We live in a high-tech, social-media driven world. To stay on top of business, managers and strategists who work in diverse fields throughout the world must frequently evaluate how to harness the Internet and utilize new platforms to build bigger audiences and customer appeal. If you are a business owner who is not thinking about these things, now is the time. Your business will suffer if you stay in “the dark ages.” By reading these six tips you’ll learn how you can break free from old strategies and move your business into the now and beyond!

Six Ways Businesses Are Breaking Free From The Dark Ages

Utilize Your Best Assets

One problem some companies often face is trying to incorporate too much into their marketing campaigns. Here’s a new approach: Narrow and streamline. Market your brand’s very best assets. By focusing a campaign, it’s easier for the customer to “get” what you want him or her to understand about your company.

Get an Online Presence & Go Mobile!

Do not create your own website unless you are a web designer. Shell out the money for a professional website. You want regret it because a clean, beautiful site communicates care and trustworthiness to your viewers. Make sure the site is mobile-friendly too, whether you believe it or not, if you aren’t mobile friendly you’re probably missing out a huge chunk of the market. Lastly, make use of awesome mobile tools out there. If you’re throwing a sales kickoff event for your company for example, look into getting a conference app that allows your attendees to stay engaged through their phones and tablets (they’re going to be on them anyway!).

Use Social Media Platforms

But getting a website isn’t enough. You need to utilize as many of the free social media platforms that are available. Knowing your audience is key. Use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and other platforms to promote your company. If you don’t know where to start, check out this post and educate yourself (you owe it to your business!).

Hire Outside Professionals

The bottom line is that you cannot do everything for your company and do it well. If you are not comfortable with building a social media campaign, for example, hire a strategist that can monitor and build it for you. Perhaps you don’t have time to launch an email marketing campaign. That’s Okay if you have the money to hire a specialist who can.

Don’t Rule Out Paper (But Use it Sparingly)

There’s no doubt that you must take advantage of the Internet by sending email newsletters, interactive e-giving campaigns and even email direct marketing letters. But you don’t have to rule out all paper campaigns. It’s nice for a customer to get a postcard or letter in the mail every now and then. The key here is to know your audience’s preferences. So don’t be afraid to do a little market testing.

Revisit and Decide

Every company that wants to get out of the dark ages must take a few risks. But if you are launching new campaigns and strategies, you must revisit them and evaluate them for their effectiveness. So don’t be afraid to try new approaches, but we willing to leave them behind if they are not working.

Conclusion

As you can see, these six tips are not overwhelming. You can implement them all at once or slowly over time in order to build your capacity and get your staff used to new strategies. But whatever your approach, you will find you and your company moving out of the dark ages and into the modern world. You will see your business begin to grow, your advertising begin to become more effective, and your customers feel more positive about your brand. With a little effort, you’re there!