I still remember the first time I filed taxes for my business. In addition to having no idea what a write-off really was, I also didn't worry too much about guessing on the numbers. A few government audits later, I discovered what it really meant to do things the right way. Over the years, I have met lots of business owners that weren't too worried about fudging the numbers, and nearly all of them have run into problems. Proper accounting is important, which is why I created this website dedicated to business accounting. I know that if you learn the right way to do things and focus on integrity, your business can avoid a world of problems.
If you're launching a new business, or simply want to revitalize an existing business that has gone a bit stale, you might be wondering about the most cost-effective ways of promoting your products and services. In today's technology-centric world, it can be difficult to keep up with changes in search engine optimization, laws governing targeted mailings and other types of solicitation, and other key issues in the marketing field. Read on to learn more about how a marketing consultant may be able to bring in a steady stream of reliable, paying customers.
What does a marketing consultant do?
In today's world, creating a high-quality product or offering a high-quality service is sometimes not enough to guarantee business success.
For example, imagine that you're trying to decide which of two new restaurants to visit for dinner. One restaurant has a website that says only "Under Construction." The other has an interactive website that shows appetizing pictures of several entrees and allows you to view a menu, look up business hours, or even click on a map to find the best way to travel there from your current location. Which restaurant will you choose?
A marketing consultant can work with you to come up with a plan to increase the (positive) public image of your business -- through social media, search engine optimization, trade or business publications, or even word of mouth.
Why should you choose a marketing consultant?
You may not think it makes financial sense to engage a marketing consultant -- these days it is fairly simple to set up a basic website or social media page. However, there is much more to business promotion than meets the eye, and a marketing consultant is experienced in a variety of different ways to target customers.
Marketing consultants are also familiar with the laws governing certain types of advertising and business solicitations. For example, some cities prohibit the use of "vehicle wraps" as advertisements, or set limits on letter height. By using a marketing consultant to come up with your advertising plan, you can ensure that you'll stay on the right side of the law.
What types of actions may a marketing consultant recommend to boost your business?
One of the most cost-effective ways of promoting your business is to engage in search engine optimization (SEO) to help raise your online presence. SEO involves the use of commonly-searched terms to help bump your website or social media page to the top of the results list.
Because the SEO formulas for the major search engines frequently change to avoid abuses (such as creating a main page with thousands of lines of black-on-black text including popular search terms), marketing consultants may incorporate a variety of SEO approaches to your website to ensure that a slight tweak won't send you rocketing back to the last page of results.
Your marketing consultant may also work with you to develop a referral program -- particularly if you're in a service industry where word-of-mouth referrals carry more weight than anything else. For example, you may want to offer customers a store credit or discounted service for referring others to you, or for writing a review on your website.
Share27 March 2015
