Finding and making the best of whatever economical means of advertisement are available, is very important for small businesses. Unlike the big wigs, small businesses do not have the luxury of allocating hefty amounts to their marketing campaigns. As per studies, almost eighty percent of the small companies struggle with their marketing strategies. Amongst many of the techniques utilized by several businesses, e-Marketing (electronic marketing) and m-Marketing (mobile marketing) are becoming increasingly effective.
While both of the techniques have proven to be fruitful for various businesses, there are some who prefer one over another. Both of these methods come with their own pros and cons, which are discussed below. First have a look at e-Marketing.
What is e-Marketing and what are its benefits?
e-Marketing is a very broad term which encompasses all of the marketing methods used on the web. One particular method which continues to be immensely effective for the small businesses is marketing via email. This method not only allows small businesses to market their products along with new offers and deals, but also lets them reach out to new as well as existing customers. This is a very cost effective method which can be utilized by just about any business no matter how small.
e-Marketing is very economical since more often than not, the only thing that you are spending on this method is your time and energy. Since emails are almost free of charge, the cost involved is minimal. This medium gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of space so you have the liberty of being as expressive and detailed as you wish.
Another very economical method is making the most of Social Media. Websites like Facebook or LinkedIn have immense potential and the best part is, they are totally free. Last but not the least, you can get your own business website very cheaply and optimize it for search engines.
What is m-Marketing and how it helps?
m-Marketing is, as the name suggest, mobile marketing. Mobile marketing is something to lookout for, as it is expected to grow at a very fast pace (given the number of mobile users). Though, you will have to deal with the stigma of Spam but your customers might not mind getting a message from some business they already deal with as to how they can save big on a particular product because you are running a special offer.
One of the biggest advantages of mobile marketing is that it allows you to catch people on the go. When a customer receives message from a nearby restaurant or a fashion store about a sale or promotional offer, the chances of that customer going to that shop (or even recommending their friends) are pretty high.
The shortcoming of this method is that more often than not, people are hesitant to share their personal mobile number. So obtaining buyers’ contact details is going to be harder than e-marketing. Even when you get them, you have to be cautious, because if you are sending five to ten messages to your customers’ everyday, you are doing your business more harm than good.
So, which technique should you pick for your own business? The answer to this question is really up to you! Even though, e-Marketing has been a really popular medium for some time but the axis is clearly shifting towards m-Marketing which might be a little costlier as compared to e-Marketing but can prove to be much more effective in the longer run.
