How Multi-Channel Marketing Can Help You Grow 

In today’s competitive marketplace, it is more important than ever for small businesses to take advantage of any opportunity to stand out. A basic understanding of marketing channels your business can use to resonate with new and existing customers will pay dividends in sustainable growth. However, many small business owners are unfamiliar with the different marketing channels available to them, and it can be overwhelming to try tackling the prospect of marketing your small business without a working knowledge of how to do so. 

In this blog, we will cover the basic marketing channels that small business owners can utilize to increase store traffic, customer awareness, and overall sales. From digital marketing to traditional methods and more, taking control of their brand’s marketing efforts allows small businesses to stand out in a crowded marketplace and make lasting connections with their customers. 

What is a Marketing Channel? 

In short, a marketing channel is a method of promoting your business. There are many types of marketing channels, and you are likely already familiar with a number of them. Any time you are being marketed to, the company behind the advertisement has selected a marketing channel to use in an effort to connect with you as their target audience. 

Think, for a moment, about the advertisements or promotional content that you have engaged with recently. Whether it be through a television commercial, an email, or a social media post, the advertisement was curated for the specific marketing channel through which it found you. For example, if you have recently received an email from your favorite shop about a promotion on a certain item, the business utilized the email marketing channel to advertise to you. 

While there are many different marketing channels, small business owners should have a working knowledge of the basic ones in order to begin taking advantage of additional opportunities to connect with their customers. 

Basic Marketing Channels for Small Businesses

In the following section, we will delve into basic marketing channels, their unique characteristics and benefits, and when they may be a preferable option for your business to utilize. 

What is Social Media Marketing?

One of the most important marketing channels for small business owners to utilize today is social media marketing. No longer just for engaging with family and friends, consumers today utilize social media to engage with their favorite brands, making it a valuable method of forming meaningful and lasting relationships with customers for businesses of all sizes. 

There are many platforms that businesses may choose to utilize in their social media marketing; however, the most beneficial platforms for each business will vary depending on the brand’s target audience. TikTok has become a titan in the world of social media marketing, amassing over one billion subscribers, making it a valuable platform for businesses to spend time creating and sharing content on. Facebook remains the largest social networking site, with just under 3 billion monthly users, meaning that small businesses not taking advantage of the site are missing out on engagement opportunities with current and prospective customers. Other social media sites, such as Instagram, LinkedIN, YouTube, are also beneficial for small business owners to take advantage of. 

Through different social media platforms, your business can engage with new and existing customers, turning online interactions into in-person sales. When utilizing social media marketing, it is important for small businesses to remember that personalization, regular posting, and engaging content are the pillars of success when it comes to increasing your brand awareness and driving customer engagement. 

What is Email Marketing?

Think back to a recent time that you cleared out your inbox. You likely found at least a few emails from brands alerting you to new promotions, updates, upcoming events, and more. This marketing channel is known as email marketing, and it is a very useful tool in driving customer traffic and increasing brand awareness. 

Email marketing provides businesses with the opportunity to engage customers with a variety of content. Depending on your goals, email campaigns can look very different from business to business. For small businesses looking to make connections with customers, share information, or bring people into their store, a monthly newsletter is a great way to do so. Once a month, customers will receive an email campaign highlighting upcoming events, promotions, store updates, and more, putting your business on their radar while calling the consumer to action. 

When conducting email marketing, it is important to utilize analytics to measure your campaign’s performance. Many email marketing tools report analytics such as open rate, click rate, unsubscribe rate, and more shortly after the campaign’s initial send. From here, small businesses can adjust their email marketing strategy to make better connections with their audience. 

What is Digital Marketing? 

Where businesses once advertised through more traditional, direct methods of marketing, the rise of the internet gave way to a boom in digital marketing efforts. Digital marketing refers to the promotion of a brand through channels such as websites, apps, mobile devices, and more. Websites, Google and Facebook Ads, and text campaigns are all examples of digital marketing. 

One of the key benefits of digital marketing campaigns is that small business owners can easily measure their effectiveness. Performance can be evaluated with data analytics, allowing small businesses to update their digital marketing strategies based on the performance of previous efforts. 

Website marketing is one of the most important elements of digital marketing. For the consumer, a brand’s website is the hub where information can be quickly and easily found. If your website is not secure, fast-loading, and mobile-friendly, a frustrating user experience can contribute to the loss of a sale. Investing in a website that is built to provide your customers with a hassle-free, secure experience is essential for any small business. 

What is Event Marketing?

As the world returns to in-person interactions following the COVID-19 pandemic, event marketing has become even more important for small businesses. Event marketing capitalizes on the opportunities created by other marketing channels’ efforts by allowing businesses to meet with their target audience in-person, creating and maintaining lasting customer relationships. 

Event marketing can refer to any in-person event meant to engage customers, including product reveals, brand launches, client conventions, trade shows, and more. For small businesses looking to incorporate events into their marketing strategy, in-store events allow companies to engage with their community and form personal relationships with their customers. Seasonal events, such as spring or fall festivals, holiday-themed shopping events, or summer fun days provide year-round engagement opportunities with your community. 

Consider your target audience and what will incentivize them to come to your event. Businesses must always provide some type of promotion or other offering to their customers when planning an event. In other words, give customers a reason to want to come to your event. After you have nailed down the specifics of your event, don’t forget to promote it with your other marketing channels to spread the word and draw in customers. 

What is Traditional Marketing?

Traditional marketing refers to direct marketing channels, such as radio, billboards, signs, mailings, television, and print advertising. While digital marketing channels have risen in popularity, traditional marketing can still be highly effective when properly utilized. For the small business owner, it is important to consider who your target audience is and how you may be able to reach them best. For example, if your business is located in a more rural area, you may have better luck reaching your customers with a community mailer or postcard, as opposed to digital marketing strategies. 

Benefits of Marketing Channels for Small Businesses

Utilizing a variety of marketing channels to promote your small business allows you to reach different segments of your customer base. Many marketing channels work in tandem with one another to create a full picture of your business and engage thoughtfully with your customers to generate store traffic. Take, for example, a social media post linking to your website where customers can sign up for your email newsletter!

Managing different marketing channels can be overwhelming for many small businesses. Hiring the right people to devise strategies that reflect your marketing goals and translate to measurable results is a valuable investment in your small business’s growth. 

Small Business Marketing Strategy at The VAN LEUVEN Company

At The VAN LEUVEN Company, we have been committed to providing small businesses with marketing solutions tailored to their unique needs for over 22 years. At VLC, we are famous for our VLC TLC—a term that reflects the care, personal nature, and extra-mile service that we are known for. Our mission is to help small businesses by increasing store traffic, brand awareness, and sustainable customer growth by designing your marketing strategy with the bigger picture in mind. 

Let’s talk through your small business’s marketing goals and come up with a solution that fits your unique needs. Contact The VAN LEUVEN Company today to take your business to the next level.