In some ways, it’s never been easier for businesses to connect with consumers. Given the multitude of marketing strategies at their disposal, companies can engage with their customer base through a myriad of platforms and techniques. Yet, because business owners have so many options to choose from –– and because consumers are constantly bombarded with ads and marketing content –– making a genuine impression is often more difficult than it first appears. In order to help B2C business owners truly connect with important leads, today we’ve isolated seven B2C marketing strategies that are sure to deliver results. Check them out here:
1. Compelling Content
Regardless of the nature of your business, a dynamic blog will benefit your marketing and sales efforts. Blogs serve a number of practical purposes for B2C organizations, including:
- a platform to answer FAQs.
- an opportunity to build internal website links.
- a place to debut new products or services.
- an open forum to discuss industry trends with consumers.
Blogs are especially important for B2C businesses that develop innovative products. Remember, educating your customer base as to what your product does, and why it’s important, is the first step toward building a successful marketing campaign. Before you can convert, you first have to instruct. Businesses that treat their blog posts as vital resources –– and not as extended advertisements –– have a much better chance at gaining consumer trust.
2. Mobile-Friendly Design & SEO
Much like blogging, search engine optimization (SEO) is something that all companies need to prioritize. However, local SEO is of particular importance for companies that rely on physical visitors to their location (like retail stores, for instance). As an SEO best practice, all companies should put a focus on making their website mobile-friendly. In addition to improving user experience, mobile SEO efforts will help increase your company’s visibility with your most important clientele and –– as a result –– help you attract qualified leads. (The same logic that dictates local SEO also applies to creating digital advertisements based on geographic locations.) Businesses that operate within a designated area should consider the use of geo-targeting within their marketing strategies.
3. Retargeting
Rarely do consumers make purchase decisions without encountering a product or brand several times first. Indeed, even “trivial” purchase decisions –– like where to have lunch –– will typically inspire consumers to visit several sites before they make up their mind. Given that fact, retargeting should be an essential part of every B2C business’s online marketing strategy. Just because a customer wasn’t ready (or able) to patronize your store one day, doesn’t mean they won’t be receptive to your message in the future. In fact, just the opposite is true. For a closer look at retargeting best practices, check out our blog here.
4. Cross-Channel Tactics
Just as B2C businesses need to be able to utilize retargeting methods, so too should they explore cross-channel marketing. In essence, cross-channel strategies work to align related marketing campaigns that exist across different channels (social media, digital ads, blog posts, etc.). By linking your content and unifying your brand’s strategies, B2C companies can cast a wide net to draw in as many leads as possible. Again, if a consumer found your content on a social media platform, for example, they should be able to find your business again through other channels later on.
5. Marketing Videos
Short, exciting videos are fundamental to a B2C company’s ability to generate leads on social media. Videos are extremely engaging and typically form the cornerstone of profitable social media campaigns. What’s more, B2C marketers should strive to create a diverse range of videos that emphasize different aspects of a product, and/or appeal to unique demographics. Additionally, videos allow consumers to see a product in action or the benefit of a service in real life. Where the written word fails, video content can thrive. (Note, you don’t have to be a professional videographer to produce videos that resonate with your audience.)
6. Giving Something for Nothing
It’s a well-worn marketing tactic, but offering a customer the chance to get something for free by signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase on a certain date, or by sharing your page with a friend (etc.) will likely yield positive results. It’s no surprise that people love getting something for nothing. Use that to your advantage and leverage coupons and free-shipping offers to grow your customer base. Remember, garnering valuable conversions should offset the costs associated with a promotion.
7. Social Communities
What’s better than developing a solid relationship with one customer? Building an entire community around your brand. While that might sound far-fetched for new businesses, the reality is that many successful organizations use social media as a tool to found a group devoted to a lifestyle associated with a product. Consider the way Harley Davidson encourages its customers to share their best stories from the road and you’ll begin to get a sense of how powerful the feeling of belonging can be for burgeoning brands. Subjects that seem tangential to your product, but which are important to your consumer base, are perfect topics marketers can use to generate discussion between customers on social media. In addition, anything a small business does to humanize its brand –– such as sharing customer success stories –– will go a long way toward winning new clientele as well as securing repeat customers.
Lastly, businesses that cultivate loyal followings on social media channels increase their ability to launch viral marketing content. After all, viral content has to be shared in order to be effective!
The Bottom Line
At Agile & Co., we have years of experience working with B2B and B2C businesses, and we know how to implement marketing strategies that deliver meaningful returns. From SEO to social media management, let our team help you reach new heights. Contact us today to get started. Or, for more information on our inbound methodology, check out our free eBook here:
