28 COMMUNICATIONS
Simple marketing ideas to help you stand out from the crowd Public Relations (PR) is a commonly discussed but underdefined practice. By Rebecca Smith – That Comms Co.
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f you’re a business owner or operator, you’re likely to wear many hats, potentially including those of an employer, customer service manager, accountant, health and safety officer and chief marketer. It’s a lot for any one person to manage, and it can prove tiring constantly having to switch between roles to focus on what’s most important at any given time. When it comes to marketing, wading through the multitude of tools available to promote your business can be overwhelming and time consuming, so here are a few simple, budget-friendly tricks you can employ to stand out from the crowd.
Know your customers
Start by making sure you have a very clear understanding of who your customer is. This will tell you who you should be trying to reach with your advertising. Identifying your potential customers and understanding exactly where it is that they look for information about storage solutions will ensure you are appearing in the right places. To assist with this understanding, every time you onboard a new customer it’s a great idea to ask them how they found you.
Google My Business
One of the first places your customers will search for your business is Google and having a business profile will ensure that customers can easily find you. Through ‘Google My Business’ you can create a listing, include contact details, a website and business hours, and ensure that your business appears in Google Search or Google Maps. When someone searches for ‘storage near me’, a local list of storage locations appears. If you’ve set up a profile, your business will be included in the list. When customers review your business on Google, it will boost your search position. Therefore, if you’re confident in your service, you should encourage customers to review their experience of your facility. Make this as easy as possible for them by sending them a personalised message with a review link.
Rebecca is Founder and Managing Director of That Comms Co. She has extensive experience in advising executives and boards in Australia and in Europe with their communication needs, and has worked across a range of different businesses and sectors.
Search Engine Marketing
Sometimes referred to as ‘paid search’ or ‘paid per click’, search engine marketing allows you to place text adverts in the search results when people are looking for products or services related to your business. Every time someone clicks on your ad, you pay a small fee to the platform. Google Ads is the best-known platform for paid search and is a cost-effective way to advertise to customers already looking for services relevant to your industry. It’s entirely possible to manage by yourself. You can set up an account and have ads running in no time; however, to fully understand the
Think digital
For most self storage businesses, attracting new customers from the immediate community through local advertising will be paramount. Traditionally, local advertising would have involved small regional newspapers, radio stations and community newsletters, but with the rise of online media, there are now many more effective and budgetfriendly digital options available. These tools enable businesses to make stronger use of their budget and to better target the right customers in the right area.
INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021
www.selfstorage.org.au
