“How can I promote my business?”
It’s a question that is asked all the time, with businesses old and new looking for the most effective ways of reaching new customers. This is a good thing, as it stops businesses from sticking to the same old tactics, ensuring they use new and innovative ways of reaching their target market.
Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re looking to inject some creativity into your marketing approach, we’re here to help. Check out our comprehensive guide to how to advertise your business and get your business in front of the right people.
Why is it important to advertise your business?
In today’s tough climate, competition is fierce. New businesses can struggle to get their name out there, while older businesses can find it difficult to stay relevant. Advertising is important to help ensure your business reaches the right audience. From promoting a new product or service, to connecting with your existing customers, investing in your advertising is a great way to get your business heard, and generate some sales in return.
What are some of the advertising challenges faced by businesses?
Many businesses can struggle with advertising. This could be for several reasons, including:
Low budgets
Low budget can be a significant issue for businesses, especially small businesses, wanting to promote their products or services. And while businesses may not have large budgets to invest in multiple advertising streams, choosing the most effective methods can help return a better ROI.
There are also many free marketing ideas that can help your advertising budget stretch a little further.
Limited resources
Besides a low budget, many businesses lack the resources to advertise effectively. Without an internal marketing or social media team, business owners may find themselves taking on responsibilities that they don’t have either the time or the knowledge to execute properly.
A lack of understanding of new marketing methods
The world of marketing is always evolving, and what may have worked for a company in the past, may not be as effective as some of the latest marketing methods. That’s why it’s necessary to keep up-to-date with the latest marketing trends to understand what’s working well, and what customers are responding to.
12 creative ways to advertise your business
Sometimes, all you need is a little inspiration to help you advertise your business effectively. The following suggestions could be just what you need to help advertise and grow your business.
1. Put your name out there
It’s important to take advantage of the various platforms that exist online. From signing up for different social media accounts to creating a website, there are a lot of different platforms you can put your name on to help increase your brand’s visibility.
2. Make the most of social media (including the ones you may not have used before)
Social media marketing is one of the simplest ways to help advertise your business. Many businesses have built up a solid following without investing money in their social media, but even small budgets can go far when it comes to social advertising.
The main platforms to build a presence on are Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. However, you should also consider using LinkedIn (especially for B2B) and Pinterest – which can have many benefits for businesses. Snapchat and WhatsApp are also being used by businesses to help them improve communication with clients.
More recently, Meta has launched Threads, labelled as ‘the new way to share with text.’ What it means for businesses remains to be seen, but it could become a useful tool to advertise in the future.
It’s important to monitor which platforms perform the best when it comes to your reach, engagement rate and click-throughs to help you work out which platforms you should give the most attention to. Not all businesses will find success on every social platform.
A special nod to TikTok
As one of the latest and fastest-growing social media platforms, it’s difficult to leave TikTok out of your advertising strategy. While it was once a platform for sharing viral dance routines and impressions, it’s now being used by businesses to great effect. TikTok is a place where you can educate, engage and entertain your customers, with direct purchasing routes making it easy to secure greater ROI.
3. Visit trade shows for business-to-business clients
When it comes to B2B clients, some of the best ways to advertise your business are face-to-face. Trade shows and conferences are an excellent way to connect with other businesses and tell them about what you do. If you have anything you can provide, such as samples or a special discount, you could walk away with a lot of new leads, ready to take your business forward.
4. Create a Google Business profile
Google Business profiles are incredibly important for businesses, especially those looking to attract a more local customer base. Google Business ensures you appear in Google Maps results, local searches, and even voice searches. It’s a free resource, but one that can be extremely valuable, especially if you pair it with an informative website to match
As a way to legitimise your business and make it stand out from your competitors, making the most of this free listings tool could be very valuable for your business.
5. Start a blog
Starting a business blog is a simple way to advertise, without needing to spend money or create video/image content. A blog is a great way to share insights and expertise related to your industry, but it can also be a clever tool for improving your SEO and generating more traffic to your website. Spend some time thinking about the kinds of posts you could write to help create an insightful and engaging element for your website.
6. Have some fun with it
Some of the most successful marketing campaigns are the ones that are fun, and maybe even a little bit cheeky. People are exposed to so many different ads every day, but it’s the ones that promote an emotional response, especially laughter, that they’ll remember. Keep it clean and inoffensive to help you stand the best chance of success.
7. Become a sponsor
Becoming a sponsor is a simple and effective way to advertise your business, especially on a local level. You could sponsor a local sports team and appear on their kits, in their programmes and elsewhere – making you more visible in your community. You could also consider sponsoring an event, and providing some merchandise as a way to help people remember you long after the event is over.
8. Explore special deals and discounts
Promotions and discounts can be an excellent incentive to help both new and existing customers purchase your products and services. You can promote these discounts via email, in stores and online to help you spread the word among your target audience. There are milestones throughout the year that can be a good time to offer some deals, including Christmas, New Year and bank holidays.
Make your promotion pricing attractive, but don’t make your prices too low, as you may find your profit margins significantly reduced. Monitor and evaluate the types of offers that your customers respond to, allowing you to take a more targeted approach in the future.
9. Create a mailing list
Mailing lists are one of the most popular ways to advertise products and services. Despite advances in digital marketing practices, email continues to be one of the most effective ways of advertising, and is a low-cost way to communicate with new and existing customers.
To be able to send newsletters, you’re going to need to create a mailing list. You can ask people to opt into receiving communications with you via your website and social media, when placing an order, at trade shows and more, helping you build up a suitable database. Newsletters are a simple way to communicate special offers and promotions, helping to encourage sales.
10. Send samples
Want to show potential clients what you’re all about? Or do you want to jog the memory of some previous clients? Then why not send them some samples? This gives you a chance to show off your product or service, and can be a gesture that many will find memorable. You could even time your samples with specific points of the year such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, etc.
11. Invest in some freebies (that come with a purpose)
Giveaways are an excellent way to promote your business. Some of the products that make great giveaways include water bottles, stationery and promotional clothing. Brand your promotional items with your logo and colours, and make sure they provide people with some information on where to find you – having a website, social media handles and phone number will help people find you easily when the time comes for them to use your service.
If you can, consider only offering up your freebies in exchange for an action. From signing up to your mailing list to posting about your business on social media, you can help achieve a lot of exposure for your business and possibly create some enjoyable content too.
12. Give away promotional mugs
Freebies are a great way to get people to remember you, and it works better when you can offer something that people will actually use – like a promotional mug. A promotional mug is an excellent way to get your business name out there in a simple and affordable way. Give them away at trade shows, as a gift to clients and customers, and anywhere else you can think of where they can make an impact.
There are many different ways you can advertise your business, with ideas that can be adjusted to your budget and capabilities. Do some research on what your competitors and similar businesses do to advertise to help give you some further inspiration and insight into what works.
Why is a promotional mug an amazing idea?
Above, we mentioned the promotional mug as a way to help you advertise your business. But why exactly is a promotional mug an amazing idea? Some of the best reasons include:
The UK is a nation of tea (and other hot beverage) drinkers
A cup of tea is a staple of British life. In fact, it’s estimated that people drink 100 million cups of tea every day in the UK. And for those that prefer coffee, that sits at 70 million. Some even drink both. As tea and coffee are most commonly drunk in a mug, you can see that millions of mugs are used multiple times each day – providing the perfect advertising space for you to market your business.
People will always find a good use for a mug. Whether it’s to keep at their desk at the office, to use at home or to offer guests who walk through the door, a mug will always come in handy. Giving away promotional mugs is a simple way to give potential customers or clients a useful, reusable product that can serve as its own business card.
And because tea is known for many positive health effects, as well as a great mood booster, when a person drinks a cup of tea holding your promotional mug, they could develop some positive associations with your business.
They’re a good way to get people to remember you
First impressions count, and while you may have a great first encounter with a potential new customer or client, there’s a good chance they might forget you afterwards. Giving away a promotional mug can serve as a constant reminder of your services, so next time a potential client is thinking about a product or service you provide, you’ll be the first name they see in front of them.
Promotional mugs can also be good conversation starters, helping to provide recommendations and word of mouth between individuals and businesses. Remember to ask new clients where they heard about you so that you can track how effective your mugs are.
They’re affordable
Another reason to choose affordable mugs is that they are affordable. If you have a low advertising budget and you want to use it to advertise in a way that makes an impression, then promotional mugs could be the right fit for you. You can place an initial order to see how it works for you, and place further orders if you find that it’s a suitable strategy.
As with other types of bulk ordering, the more you order, the cheaper each unit will be. So you could enjoy branded mugs at an especially low rate. If you work out the cost of your mugs versus the business they bring in, you can see how much value your investment brings.
They’re sustainable
On a greener note, promotional mugs are sustainable. They are designed to be used over and over again, and when you choose a reputable company that uses the latest technology, you can be sure that the mugs will survive multiple washes, creating a product designed to last.
Promotional mugs can also be used within your office or workplace, replacing disposable cups that can harm the environment.
They give you the perfect excuse to be creative
Using promotional mugs gives you the perfect excuse to be creative with your advertising. While using your name and branding can be an effective way to grab attention, you could take things a step further and use the space available on your mug to do something else. From quotes and slogans to fun typology, there are many different ways you can create a memorable mug.
They come with a fast turnaround
Promotional products can take a long time to turn around, which isn’t ideal if you need them in a hurry. Promotional mugs, however, are quick to produce, using the latest printing technology to turn around orders in a hurry. You could receive your promotional mugs in as little as 7-10 working days, which is ideal for your next event or the start of an advertising campaign.
Put it on a mug! Say it with Prince William Pottery promotional mugs
If you’re looking for a simple, affordable and effective way to advertise your business, then Prince William Pottery can help. We provide promotional mugs for businesses and organisations across the UK, producing mugs that are high-quality and low-cost, giving you the perfect promotional item. We are a family-run business that’s been in operation since 1937, and our name is a nod to Prince William Street in Liverpool where it all began.
We can provide large quantities of mugs with a fast turnaround, making it easy for your business to get its message out there. Find out more about our products or contact us today to discuss your order.
A mug may be small, but it could have a mighty impact on your business!
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