You’ve just poured a ton of money (not to mention effort) into marketing and well… it’s not working. Your marketing dollars are supposed to help your business - not hurt it.

Getting your message out can feel like a shot in the dark. BUT it doesn’t have to be. The answer?

Multi-channel marketing.

What exactly does that mean?

Multi-channel marketing: communicating and marketing your service across multiple platforms, offline and online. Instead of one marketing tactic, we are making multiple touches to close the sale.

What Channels Should I Use?

The first step is to identify your target customer. Your message needs to target their wants and desires. Remember that they have the problem, and you have the solution.

Think of where you’ll find them, through what avenues. Depending on your target customer, some channels will be more useful than others. Here are some to consider.

Facebook and Instagram

It’s not news that Facebook is the most widely used social media platform. You’d be amazed with the amount of clients you could get through Facebook alone (that’s our specialty). Marketing on Facebook is a great step to solidify your internet presence - for many people Facebook is the internet. Don’t leave this opportunity on the table. 

Also, you can easily track your advertising dollars and receive real time feedback. There’s no guessing if your money is going to work. It’s in the data. Even better, if you know your audience you can specifically target them by demographics, age, interests and even down to a specific neighborhood.

AND you can connect your Instagram directly with your Facebook account - making cross-posting even easier.

Doorhangers / Flyers

This is a pretty traditional route, and for good reason. It works. Take your best client and hang flyers on the surrounding houses. And you are able to track the success of the campaign by using a specific URL on the flyer or with a specific code customers can use at checkout.

There are some downsides to this method. It’s a lot of labor.  Either you or someone on the payroll is going door to door - taking time away from the job. It’s an old-school, pounding-the-pavement method to grow density.

EDDM (every-door-direct-mail)

Provided by the USPS, you are able to send a marketing piece to every household on a specific carrier route without the purchase of a mailing list. It’s still targeting, but the net is very broad. As an example, your lawn business flyer may be delivered to an apartment complex. That’s not where you want your money going. And unlike doorhangers, you can’t guarantee they’ll see your ad. Don’t shy away from this channel, but don’t rely on it either.

Local Advertising and Sponsorship

This is a great way to target those who are close to the location of your business - with messages that reflect the local community. This can be done by organizing events that bring people together. Such as a food drive, helping an animal shelter, or any cause that’s close to you. It not only benefits the people around you, but makes you an important part of the community.

Why Does It Have to Match?

More often than not a potential customer won’t be called to action after your initial ad or message. You need to make contact more than once - have your message in more than one channel. To get that client, you need to make contact 8-10 times. Response rates increase with each outreach attempt. This puts you in their memory, and they become familiar with you and your brand.

It makes you look credible. You’re not a random flyer on the door. No. You’re on Facebook, Instagram, their mail - you mean business.

This may sound overwhelming, but it’s not. There’s no need to overcomplicate, it can be done with a marketing tool like Canva. It’s EASY. The team at Lightspeed are big fans of Canva, especially for the resizing feature. It lets you make one piece of creative (i.e. Facebook) and resize it to fit across multiple platforms. Digital and offline. It’s truly a one and done system.

Really - that easy. No design school necessary.

Multi-Channel, Single-Goal: More Sales

Marketing doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark. You can track where your dollars are going and exactly what’s working for you. The more places you appear the higher chance you have of closing the sale. You have something great and the community should know about it.

Your future clients are waiting to hear from you. Don’t hesitate.