Experimental Marketing for Small Businesses: Eliminating the Risk
Writing by Brick Marketing in Internet Marketing
This is a guest post by Amanda DiSilvestro of HigherVisibility.
When many small business owners hear the word “experiment” it usually comes through as “stand clear.” While being creative is great, taking a risk as a small business could be enough to pull the company under. It most cases it is the finances that scare small businesses away from experimenting in marketing, and occasionally it is because the company does not have a strong enough brand name, but either way it is no secret that taking a risk means more the smaller the company. It is usually the bigger corporations that practice experimental marketing, which begs the question: When is it a good idea for a small business to experiment, and what kinds of experiments are worth the risk?
Experimental Marketing Made Easy for the Small Business
There are actually many different experiments that small businesses can try without getting too risky and without spending too much money. For the numbers people out there who tend to like a mathematical risk vs. reward layout, consider reading this article. If you’re not interested in evaluating every detail of your idea before you give it a try, consider some of these common experiments that small business marketing departments can try without feeling much pressure:
• Create a video or write an Ebook.
Creating digital ways for your customers to learn about your company is becoming more and more popular. It is a bit of a risk if your company has been doing well with offline tactics, and there is always the chance that no one will want to download your Ebook or watch your video, but both are fairly inexpensive. Creating an Ebook doesn’t have to be longer than ten to twelve pages, and creating a video can be as short as 2 minutes. You can learn more here about getting started.
• Host a community event for your company.
A lot of small businesses get nervous about creating an event to celebrate the company because it can be tough to draw in a crowd, but with the right marketing (no experiments here), it can be a great way to gain exposure and new local customers. Bring in food, bring in live music, and have tutorials ready to go. It’s a bit of a risk because it will cost you some money, but most local communities will stop in for the free food alone—and that’s something a website just can’t offer.
• Change your tagline and layout of your website.
It can seem risky to change anything about your website, but A/B testing different ideas is something that small businesses do everyday. While most stay on the safe side and change content or change subject lines, it’s not a bad idea to change your entire layout and/or tagline. Although you might think these aspects define you and are a part of your brand, your testing may prove otherwise. If you’re really nervous, announce that you’re testing something new and so that your existing readers know it might be temporary.
• Create a partnership with another local company.
Working with complimentary companies has been common practice for years, but it can sometimes feel like a risk. You want to make sure that you really do your research on a company before you agree to start referring them, and you want to make sure that you can trust that they will hold up their end of the bargain and refer your company back. Try to get something in writing if you can, and never get into a long-term partnership right away. This should help you reduce the risk that something will go wrong.
About the Author
Amanda DiSilvestro is a graduate of Illinois State University. Although she graduated with an English Education degree, she found herself working as a full-time blogger at Highervisibility.com, nationally recognized as one of the top SEO firms in the country. Connect with HigherVisibility on Twitter to learn more!
