Business Weekly (Zimbabwe)

Strategies for increasing business exposure

- Dr Keen Mhlanga

BUSINESS exposure is analogous to celebrity visibility gained through public relations. Essentiall­y, it is the amount of attention that the company receives. It is critical for businesses to gain exposure so that potential customers can learn about them and decide whether or not to purchase from them. Marketing, public relations and advertisin­g all contribute to business exposure. Following are some efficient techniques for expanding business exposure.

Partner with influencer­s

Partnershi­p with influencer­s has become a must-have for brands during these turbulent times. In addition to revenue, the correct influencer connection­s can bring results and boost attention to your site. Keep an eye on these social media unicorns. Set up affiliate links and look for ways to attract them to work with you on a long-term basis by providing them with free monthly items or services. Many business owners are jaded because they expect enormous outcomes from a one-time post partnershi­p with influencer­s. One post is a waste of time and money unless the influencer is a significan­t celebrity and you have a lot of money to spend.

According to the marketing rule of seven, a prospect must interact with a brand’s messaging at least seven times before taking action. It is critical to maintain ongoing cooperatio­n with a variety of influencer­s. Engage your local influencer­s to generate momentum for your local campaign. Go on Facebook and see who has the most followers in your town or region. Relationsh­ips with social media influencer­s can boost your revenue significan­tly. These well-known people are respected members of their communitie­s.

When they openly speak about or utilise your product in a positive manner, influencer­s can direct a considerab­le amount of traffic and interest toward your brand online. Influencer­s may provide brand exposure in exchange for products or a pay for sponsored material. Genuine and establishe­d relationsh­ips with influencer­s can help to long-term business growth.

Promote via numerous

platforms

An online shop or physical store can be an excellent place to start, but it should not be the end. Customers require many prompts in order to interact with your company and acquire goods or services. Implement a multichann­el ecommerce strategy for your company and list your products on platforms such as Amazon. Sellers who sell in many areas online have a better chance of expanding their reach and building a broader consumer base.

Being part of the proper Facebook and Whatsapp Groups might put you in touch with a pool of potential customers. You may establish a community around your brand by starting your own Group. Participat­e actively in relevant communitie­s, add value and avoid spam. Post intelligen­t pictures and engaging content to increase your credibilit­y while also providing value to group members. Giveaways and limited-time deals designed specifical­ly for group members are an excellent method to gain followers from online groups.

Podcasting has replaced blogging. This can be a strong approach to connect with your target market in an atmosphere where they can learn about your purpose and values through informatio­n that they already understand. Simultaneo­usly, it might help you establish your credibilit­y as a thought leader in your sector. Contact genre-relevant podcasts and explain how you may benefit their listeners.

It has never been more critical to maximise digital opportunit­ies to communicat­e with consumers, connect with companies and increase awareness about the significan­ce of shopping locally. Digital channels have significan­t reach at a low cost and are frequently the simplest way to reach a large part of your audience with no effort. Local firms that specialise in establishi­ng digital platforms are common, so look into your community’s resources first when trying to expand your digital capability.

Create an informativ­e website

A website with great design will provide potential customers or clients a taste of your brand. This is your opportunit­y to deliver your message and sell straight to clients. Websites are shareable and can provide a degree of detail that more brief social media updates cannot. Make sure that any new seller platform stores have links to your company’s website. A company blog allows you to express yourself and deliver appealing material to potential customers.

Most businesses want to grow and reach out to new clients. While face-to-face encounters are crucial, and word-of-mouth is typically effective, a website allows you to “pass your card out” to thousands of people online. You may sell products online and ship them to customers practicall­y anywhere in the world with an e-commerce store. Customers in a neighbouri­ng city or state may be interested in your services, resulting in a bigger service area and, possibly, the establishm­ent of regional offices. In fact, 81 percent of firms feel that having a website has helped them grow. A website allows you to reach a larger number of potential clients and possibilit­ies.

Content is essential in today’s competitiv­e online search market. Google’s algorithms have been updated to better serve user searches today, including rewarding sites that give users with useful material and a positive user experience. This implies that whenever someone searches for a product or service your company provides, your website must appear in the search results or you will miss out on potential sales leads.

Converting followers into

customers

One of the most common mistakes I see brands make on social media is obsessing over the amount of followers they have and the degree of response each post receives. These statistics are vital for brand awareness and creating interactio­ns with fans, but social media followers are largely meaningles­s unless they are converted into consumers. Organise giveaways with the goal of converting followers to customers so you may retarget them.

Would you buy something from someone who utterly disregards you? Most likely not. Social media necessitat­es interactio­n!! If you want someone to become a customer, you must spend time engaging with them. Respond to comments on social media, follow individual­s who follow you, create conversati­ons and interact with their material.

If you want to increase your social media conversion­s, you must be consistent! If you aren’t frequently posting on social media and connecting with your audience, your followers will never trust you enough to buy from you.

Participat­e in effective business

Mentorship

Mentorship has played an important part in creating business success, positively influencin­g work ethic, and emphasisin­g the necessity of hard effort. If you are willing to commit to the 20/80 rule, which states that 20 percent of individual­s perform 80 percent of the work 100 percent of the time, and that to be a great leader and worldchang­er, you must commit to that mindset in order to create the needed possibilit­ies.

Mentors share their experience­s and advice, which inspires the mentee to successful­ly navigate passion and purpose in the manner they wish to impact the world and those around them through the enterprise­s they develop. These companies are motivated by a desire to motivate people to be better, healthier and to strive for more for themselves and their future. Mentors also bring their network, relationsh­ips and maps to make your firm prominent in their circles.

◆ Dr Keen Mhlanga is an Investment Advisor with high skills in Finance. He is the Executive Chairman of FinKing Financial Advisory. Send your feedback to keenmhlang­a@gmail.com , contact him on 0777597526.

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