photo credit: hope taylor photography
from Elizabeth
With 2017 now underway, it’s that time of year when businesses come to Stevenson Ridge for their strategic planning retreats. We always take time ourselves to do some strategic planning, too. We’re always looking for ways to improve our business and services to ensure another successful year. WeddingWire EDU offered us some marketing tips for 2017, but they can apply to all businesses, not just to wedding venues.
- Keep your brand fresh. It’s easy to fall into routine and not updating listings with new pictures or content to reach new clients. Take a look at your marketing materials and consider these small changes to keep things fresh. Don’t forget to highlight your social media accounts.
- Leverages your in-person exposure. If you’re participating in local events, make sure your booth and promotional materials are up to date. You want to make a good first impression and knock out the competition. Remember these events are great for networking with people who can become future referrals.
- Make website updates. Website updates are like cleaning out your closet each season. Businesses add contact but rarely remove anything old! Set aside the time to review your website and all pages. Consider removing/adding staff member information, reviewing pricing, contact forms, and images of your work. A more modern site will catch the eye of your prospects, while outdated materials might turn them away.
- Add testimonials to your site. Let your past client help sell you. Collect and add testimonials from happy clients.
- Is your site responsive? Close to 75% of prospects use smart phones when search for services. When reviewing your website, always check it on a smart phone to ensure it’s easy to navigate on a mobile setting.
- Give social media a focus. It might feel overwhelming with all the different social media outlets. It’s recommended to focus on 3-5 sites. Most popular sites (especially for weddings & events) tend to be Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. If you have 7-10 social media platforms, but you’re not using all of them, it might best to remove a few and really concentrate on others to optimize your content to boost your sales.
- Build your blog. Having a blog is a quick and easy way to get potential client’s attention. You should post at least twice a week to impact your search engine ranking. After posting a blog, you should expand the content’s reach by sharing the blog through your social media platforms.
Marketing is a critical part of your business success, so start off the new year with a strong strategy to improve your business reach throughout the entire year.
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