2018 was a great year of growth for so many of our clients. 

The high emphasis we place on being marketing-minded is contagious. We had the pleasure of watching our clients quickly build momentum over a short span of time, experiencing growth they never had in the past.

It doesn’t take much to cultivate this marketing mindset. Once you do, the momentum you gain will carry you into a season of growth you never thought possible.

Got your game face on? Good.

1) Take yourself seriously.

The first tip for marketing success is to take yourself and your brand seriously.

You run a great company. You’ve got great products. Sure there’s room for growth, but you’ve achieved a sound business model. So what does that mean for your marketing?

For many business owners, it means putting their marketing on the back burner.

Here’s a sad reality: Those business owners who drop the ball on marketing miss out on sales and never tap into their full growth potential.

So, why do businesses fall behind in marketing?

To put it simply, because they’re experts in their field, and not professional marketers.

Many business owners are used to doing things themselves. But when it comes to marketing, they know their limitations. They can’t write blogs or design killer graphics in Photoshop. They know their way around Facebook, but don't know how to leverage it to promote their business.

They’re not marketers, and they know they’ll never have the time to learn how to market successfully and efficiently. So, they don’t.

While it’s not fun to find yourself in that camp, know this: you’re not alone. 

There are plenty of businesses just like you out there. They’re doing alright, but their horizon for growth isn’t as broad as it could be. We work closely with many of them, and we help them in ways that work!

This brings us to the second way you can up your marketing game: Partner up!

2) Partner up.

In a world of evolving technology, it’s irrational to expect business owners to market themselves efficiently. Marketing is its own industry.

It’s equally irrational for most small businesses to afford a full-time marketing director in-house. So, what’s the solution? Can small businesses achieve dynamic, high-quality marketing at an affordable rate?

The answer is partnering with a digital marketing company that gets you.

Working with a marketing team made up of people willing to work closely with you to accomplish your marketing vision is a must. When you establish a marketing partnership with a company like Sprout, you have an entire team of experts on your side.

Depending on your needs, you’ll be able to consult with writers, designers, SEO experts, social media professionals, and print specialists. Beyond discovering what your marketing needs are, you’ll receive quality work at a rate you can easily afford.

Partnering with a reputable marketing agency is the best all-around solution for promoting your business. When you’re ready, talk to us!

3) Get serious about your online game.

In 2019, your online presence is equally as important as your brick-and-mortar presentation. Most shoppers won’t consider a business who doesn’t have a website they can browse. 

We simply can’t place enough emphasis on having an engaging, high-quality website.

Now more than ever, the growth of your business will be decided through the quality of your online presence.

Here are the top things to check for to ensure your online marketing success:

Beautiful Visual Website Design

Do you have a palatable color scheme, engaging content, a high-resolution photos, and a mobile-responsive layout? These are just a few aspects that make for a quality website. There are plenty more, so be sure to reach out to us with your questions.

Updated SEO

Is your website optimized for Google searches? Do you have broken links, errors, or a website more than five years old? Odds are you’re in need of some SEO updates. Your meta data should always be evolving to meet the current keywords in your industry. If you’re not sure how your website is doing with SEO, take our free test, then reach out to us to go over the details.

A Current, Functioning Blog

If you’re not writing regular blogs, you’re missing out on one of the biggest ways companies communicate with consumers. Blog articles create timeless, shareable web pages that boost your site’s traffic and increase your online visibility. 

We’ve said it before: regular blogs are the heartbeat of your website. What’s your pulse?

Relevant Social Media Postings

Do you have a clean and clear message on your company Facebook and Instagram accounts? Are you sharing content and interacting professionally on the major platforms? It’s a lot of work for businesses to do themselves. Partner up and learn how Sprout grows engagement through social media management.

Sending Quality Promotional Emails

Email marketing is becoming faster and sleeker. It’s changing more quickly than almost any other form of online marketing. Don’t miss out on this market! Make sure you partner up to send the best emails you can, to the right people.

4) Don’t Ditch Print...Do it Better.

At first, the digital boom made printing seem like a thing of the past. But print is still relevant. Sending high-end mailers or passing out quality flyers can be a viable part of a marketing plan.

But there’s a catch...they have to be really, really good.

Just like the standards for quality website design are always evolving with the times, print standards have never been higher. From image placement, to written messaging, to product finish, your print materials need to be great for them to matter.

Consumers are used to being inundated with content, both online and with print. And they’re perfectly comfortable making snap judgments about your company based on the quality of your materials. 

This is where you as a business have to adapt! Marketing isn’t a game of mass numbers anymore. It’s about superior quality...representing your brand better than anyone else. 

With print, it’s about winning their attention with a better product.

Beyond ensuring your materials are designed, written, and printed to the highest quality, we handle the logistics perfectly. From start to finish, Sprout ensures your products are printed properly, shipped on time, and delivered in great condition. 

5) Budget for Success.

We don’t usually talk numbers, and we won’t do it now. Alright, we will a little.

When you run a business, there are a lot of things vying for your dollars. If we could convince businesses in 2019 of one thing, it would be this: to ditch the mindset that marketing is a luxury, and embrace the fact that their competitors are doing well because they are marketing themselves successfully.

In 2019, online and print marketing is getting more competitive. Things are heating up, and businesses need to place marketing as a budgeted priority. 

What does this mean? Two things.

First, work with the right people.

Marketing is an intimate practice, one that requires working with people who are willing to get to know you and your business. Marketing can’t be stale anymore; if it’s impersonal, it simply won’t work.

Second, understand that marketing is an investment

Some folks still hold the notion that marketing dollars disappear into an ether. They couldn’t be more wrong. 

If you’re contracted to a large and impersonal organization that can’t give you results or even the time of day, you might be doing it wrong. But if you’re paying local experts for monthly services to maintain your website, blog, or social media platforms, you’re doing things right. 

Most marketing curates relationships with new and existing clients that often leads to sales, and wouldn’t exist if you didn’t invest a little money each month into your online marketing.

Boost Your Marketing With a Free Consultation

At the end of this blog, you might be feeling overwhelmed...there’s so much to learn! Here’s the thing, you don’t have to go it alone. You don’t even have to be an expert. That’s why we’re here.

Hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two about the best ways to market your company and are inspired to gain some of that momentum we talked about early on.

Whatever the takeaway, we want you to know a couple things about Sprout before you go. 

We’re dedicated to your success. 

Nowhere else will you receive such a high level of care and attention as a person and an organization. Don’t believe us? Talk to our satisfied clients.

Any business can experience a strong ROI. 

Nowhere else will you find more affordable prices on higher quality marketing services. Feel free to look around!

We’ve got what it takes to help you grow your business.

Reach out to us today to schedule a free initial consultation. We’re happy to meet with you, see what you’re doing, and share our ideas to help you jumpstart your marketing.

Get in touch today, and start building momentum in your marketing!