If you could only promote your business one way what would it be?

[Hassle Free Website]

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In another way what form of promotion has really helped your business?

I know my path has changed over time, one point would of been networking then changed over to paid advertising now it’s on-page SEO.

[bb1]

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The best and cheapest form of promoting your business is Great customer service. PS. it’s free as well

[Hassle Free Website]

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bb1, post: 267032, member: 53375 wrote:

The best and cheapest form of promoting your business is Great customer service. PS. it’s free as well

So true, it also works the reverse too.

Poor customer services can be costly to your business.

[Evo the marketing guy]

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The best single way to promote and grow any business is to partner with other businesses that share – but do not compete – for your ideal customer. So many win/win ways you can set this up. Piggy-back off each other’s databases, website guest blogs. Direct referrals.

[JacquiPryor]

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Evo the marketing guy, post: 267257, member: 31829 wrote:

The best single way to promote and grow any business is to partner with other businesses that share – but do not compete – for your ideal customer. So many win/win ways you can set this up. Piggy-back off each other’s databases, website guest blogs. Direct referrals.

I do agree with this – but would more broadly answer as ‘referrals’ which can include WOM referrals etc (and this plays to what BB1 mentioned about good customer service above). I do partner with others that as you mention Evo that share, but don’t compete, with our ideal partners. For me that can be accountants, lawyers that don’t practice in IP, graphic designers etc and it if I had to focus on a single method that would be it.

[bb1]

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Evo the marketing guy, post: 267257, member: 31829 wrote:

The best single way to promote and grow any business is to partner with other businesses that share – but do not compete – for your ideal customer. So many win/win ways you can set this up. Piggy-back off each other’s databases, website guest blogs. Direct referrals.

Yes, But (I always have a but), I do / did this with some other business’s, but, remember as soon as they deliver bad service to your client, it is also a reflection on your business. Although you operate as 2 separate business’s because your recommend/partner with them, you are put under a cloud as well.

Vet them first, then insist on certain standards before you get into bed with them

[Evo the marketing guy]

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Great point. It goes without saying that you only work with partners that you consider to be ‘gold standard.’ My issue, however, is that far too many businesses use the ‘bad service to my client’ catch-all excuse to never actually go out and form any partnerships of value. The actual “fear” of this happening to your client versus the actual instances of this happening are quite some distance apart.

[John Debrincat]

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Hassle Free Website, post: 267029, member: 105019 wrote:

In another way what form of promotion has really helped your business?

I know my path has changed over time, one point would of been networking then changed over to paid advertising now it’s on-page SEO.

Hum some interesting answers. Customers service and productive partners are great to have as a business. But you don’t start a business with these you have to build them. So promotion is not about customers or partners its actually about you. Getting a business off the ground is like riding a bicycle. You have to start by pushing the pedals.

Promoting a business starts with the owner (and staff later). Its about effort and leg work. All successful start-ups were a result of a tireless leader and all successful businesses are a result of that leader not taking a back seat or coasting along.

Unfortunately many businesses these days think that SEO or some other magic acronym will replace basic hard work and it won’t.

John

[businesstrade]

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Referrals through providing a good product or service and amazing customer service is in my opinion the most tried and true method of marketing.

businesstrade.com.au - buy or sell a business

[Adam Dobson]

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BusinessTrade, post: 267305, member: 113709 wrote:

Referrals through providing a good product or service and amazing customer service is in my opinion the most tried and true method of marketing.
You are 100% right, The number 1 thing to do is have a PROACTIVE referral plan in place, 95% of businesses, don’t, they leave it to luck, that’s why i specifically built a platform to help SMEs to get referrals ongoing using existing customers promoting you.

[Moderator: Edited to remove link and advert]

[Johny]

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I’m not sure I understand the context of the question.

For me, it suggests there is one best way, whether that be for a specific business, or business as a whole.

You get a smattering of different ideas, which, ultimately doesn’t help anyone.

[Johny]

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“…before i spent a cent on any advertising, i would leverage existing customers via referrals and get your service pushed to your customers trusted friends network.”

And if your business is new and you don’t have any customers to seek referrals??

By the way, blatant self promotion is a bit of a turn off in my view.

[Adam Dobson]

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Johny, post: 267355, member: 34822 wrote:

“…before i spent a cent on any advertising, i would leverage existing customers via referrals and get your service pushed to your customers trusted friends network.”

And if your business is new and you don’t have any customers to seek referrals??

By the way, blatant self promotion is a bit of a turn off in my view.
Sorry Johnny, I didn’t mean it as a self promotion but I was just being 100% honest in answering the question that was asked, it is exactly what i would do.

If you have no customers, my suggestion is to do something for Free to start or heavily discounted to get 1 to 2 customers on board that you can use as a references

[Pixelbay]

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IMO if you’re starting from scratch you need to at least have a proof of concept in place. so if your a service-based business then have a legitimate testimonial that you can leverage. When advertising your products or services try to demonstrate and add real value to the marketplace to prove why it’s a great solution to the problem they are facing instead of just telling like everyone else does.

as far as the vehicle you use. do what you can. obviously paid ads will get you to your goals quicker but organic is also good.

there’s definitely not just 1 way to achieve success in business, just do what feels right to you

just my two cents

[m4engineers]

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It’s given when in business, you will need to do the best you can. The whole nine yards. You can not neglect any channels but concentrate more on the one that gives you the best returns.

Per the original post, on-page seo is crucial but will not be as effective without off-page … many would disagree, and disagree all you want. I have not prob with that.

[Author]

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