7 Classic and Modern Marketing Best Practices for Seniors

7 Classic and Modern Marketing Best Practices for Seniors

by Bonnie McDonald – contributing author

Marketing in the modern age can be tricky. It’s difficult to know which practices are worthwhile and which are a waste of time and energy, precious commodities for any professional. A combination of modern and classic efforts allows you to work within your wheelhouse while expanding into new territory. Check out this list of ideas on how to do just that.

1. Create a Marketing Plan

Photo by Vlada Karpovich

There’s no need to pay for a pricey agency to develop a marketing plan for your business. While it is essential to have a solid marketing plan, you can create it on your own by determining who your target market is, incorporating feedback from your customers and using a variety of marketing strategies such as the ones laid out below.

2. Partner with Other Businesses

Businessmen and women from all generations understand the power of forming mutually beneficial alliances with other businesses. Whatever your service or goods, it’s likely there is a complementary business that yours could work with. A funeral home might pair up with a florist to offer discounts when you use both; a sandwich shop might offer coupons for the ice cream parlor down the road and vice versa.

Don’t overlook the advantages of door-to-door networking. Little is more effective in building personal connections than a handshake and a business card. Plus, you can get some exercise, and if you live in an area with a good Walk Score, all the better. It’s been shown that walkability holds many benefits to our health and the environment.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

3. Use Samples or Free Products

Samples have long been a staple of the restaurant industry, but their effectiveness isn’t limited to hungry customers. Upserve points out that samples and free products are an excellent way to prove your products’ worth to potential customers when they aren’t familiar with your business and to remind those who are why they need to be shopping with you.

4. Perfect Your Website

One thing that has changed over the years is the importance of a high-quality website. If your business’s website isn’t professional-looking or doesn’t work well, customers will simply choose another business to buy from. If you have experience with website building, you may be able to manage this on your own; but unless you do, it’s wise to invest in a website designer.

It’s also important that you set up your digital marketing (including your website) and all of your digital tools to be safe from viruses and cyber thieves. Hiring IT professionals can ensure that you and your customers are protected.

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5. Embrace Social Media

While an easy-to-operate and good-looking website is necessary for sales, a quality social media presence is the best way to bring new customers in. Social Sidekick explains that, since you can share posts to audiences of millions of potential customers at a time, social media is a powerful way to establish your brand and broaden your customer base. Consider hiring a social media manager who understands how to create the right content for your audience. If you want to try your hand at social media marketing, using a Facebook ads maker is a great place to start!

6. Try Content Marketing

Content marketing has several benefits that make it an ideal choice for small businesses. First of all, it’s relatively inexpensive and can be done entirely in-house. Secondly, it allows you to build long-term relationships with your customers by providing them with valuable and informative content. Finally, it can be an effective way to boost your search engine ranking and reach a wider audience. Visit Cornerstone Content to learn more about how content marketing can be a powerful tool for growing your small business.

7. Look for Low-Cost Resources

Find ways to shave costs when possible. There are many free and low-cost tools available that can make marketing easier. For example, Canva is a free content design program where you can create your business logo, social media posts, marketing fliers and more.

You can also save money by advertising for free on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, as well as creating your own promotional image using free business logo design templates. That will save you a bundle on graphic design and allow you to focus your resources elsewhere.

Embrace Marketing Practices

Don’t let the fear of having to learn new marketing principles keep you from doing what’s best for your business. By using a blend of classic and new strategies, you can increase the effectiveness of your efforts and leave your business booming. Engage with other business leaders and your customers through various networking opportunities, including social media. And take advantage of any resources you can find, especially free and low-cost ones. And when your expertise runs out, outsource! Marketing is vital to the success of your business, so use every tool available to you to make your business grow.

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