As a new business owner, you have a lot on your proverbial plate. From finding freelance coders to help with your website design to choosing paint colors for the office walls, every decision, large and small, falls to you.
It’s a responsibility that’s both rewarding and challenging—but it can often mean you feel like you have neither the time nor the resources to spend on things like a marketing plan.
But these perceived limitations don’t have to keep you from developing a robust, actionable marketing plan that’s simple, effective, and true to your brand.
And successful marketing is key to a successful business. It’s how you communicate your story, product, or service—and that you exist in the first place—to potential customers. This is true for any business, no matter how long they’ve been around, but is especially critical for new businesses without a core customer base to rely on.
Below, you’ll find three tips (with plenty of additional resources throughout) that will help strengthen your elevator pitch, demystify digital marketing, and keep you within budget.
1. Share it, don’t sell it
People are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to recognizing “the sell.” They know when they’re getting the hard sell—and they don’t like it. Instead of giving a traditional canned elevator pitch, try tailoring your modern sales pitch to your audience by engaging in a helpful, genuine conversation.
Think of it as talking with someone rather than talking at them. Today’s sales pitch is about having a dialogue that flows naturally and genuinely engages the listener. It makes it easier for you (no one really enjoys making an elevator pitch!) and more meaningful for them (no one really enjoys getting the hard sell!).
From responding to an Instagram comment or chatting at a business brunch, you can easily incorporate your product or service naturally into the interaction in a way that feels real. By making a connection between your product or service and the listener in a specific way, you’re demonstrating a level of thoughtfulness and understanding that goes way beyond a quick sell.
Thankfully, there are many ways to start integrating the modern sales pitch into your everyday interactions. Have a look at “The Modern Sales Pitch: Start a Conversation” for ideas.
2. Harness the power of digital
A compelling website and social media presence that communicate a cohesive identity are among the first steps to building an online business presence that will work for you 24/7—but they’re only part of the equation.
As explained in “Launching Your First Business? A Digital Marketing Crash Course,” there’s also social media, targeted online advertising, SEO strategies, and conversions.
“Digital marketing is an area that every first-time business owner should try to understand. Every business, e-commerce to brick-and-mortar, can benefit from effective digital marketing.”
— Derek Miller, CopyPress
In this post, Derek Miller of CopyPress provides a quick overview of branding, conversions, and content, as well as a look at how to scale your digital marketing efforts.
3. Keep your budget in the black
Perhaps the best part about these new marketing resources is that they’re incredibly affordable for any new business.
Whether you’re a social media master or a networking genius (or both!), you don’t have to max out a major marketing budget to get your story told—and heard. There’s a lot of marketing you can tackle with a shoestring marketing budget, such as focusing on SEO, asking happy customers for reviews, or developing targeted ad campaigns
Want more strategic ideas you can incorporate into your new marketing plan? Learn more tips, trends, and best practices in Upwork’s Hiring Headquarters >>
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