How to get ahead in promoting your business after Covid19 lock down.
If you’re in business, you’ll already know that you need to be constantly thinking of how to promote your company and stay ahead of your competitors, in this case it’s to attract customers who are still spending and give them reason to spend it with you. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, we’ve put together our 7 top tips list on how to promote your business with print marketing – effectively and for a sensible budget.
1 Build your brand
Is your brand strong? Does it look consistent online, in print and on-site? Will people recognise your business and associate it with what you do? Are you pitching at the right level? Have any competitors given up and left a gap in the market that you could fill?
Not sure? Ask us what we can do to make those needed changes or rebrand your business to get started on the right footing.
2 Offer deals and freebies
Think about what you can offer as a company to help fellow businesses get back on their feet. We are all in this together and many local businesses rely on each other, even if they do not realise it! You can create promotions that bundle products together, offer a percentage off of your services or a time limited offer; make sure you get this out to your local areas and not just put it on Facebook. (Many people do not use Facebook and those that do may not follow you, those that do still may not see you. Reliance on social media may be the breaking of businesses!)
3 Have business cards at the ready
Make sure you have the most up-to-date information on your business cards; address, contact numbers, website and email and social media links. Do not waste the space on the back of the card, you should always use that space to add more information about what you do; this can be in the form of bullet points to describe your products or services or just add your mission statement or elevator speech. You’d be amazed how many business cards we print that might look good, but they do nothing to get across what the customer does – once that card has been sat in a drawer for a while or passed on to a friend, its purpose will have been lost. We design and print business cards with same and next day turnarounds – jump on it.
4 Send out your company brochure
Send a company brochure to remind your customers that you still exist and take the opportunity to get across all of your available products or services. Investment in a brochure shows commitment and conveys credibility. Over reliance on websites is folly, people only look for something when they decide they need it! Look for suitable businesses, similar to your current customers perhaps, that could need your services and send them a brochure; it can create that need in their mind and you are right there to provide it. Direct mail is still the best performing and most environmentally friendly marketing channel available! Ask us for advice. We offer a full design, print and mail service in-house.
5 Vouchers
If you are currently closed and want to keep income flowing in, whether you are a restaurant, salon or service based business – offer vouchers in lieu of services later. Create a new gift experience that can be given for a birthday or just a general gift when things are back to normal. We design and print vouchers to suit your branding and they can be foiled to give them a higher perceived value or UV varnished for security purposes.
6 Go local with posters and leaflets
Have a look locally to see if any local shops, supermarkets, council, community and leisure centres have notice boards that you can use. Often, they’ll happily to let you advertise with your business cards, posters and leaflets. If you have other local businesses that you work with, or compliment, ask if you can swap posters in each other’s shops, salons or restaurants. If you have promotions that are suitable for anyone in your area, get more leaflets printed and get them out through local residents letterboxes. We design and print leaflets, flyers and posters with fast turnarounds, all we need is your logo and text and we can have marketing materials ready to go the next day – why wait?
7 Use your family, friends and customers
Word of mouth and personal recommendations are really effective ways to get new business. Everyone likes to be the ‘one in the know’ and recommend their favourite supplier but sometimes they need a poke or an incentive. Give your business champions some business cards, or referral cards if you are willing to reward them, and ask them to mention you to their friends or contacts. We design and print referral cards specifically for such need with areas for both referrer and new customers details to be recorded.
Fidelity Design & Print have been providing small business branding, design and print and print services in Bedford and across the UK for over 20 years and in that time we’ve designed and printed a huge range of marketing products for our customers. To get a quote visit www.fidelityprint.co.uk, email quotes@ or call 01234 907907 today!