The Business Corner: Increasing visibility is vital to business success

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As a business owner for the past six years, I know how important it is to get your name out there and reach your target market. Marketing is the fuel that drives customers to your business.

Here are a few ways to increase the visibility of your business.

Refresh your website

There are a number of options to consider for designing your business website. Squarespace offers a good option for anyone looking to build a beautiful website themselves. As a business owner, the benefit to using a company like Squarespace or Wix is the reduced cost, high quality of design, and the ability to get up and running quickly.

There is also the option of hiring a professional website designer. Sites like Upwork give you the opportunity to reach good designers at reasonable costs. However, be sure to choose carefully who you decide to work with, including reviewing portfolios and customer reviews.

When developing a new or rebranded website, ensure that you invest resources in creating quality photographs and video content. Even with the best design, a website is only as good as the content. Better photos and videos will create a strong brand position in the minds of potential customers and separate your company from the competition. Likewise, a lack of investment in content will lead potential customers to take their business elsewhere.

Create a blog

Writing your own blog is a good way to build an audience and develop an organic list of contacts for email marketing. Resources such as Medium and WordPress are good options to get started with blogging.

As the writer and business owner, you should look to provide value to your readers. You should provide your audience with information that educates them and shows your expertise.

Utilize social media

Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram provide an opportunity for every business owner to expand their audience, reach new customers and build brand awareness.

Take advantage of the different ways to share content, including video, photos and audio conversations using channels such as Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse.

Paid advertising

There are a number of businesses where advertising can significantly increase sales. Billboards, radio and television are all effective tools to reach a large audience in a short period of time.

In addition to the traditional channels, there are a number of advertising opportunities available using digital channels. Google AdWords offers pay-per-click (PPC) advertising which can itself bring your business in front of a large number of customers, depending on your budget.

Networking Opportunities

If it is appropriate for your type of business, utilize opportunities to network with other professionals to get your product or service in front of decision makers. Often times having a contact at a company can be the foot in the door that your company needs.

With things finally getting back to normal after this pandemic, it is the right time to refocus on increasing visibility for your business.

Hopefully, these tips will help.

Teresa M. Lundy is the Principal and Founder of TML Communications, a strategic public relations, crisis communications and community engagement firm serving corporations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Follow Teresa on Twitter @TeresaMLundy