We have been talking a lot about Content Marketing and using your website and social media to promote your business and educate your customers. However, if you’re trying to publish a blog post or article or press release on a day in which there is substantial online activity, it is easy to get drowned out. Days like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, for instance, are perfect examples. Many people are online doing their shopping and researching products. It’s a great opportunity for small businesses to get themselves in front of new customers and promote their products or services. However, businesses face immense competition from other businesses and marketing efforts, as well as larger than normal online activity from other bloggers and writers. How do you get your message heard among all the other noise and distractions?
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Be Different
If your message is simply a 10% discount on products, it’s less likely to get noticed among all the other discounts and sales being offered. You don’t have to offer anything more valuable than you might otherwise offer, but it should be different and creative. Offer a free service that might have had the same value, or provide a free product with purchase.
2. Spread Your Message Around
Hopefully you’re already in the habit of sharing your new content on all your social media networks and elsewhere, but in case you aren’t, this is the time to start! 6 Social Platforms to Share Your Blog Posts is a good review of the basics. You should also make sure that you’re sharing your new content with Google via XML Sitemaps and with other blog and article directories. If you’re posting a press release, write it early and get it scheduled for immediate syndication using services like eReleases.
3. Don’t Limit You and Your Staff to One Day
If the event is a one-day event like Cyber Monday, there’s no reason that you have to offer your promotions on just that day. Spread them out over a couple days or more, and you can begin promoting them earlier. It will also spread your sales and customer service requests out a bit more relieving some of the stress on you and yours.
4. Change Google AdWords Accordingly
If you’re running a Google AdWords campaign, change up your ads accordingly. For example, if you’re doing a Cyber Monday promotion, your ads should talk about your Cyber Monday Discount or whatever it is you’re doing. Take advantage of the heightened interest in whatever day or event you’re competing with.
5. Update your Website Accordingly
Similarly, make sure that you’re not sending people to the same website that they may have seen last week. You don’t have to change the whole site, but you should have different banners or other new information to help visitors understand exactly what you’re offering as a special and where to go for more information or to act on your deal.
6. Send eCards or Newsletters
If you’re offering a special or promotion, use an eCard or Newsletter to share it with your existing clients and prospects. If you have simply published a new blog or article that you wish to share, use the Newsletter to share the link. You might also consider providing your newsletter subscribers with an additional benefit, like a link to download a related eBook or some other information that casual visitors might not have access to.
Use these techniques to ensure that your message is heard, and your business will be rewarded for the effort. Are there any other techniques you’ve used in the past that have helped your marketing during busy marketing cycles?