How to Take Your Bastrop, TX Business’ Marketing Department Into Your Own Hands

Marketing is a vital part of any business. It helps you attract new customers, retain existing ones, and boost your bottom line. But what happens when you don't have the budget for a full-fledged marketing department? That's where becoming your own marketing department comes in! By learning the various marketing channels available and crafting a strategic plan, you can make sure your marketing efforts are as effective as possible — without breaking the bank. Keep reading for some helpful tips from the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce.

Learning the Various Marketing Channels Available

There are dozens of marketing channels available to businesses of all sizes. The most important thing is to learn about the various channels and how they can be used to reach your target market. Some of the most popular marketing channels include:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): This refers to the process of optimizing your website for Google search. By using the right keywords and phrases, you can make sure your website appears at the top of search results — driving more traffic (and sales) to your site.

• Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are great ways to connect with potential and current customers. Use social media to share high-quality content, answer customer questions, and promote your products or services.

• Email Marketing: This involves sending newsletters, coupons, or other promotional material directly to customers via email. Email marketing can be an effective way to boost sales and build customer loyalty.

• Content Marketing: Content marketing refers to creating and sharing helpful/interesting content (such as blog posts, infographics, etc.) that relates to your business without explicitly promoting your products or services. This helps you build trust and credibility with potential customers — increasing the likelihood that they'll do business with you down the road.

Why It’s Important to Revisit Your Marketing Strategy

Your marketing strategy should be revisited on a regular basis — usually at least once per quarter. Why? Because things change! Three Girls Media explains that your business grows and changes over time, and your marketing strategy should reflect those changes. Additionally, what works today might not work tomorrow — which is why it's important to keep an eye on changing trends and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Choosing a Marketing Message for Your Ideal Customer

When crafting your marketing message, it's important to think about who your ideal customer is. What are their needs? What are their pain points? Once you know the answers to these questions, you'll be able to craft a message that resonates with them — increasing the likelihood that they'll do business with you.     

Tools To Help With Your Marketing Efforts

There are dozens of great marketing tools available online — many of them free! By taking advantage of these tools, you can save time and money while still getting great results. Some of our favorite marketing tools include Hootsuite (for managing social media), CoSchedule (for creating editorial calendars), Canva (for creating graphics), and Google Analytics (for tracking website traffic).

Tracking the Effectiveness of Your Marketing

It's important to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts so that you can see what's working and what isn't, explains Volume PR. There are a number of ways to do this, but one of the easiest is simply to ask your customers how they heard about you. You can also track website traffic using Google Analytics or another similar platform. And don't forget about A/B testing! This involves trying out different versions of your message or offer to see which one performs better.

Working With Freelance Marketing Specialists

Oftentimes, businesses don't have the budget for a full-time marketing department but still need help with their marketing efforts. That's where freelance specialists come in! Hiring a freelancer can be a great way to get expert help without breaking the bank — and there is plenty of great talent out there. It’s best to have a file conversion tool when you work with marketing or design freelancers. Fortunately, you can use this tool for free to change most file types into PDFs by simply dropping it into the converter. Then, your file will be ready to go.

Implement Strategies and Tools

Crafting an effective marketing strategy doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming — even if you don't have a dedicated team of experts at your disposal. By taking advantage of the various channels available and utilizing some helpful tools and tips, you can become your own marketing department — and save yourself both time and money in the process!

Connect with and learn from other local business leaders by joining the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce.