize their success.

Google, Google, Google!

Digital is here to stay and online ordering, e-commerce, and tools like Google My Business, Google Ads and other tools will be important for businesses to stand apart from the competition and to reach customers. No longer will it be enough to do “word of mouth” advertising especially when traditional methods of networking or “getting the word out” will or may not ever exist again. In the new digital age, the Google, Facebook and the online suite of tools available to business owners will determine who thrives in terms of customer acquisition and service. Make sure you hire an expert to help with the setup and maintenance of digital channels!

Ads, Ads, Ads!

With the changing landscape towards digital methods of communication it has become even more imperative to reach customers where they prefer their communication. The digital ad age is here and the democratization of the ability to run advertising campaigns with tools never available before to the business owner allows for a tremendous advantage over larger competitors especially at the local level. Advertising is becoming more localized both in terms of location but also in terms of the personalization of advertising capability. To grow your business you will need to run advertising campaigns and run them well. Our recommendation is to produce campaigns that are visually appealing to your target market and tell stories of why customers should choose your brand over the competition. To do this well, market research and persona development is critical in understanding what is important to your target market.

Spend, Spend, Spend

Although 2020 was the year to cut costs and re-evaluate spend, 2021 should be the year to invest in your business growth. Many business owners were able to trim unnecessary expenses in 2020, leaving budget available for other areas in their business. 2021 is the year to double down on what works, and there can be no question that digital methods and digital advertising works. Traditionally, it is expected for a business to spend 8% of their gross revenue on marketing with half of that allocated to digital. More often than not, businesses have rarely broken the 3% mark on total advertising spend on a yearly basis. The digital age will not be as forgiving of a time for business owners to misappropriate marketing dollars and it will quickly reward those who do spend the money wisely. As you complete and implement your plans for 2021, make this year the year you trim your traditional marketing spend and embrace the digital landscape. More and more consumers have made the jump, permanently in most cases. It’s time your business did the same!

If you’re ready to create Ads and drive ROI, we can help! Reach out to me at john@bluecomet.media. I look forward to helping you reach your target customers more effectively in the digital space!