Marketing Yourself and Your Business
Making yourself stand out can be hard – and knowing how to make your business stand out can be even more of a challenge. But marketing yourself and your business is important to long-term success. Knowing where to market yourself and the best places to do so can be a minefield. Hopefully, this article offers some insights into where to start and how each option can lead to your success. Marketing can help as you connect to local resources that can lend their personal expertise to your growing business.
Knowing where to start can be daunting – but let’s break it down into two parts: marketing yourself and marketing your business or services.
Marketing Yourself
The first thing you may think of to market yourself is social media. Knowing which platforms to sign up on can be the tricky part. Not all social media platforms will be right for what you’re aiming to accomplish. LinkedIn is great for a professional space, to network and reach out to potential vendors or employers; however, it’s not the best for marketing to new customers. Look into each platform (Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc.) and learn the benefits of each – you don’t need to be on every one; find the few that match what you’re looking for.
Another great tool to reach potential customers is having a website. It doesn’t have to be elaborate but one that highlights your work and what you are offering. It’s a great place to host a blog as well to share your knowledge and more detailed insight into your field to attract customers. You can also work with others in your field to potentially guest write on one of their blogs to expand your reach.
In the digital space and in person, interact with people. Respond to comments, attend networking events (in person or virtual), and have conversations. This allows people to get to know you as a person as well as show how your communication skills to aid in the work you do. Plus, it gives the added benefit of potential clients you meet this way feeling as if they have a connection with you and have an extra layer of confidence in the work you’ll be doing. If you’re looking for networking groups, check with your local Chamber of Commerce. They often have resources and contacts for networking groups in your area.
However, you go about marketing yourself – be genuine. Marketing yourself doesn’t need to be flashy, be authentic to who you are, what you offer, and what you can do for clients.
Marketing Your Business
Just like marketing yourself, social media can be a huge help in marketing your business. As with marketing yourself, joining the right platforms makes all the difference in the potential clients you’ll be reaching. Weigh the benefits and downsides of each social media platform you’re considering to find the right ones for your business. LinkedIn may be nice to have to reach potential employees, but using it to find new clients likely won’t pay off.
Networking groups can not only connect you to new clients, but they can also expand your connections. Maybe if you need help on a project, you can reach out to someone in your networking group to gain their advice on how to handle it. Having fellow business owners in your corner can help your business grow without going through the same bumpy patches others have gone through. Another benefit of networking groups is they can refer your business to their clients. They have a relationship with you and your business and can vouch for your knowledge and work level.
Your local Chamber of Commerce may have some other local resources for free or low-cost marketing. Be it flyers, newspaper ads, or other more traditional marketing methods that they can help connect you with. Lean on their knowledge to help market your business to a wider audience than you may have in just your networking group(s).
Budgeting and Planning for Yourself or Business
There are a fair number of options out there – both for free and for paid subscriptions. Often starting with a free option is great. First, it won’t strain your budget; second, it allows you quick access to getting yourself out there. However, if you choose to go about marketing yourself, factor in the money side of it. Have you planned in your budget for marketing costs? Do you have the time to manage the connections and references you can get from marketing? Lean on others, such as a mentor or business coach, for advice as you expand your marketing reach – both for yourself and your business. If you end up paying for a subscription option, include that in your budget and know what the costs will be both short-term and long-term.
For More Information
It takes time to find the best way to market yourself or your business. Once you find it, you’ll see how the investment pays off. With some research and time, you can reach new clients and partners to expand your business. Looking for a Chamber of Commerce near you? Check out the helpful search tool on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce site to find one in your area. If you have questions on local resources or are unsure how to budget for marketing outlets, one of our team would be happy to help get you started. You can send us an email, give us a call at (703) 912-7862, or schedule a meeting with a LeMay & Company team member using this link! We look forward to helping you grow!
