In the old days marketing techniques were very different. If a small business wanted to spread the word about its products and services, it would have had posted some billboards up around town or paid for some advertisements in the local press. These methods are still perfectly valid today – and plenty of small businesses still use them – but online marketing strategies are becoming increasingly important.

What are the Benefits of Cloud Marketing?

• Cost – Cloud marketing is very cost effective for small businesses. Instead of paying for expensive marketing materials you can utilise digital platforms to reach customers and build your brand. It costs nothing to sign up for a Twitter account or create a Facebook page; both are excellent ways to interact with customers and drive traffic to your website.
• Customisation – The internet is full of different marketing mediums where small businesses can interact with customers. You can customise these mediums to ensure your message is focused and effective. That way your efforts won’t be wasted and you can enjoy maximum success.
• Efficiency – Cloud marketing is a lot more time efficient than more traditional forms of marketing. You can plan and execute a cloud marketing campaign in a fraction of the time it would take to implement a series of media advertisements.
• Environment – Digital marketing materials don’t require the destruction of vast swathes of rainforest. Instead of printing off vast reams of paper in order to create marketing brochures, you can send emails instead. And once a marketing campaign is over, digital marketing materials can be deleted instead of being dropped in the bin or left to gather dust in a cupboard somewhere.

Developing a Cloud Marketing Strategy

For a cloud marketing campaign to be successful, it needs to be cohesive across multiple different platforms. Whatever message you are sending, you need to ensure it translates well on different marketing platforms. You also need to make sure you are targeting the right platforms, so it is important that you formulate achievable goals and identify your customer demographic before you start.

Who Can Help Your Business?

There are many professionals who can help with a cloud marketing campaign. An SEO expert can help optimise your website so that it achieves a good position in the organic search engine rankings. A web developer is the person to turn to if your website needs an overhaul or you need fresh ways to present your marketing materials to a wider audience. And if you need some assistance in creating an effective cloud marketing campaign, a marketing technology expert is the person to hire as they are experts in the intricacies of cloud based marketing.

Can Traditional Advertising Still Work?

Traditional forms of advertising such as print leaflets, marketing brochures and flyers are still relevant, particularly for small businesses. You could take advantage of next day printing with print-print.co.uk to produce some mailers and combine this with a social media blitz if you want to promote some new products – this could be more effective than relying on cloud marketing alone.

For best results, develop a strategy and give it time to work before trying something different. And don’t forget, it can take time to see results, so don’t throw in the towel too soon.