You must take advantage of all the digital tools available to you when opening a new business. Some of them will cost you operating capital, some of them are free, and all of them will help you market your venture. Dont be narrow-minded in your approach. You cannot market your business effectively using only social media or a website. Rather, combine the two alongside an effective email campaign to put your new business on the map and keep it there. Here are five reasons why your marketing strategy should include a ton of online activity.
1. Millennial Is the Target Demographic
The largest purchasing demographic in the United States today is the Millennial generation, and they are digitally oriented. Men and women in this age group grew up in the personal computer age and on the Information Superhighway. They do not think paper at all. They think digital. If you ask them to type something on a typewriter, they will look at you as if youve just lost your mind. If you mention the Dewey Decimal system people used for decades in libraries, they wont know about what you are speaking. Millennial has the greatest purchasing power, so you must think digital.
2. They Research and Shop Online
The primary reason why is the Millennial generation does everything online. They were taught in school to research their assignments using Internet tools. Most of them get all of their information from the Internet, including news and entertainment. You see it all around you; young people glued to their screens, but have you noticed something else? Youre glued to your screen, too. Whether you offer a product or service, your target demographic, the Millennial, is going research for it online, which is why you need a strong digital presence. They wont find you otherwise.
3. So Do Their Parents and Grandparents
Recent studies have also presented interesting results: The Millennial generation influences their parents and grandparents purchasing decisions more than any other generation has in the past. Why is up for debate, but many chalk it up to two things. One, parents who raised their Millennial children wanted to be their friends more than a parent. Two, the Millennial generation is who teaches their parents and grandparents how to use the latest technology. This includes helping them decide which devices to buy. As such, more Gen X and Baby Boomers are going digital, as well.
4. They Care About Your Brand
When you see a picture of Sir Richard Branson on his latest adventure, does it capture your attention? What about companies that have spoken out against the president-elects withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement? What do these things have in common? Branding, thats what, and that is what the Millennial care about. People adore Sir Richard Branson for his principles. People respect companies that have stood by environmental causes. Digital branding via an online website and social media is what will draw Millennial to you, and can use a website builder to design an inexpensive site.
5. Online Marketing Strategies Are Brand-Effective
All of this combines to make one important point: Digital marketing strategies and the most brand-effective. If you establish a strong brand, which includes who you are, what your business stands for, and why your product or service is important to your customers, you stand a better chance of appealing to your target demographic. Social media and a website tell people who you are and allow them to engage with you. This digital strategy is perfect for the online generation the Millennial and its much easier to establish a digital brand because there are countless platforms upon which to do so.
When writing your business plan, include digital as a huge portion of your marketing strategy. The Millennial wants to know you and engage with you, and the best way to do so is online.