Entrepreneurship is becoming more popular in our changing society. Getting a business up and running may seem like the hard part. It’s growing the business so you can make a healthy income that will prove to be your biggest challenge.
Building a consistent clientele is a must when starting your own business. Word of mouth will be your strongest marketing tool because it is no secret, repeat customers are sometimes elusive.
Among the things needed to start your own business is financial resources. As an entrepreneur having enough money saved to open your doors with a small inventory comes first. Having a large marketing budget becomes a luxury.
Some entrepreneurs miss out on inexpensive marketing opportunities because they don’t understand digital marketing. Many believe they need a professional firm to build a full-scale marketing plan.
If this is you, continue reading for 10 tips to jumpstart your waterjet company.
1. Host an Open House
No matter when your waterjet company opened, it’s never a wrong time to host an open house. These fun events are a way to let people know about your business and get potential customers through the door.
At the open house have appetizers and plenty of libations. Use it as an opportunity to introduce your staff. Invite suppliers and manufacturers to sponsor the event in exchange for being on sight to conduct product demonstrations
2. Build a Social Media Presence
The best inexpensive marketing for a business is through a successful social media presence. Your chances of connecting with true water sports fans increase with social exposure.
You can search social media to see what other waterjet companies are doing and how users are responding.
Choose from popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Or, you can explore the numerous platforms available, to which ones work best for your business.
3. Video Can Really Promote a Waterjet Company
People love videos. With the influx of live streaming, you could build an entire marketing campaign around waterjets.
Perform customer tutorials. Encourage customers to tag your business in their videos using watercraft purchased at your shop. You can even host a waterjet event.
Whatever it takes to get good footage of your merchandise in action can benefit your bottom line.
4. Build Brand Advocates
People trust the word of family and friends over any other form of advertising. Encourage your customers to write reviews on review site like Yelp an Google. The can also use the Recommend feature on Facebook.
Loyal customers can become brand advocates for your store. Advocacy is when a person supports your brand and takes pride in what you’re doing. You do not have to pay for this loyalty, but it doesn’t hurt to have some form of acknowledgement.
Simple ways to say thank you include, store discounts, rewards programs or giving customers a shoutout on your social media channels.
5. Build a Website
An online presence is good for any business that wants to succeed. Six years ago, 91% of adults online used search engines to find information.
This statistic shows you need some form of online accessibility if a small business expects to get noticed. The best part, a strategical website design will include search engine optimization.
You can view here to check out an awesome waterjet website.
6. Host a Fun Blog
One way to bring engaging content to your website on a consistent basis is by hosting a blog. Blogs are a great way to promote your business. It will also allow you to show your expertise about your industry.
Blogs can be informative or playful. You can host guest bloggers who not only bring their style of content but they also bring their following. Use this strategy to grow your own audience.
Always ask yourself if a marketing technique can help grow your waterjet company. Blogs are effective, but they do require consistent intentional content.
7. Join Sites for Watersports
As digital marketing explodes, more ways to market online continue to surface. Directory sites aren’t new. They are just growing in popularity.
Directories host information about cities, businesses, social activities, local events and more. Do research to see which directories exist for your specific industry.
Directories are not limited to websites. Reach-out to your local Chamber of Commerce for additional ways to advertise.
8. Plan for the Off Season
Unless you live in paradise, there is a strong possibility that you will have a slow season. Off-seasons must be planned for when starting your own business.
You will need to account for a decline in revenue. Will you have enough cash on hand to cover expenses like rent and payroll? Is a reduction in staff needed to during the winter months when you won’t have as much traffic?
Operating a waterjet company generally means you are in a climate that does not have harsh winters. Let’s face it, even Florida has its random cold spells. Now is the time to start brainstorming about ways to get people to your business when activity is slow.
9. Join Networks and Attend Conferences
Most communities have their fair share of small business organizations. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce for a list. Networking with other entrepreneurs is a great way to keep you motivated.
You will also be amazed by the wealth of information you can gain at some of these events.
Industry conferences are another good idea. You can learn about the latest innovations in waterjets. You can also meet distributors and form relationships that can lead to good deals on the equipment you sell.
10. Pound the Pavement
All this advice about digital marketing and SEO is great. But nothing works better for niche business than getting out and telling people about your business.
Pass out flyers, use door hangers or show up at the local bar. Tell people face-to-face how amazing your store is.
Now Go Spread the Word
As you can see, it is easy to market your waterjet company. All you need is a few ideas to get started.
Click here for five things to know about entrepreneurship.
