10 Must Have Marketing Tools To Add In Small Business Growth Strategies!

12 May 2022

Marketing is an essential part of business growth because people will buy your service only when they know about your existence. And people will know about you only when you promote your business on various platforms where they are looking for your product or services. Therefore, marketing tools play an essential role in spreading brand awareness.

Digitization has provided an equal platform for every large and small business; all you need is the right knowledge and skills to use marketing tools to grow your business.

Contents

1 What are Marketing Tools?
2 Here We Have Listed Ten Must-Have Marketing Tools:

What are Marketing Tools?

Marketing tools are techniques, strategies, and materials used by marketing specialists of brands to create, enhance, and promote their products and services in order to expand their visibility. They are used for market research, generating leads, data analysis, content creation, SEO, and other categories of marketing.

To increase productivity and make marketing time cost-efficient, there are various marketing tools in the form of software that helps you with various activities related to marketing.

Here We Have Listed Ten Must-Have Marketing Tools:

Here We Have Listed Ten Must-Have Marketing Tools

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools

HubSpot CRM
Zendesk

Social Media Tools

Buzzsumo
Buffer

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tools

SEMrush
Keywords Everywhere Chrome Extension

Content Creation and Design Tools

Canva
Adobe Spark

Lead Generation Tools

Unbounce
Instapage

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools

These tools let you interact with your customers through data analysis of gathered information. They compile data from various communication channels such as the company’s websites, calls, emails, live chats, and other marketing materials posted on social media platforms. The data analysis helps a business know about customer behavior, their needs, and demands to provide them better services, which is an integral part of growing a business as they help to form business growth strategies to retain customers and drive sales.

1. HubSpot CRM: being free, every small business can have access to this incredible free tool. The tool saves a lot of time for the sales team as it gives you complete visibility of your entire sales pipeline on a clean and visual dashboard. It lets you connect to the prospects through free meeting scheduling, live chat, email templates, click-to-call functionality, and more.

2. Zendesk: it is an easy-to-love sales tool that will boost the productivity of your sales team, make data-driven decisions, and deliver enhanced customer experiences. Additionally, you can build and manage a pipeline that aligns with your business.

Social Media Tools:

social media helps to expand enormously, as most of the world’s population is an active member of at least one social media platform where you can connect to them on a personal level. Therefore, it is highly important to manage what you post and how your followers respond to your content. Social media tools help you schedule your posts and get the right analytics from the posts, even from the channels where it can be hard to get the information.

3. Buzzsumo: The tool explores premium content that can help you get more likes, links, and shares. It analyses a vast amount of data to enhance your social media marketing strategies. Moreover, it helps you find influencers who can be an asset to your campaign. Another most important feature of the tool is that it tracks comments and trends to make a real-time connection with your audience.

4. Buffer: it is one of the most affordable and intuitive tools to manage your social media activity. It analyzes the data, helps your plan and schedule your posts, filters out important comments, and responds quickly to them. Additionally, it lets you track down your activity and analyze your progress to make better strategies.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

SEO is an integral part of digital marketing, as only an optimized website of content is visible on the search engines such as Google, which are the primary gateways for customers to enter a conversation with your brand. Therefore, you need SEO tools to manage and plan various SEO-related tasks such as keyword research, content optimization, or checking your current page ranking.

5. SEMrush: It is an award-winning tool used worldwide as a single platform to do SEO, content marketing, competitor research, PPC, and social media marketing. Specifically for SEO, it uncovers millions of local, and national keywords, analyzes any domain’s backlinking profile, tracks your SERP position on a daily basis, and runs technical SEO audits.

6. Keywords Everywhere Chrome Extension: this add-on browser is easy to install and is compatible with both Chrome and Firefox. The extension shows monthly search volume, CPC, and competition data of keywords on multiple websites. Therefore, it will save you time that you can utilize to strengthen your business growth strategies.

Content Creation and Design Tools:

Content such as social images, logos, blog posts, or eBooks is the most influential way to attract people’s attention to your brand. And there are many tools to create them.

7. Canva: the tool lets you create professional designs with premium features such as brand kit and background remover. It lets you can plan, create, and edit the content on your own or with your team. Additionally, the Built-in comments feature helps you communicate, work, and resolve suggestions in real-time. Therefore, with Canva, you can create world-class designs and share them with the world in just a few clicks.

8. Adobe Spark: it is a collection of three web/mobile apps, namely Spark Page, Spark Post, and Spark Video, to allow the creation of social graphics, flyers, logos webpages, videos in various themes, and other types of content in no time. It has thousands of templates that any beginner can use to create effective content.

Lead Generation Tools:

To expand your business, you need to generate leads, and it is the most challenging part of marketing. Lead generation tools will help you make the lead generation process easy and simple as their automated features increase the process of conversion.

9. Unbounce: with this tool, you can launch overlays on top of any web page that has a call-to-action feature. You can customize the triggers and targeting rules to choose who sees the offers and when. This feature helps to make your brand reach the relevant audience whose chances of conversion are maximum. Additionally, you can personalize your overlays by making your copy adaptable to what your audience searches for.

10. Instapage: the tool lets you create and optimize relevantly, on-brand, mobile-responsive post-click landing pages and experiences without the help of a developer. It helps to increase visitor engagement and conversion with unique landing page experiences for every ad and targeted audience.

The main motive behind using these tools is to enhance the productivity of your sales department. You can make the best use of these marketing tools by hiring an expert who knows them in and out to save your time by focusing on your product and services and letting them do the rest of the job.

The best part about these marketing tools is that they are affordable, and some of them even offer free trials and templates. So, even if you are short on funds, you can still make use of these marketing tools to grow your small business.

Author Bio:

Joe Martin is a long-time contributor in the tech industry as a leader at Adobe, CMO of CloudApp, and SVP at Scorpion. With his business and marketing degress from Utah and Stanford and his work in tsech he brings a unique balance of strategy and execution to help businesses large and small grow.

Arnab

Arnab is a professional blogger, having an enormous interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, He carries out sharing sentient blogs.

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5 Tips for Marketing Your HVAC Business That Actually Work

HVAC repair is one of those services every homeowner or property manager needs at one time or another. So why aren't you getting as much business as you want? In many parts of the country, HVAC repair is a highly competitive business. In fact, 70% of new HVAC businesses fail in their first year. Our intention isn’t to scare you but to help you recognize the importance of a strong marketing plan and help to know about the HVAC estimating software working procedure. If you're looking for new ways to market your HVAC business, the methods below have proven to be successful time and time again. Best Ways to Market Your HVAC Business : There are plenty of marketing ideas online, but how do you know which ones will actually work? Here are a few of the most important and reliable methods: A Great Website : We truly can't emphasize this one enough. With smartphones in nearly everyone's hands, the first thing a consumer does today when they hear about a company is search online. A professional-looking website is no longer just a helpful addition. If you don't have one, customers get suspicious. They start wondering if you're a legitimate company or if this is just a side business that you aren't knowledgeable about. There are sites online that will help you create your own website, even if you have no web design experience. You could also choose to hire a professional designer for a more customized and high-end look. If you're looking for examples of strong HVAC websites, look at the site for Hays Cooling and Heating. They have a professional look and they give customers everything they need to decide that this is the right company for them. Content Marketing : Let's stick to the online sector and talk about content marketing. Content marketing is the strategy of making your site an informative resource for customers, rather than one giant sales pitch. Content marketing will factor into your initial web design as well as your continuous updates. If you update your site frequently, you'll show up closer to the top of the list of results when someone searches for an HVAC company on Google or other search engines. The best way to do this is with a blog you update regularly. Keeping with the content marketing strategy, your blogs should be helpful and informative. Base them around real questions people are searching for. These blogs are also great to share on your social media profiles, so they further enhance your online presence. Networking with Other Contractors : Unfortunately, you're in an industry that is plagued by mistrust. In HVAC as well as many other types of home repair, there are some businesses and contractors who don't do their job well while taking money from customers unjustly. This means most homeowners and property managers are slow to trust their contractors. When they find one they trust, they tend to ask them for recommendations for other specialties as well. Develop relationships with plumbers, home builders, cement layers, and other construction-based specialties. We're not talking about a formal arrangement. Just make sure they know who you are and what you do good work. If one of their clients is looking for HVAC services in the future, those contractors are more likely to refer them to you. Pay-Per-Click Advertising : We all know how pervasive Google is as a search engine. When it comes to digital marketing, one of your primary goals is showing up higher on Google's search results. So why not go directly to the source? Paid ads through Google will put you at the top of one of the first pages when customers Google a relevant search term. You can also set any budget you're comfortable with, so nearly any business can afford some level of paid search engine marketing (SEM). Referral Codes : Remember that discussion about how slow customers are to trust contractors and home repair companies? This makes customer referrals another powerful marketing tool. You don't have direct control over whether a happy customer refers you, but you can give them an incentive. Rather than posting general coupon codes online to drive business, give referral codes to past customers. If a new customer hires you with a previous customer's discount code, the new customer gets a discount and the previous customer gets credit toward future services. Exhibit at Local Home Expos : Many cities and regions have occasional home expos. These are shows where homeowners can learn about all the latest updates on the services they may need, while also meeting their local service providers. Not everyone likes to socialize and sell themselves, but these expos are vital opportunities. You have an audience full of people who are potential customers, so be sure to get involved. Signage on Your Van/Truck : Half the battle with marketing is simply getting your name out there. The more a customer sees your name, the more they'll see you as a legitimate, trustworthy company. One cost-effective way to spread the word is by using the space on the side of your van or truck. This actually serves two purposes. First, it gives you more visibility. Second, it gives you a more professional image. If you pull up to a customer's home in a branded van with a name you're trying to stand behind, as opposed to a beat-up anonymous truck, it adds a layer of credibility. Building Your Online Reputation : Here we are, back at trust again. Online reviews are one of the most important ways to get new business (or avoid losing new business). Looking up online reviews is common practice for consumers today, especially if they're making a large purchase like an HVAC repair. Build your online reputation on Google, Yelp, Angie's List, and more by encouraging happy customers to post reviews. Setting Up Your HVAC Business for Success : An HVAC business isn't always an easy one to start, and it takes dedication and planning to make it work. But with the tips above, you can build up your business and secure a future for your company. For more help starting or growing your business, check out our business tips blog. Read Also : Know Why Content Marketing Is Important For SEO 4 Points To Consider When Creating A Great Content Marketing Strategy Today How To Deal With Debt By Doing Business Marketing Smartly?

How to Deal With Debt By Doing Business Marketing Smartly?

Small businesses and startups often find it much easier to borrow the lion’s share of their capital. Finding an investor is never completely off the table, but it is not an easy task to do. It is much easier to find lending organizations, who are ready to test out the abilities of the new entrepreneurs to multiply their monies. Very soon, a time arises when the creditors expect at least a part of their invested money back. Now, this is a time most entrepreneurs know will come, but none are ready to face. It is almost always "too early" or "too sudden." Online marking, when you are already in massive debt? Gaining momentum for a new business not only takes time and effort, but it also takes some serious marketing skills. By marketing, we do not mean TVCs, hoardings, and pamphlets. Those are ancient forms of advertising that no one even notices anymore. If you are in such a situation, what you need is a stable dose of online marketing that will make you visible to your target audience. Here comes the biggest conundrum in the world. When a business is already nose-deep in debt, can it afford to plunge further in by going in for online marketing? That entirely depends on your perspective of online marketing. Your contenders and contemporaries may think online marketing to be an added expense, but you know what almost 71% of the US population is already online and looking for businesses like you. So, would you deem online marketing as an added expense or a smart investment? You need a website first : The first step of online marketing is getting your own presence established online. It means an excellent site. By nice, we mean something that's functional, professional, SEO optimized, and capable of attracting and converting traffic. It should represent your selling theme, services, and products perfectly. Building a website is no easy feat. You may have the enthusiasm to build a website from scratch, but not all entrepreneurs can have the coding skills and analytical skills needed to construct a working business website. Building a website from scratch can take up a lot of time, and it takes a lot of algorithms to perfect the buying and payment process. Either you can opt for DIY website builders like WordPress or Joomla, or you can surely approach a professional website builder. A professional website builder will again cost you a few bucks. If you are thinking of building a PHP based website from scratch, it will also take considerable amounts of time. Now, this is not going to be cheap for your business. Therefore, it is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to wonder if going for online marketing is the best way to a debt solution. The inspiration you need : So, let us tell you a real-life success story. Initially a nobody, Rank Fishkin started out with his own tech startup and went plummeting into a $500,000 personal debt. From there he is now the owner of the world’s largest SEO, social media, and content marketing website Moz that is netting about $40 million in revenue for the last seven years. That is a success story better than any fairy tale you will ever hear. Was it easy? Did it involve magic spells? No! It required endless hours of smart digital marketing strategies and intelligent investment moves. The moral of the story is: just because you are nose deep in debt, does not mean you can invest in something new. Digital marketing and social media marketing are the new ways to reintroduce your brand to a new world of potential buyers. People are waiting out there right now to hear from you about your products and services. How to find them? Finding the right people at the right time is the only “magic” you need to perform. You will need a few social media listening tools like HootSuite, Buffer, and Social Sprout. These offer a few free services. Their premium services cost less than a Grande. Of course, you will need to work on your social media account before you start listening to what people are saying about your brand online! So get started. Create a professional Facebook page, Twitter account, and at least an Instagram page. You need to post daily. Sometimes twice a day. Engage in regular conversations with your customers. Stay visible and exciting. If you ever run out of original content, do not shy away from asking your followers for some. Do it tactfully. Introduce new photo contests, quizzes, and polls with attractive rewards. That is the way to create user-generated content. It is the most efficient way to keep your page and wall filled with meaningful content every minute of staying online. Investing is not the problem, not spending in the right places is : Online marketing is an investment in every way possible. It is like putting a bait to catch the bigger fish. Using the right keywords in your product descriptions, doctoring your URL to suit the liking of the bots, and including image tags to become visible during Google image searches are all parts of that investment. Still, you may want to consult your personal financial advisor before you take the plunge. You need to be in touch with your financial reality before you can make new investments. Your financial advisor or your debt counselor should help you in understanding the debt program's details. Your current debt program may have reservations about making new investments or certain kinds of investments unless you pay off a certain fraction of the amount you have borrowed. Most businesses end up in a fiscal dead-end due to ignorance and bad decision-making, rather than investing in new marketing. We have seen companies drown because they were not adventurous enough and they have always played safe. In 2017, online marketing is not a luxury or an option. It is a compulsion you need to embrace before your competitors take away all your potential clients. Making yourself more visible on the internet will get you more sales and profit. It will help you make more money and pay off your debts faster than usual. Read Also : 5 Marketing Tips To Help Grow Your Business On Instagram Discovering A New Promotion Position For Your expanding Search Engine Marketing Business Top 8 Benefits Of Professional Business Cards

What Can I Do To Make My Company Website More Profitable And Powerful?

As many marketing experts know, a company's website is oftentimes one of the primary mediums through which the business generates revenue in the online world. In light of this reality, it's immensely important for business owners seeking maximum profitability to make their websites absolutely amazing. If you're looking for strategies that will help you make your business site more profitable and powerful, this is the article for you. Read on to learn about several web optimization strategies that can really enhance your organization's sales online: Read also: Top 4 Reasons To Outsource White Label PPC For Your Business 1. Optimize Your Content Content marketing is still one of the most important online advertising strategies on the block. This is the case because people will view your content when they're seeking more information regarding what your brand is about. In many cases, content is the factor that leads the prospect to make a purchase and then become loyal to your brand. Moreover, creating dynamic content can lead to more shares, thereby increasing the likelihood that your company will go viral. Once you recognize the integral role that content plays in making a brand successful online, you'll understand the importance of continually populating your website with dynamic, intriguing web articles and videos that your target audience will want to view and share. Luckily, there are many relatively simple strategies you can deploy to take the quality of your content from average to exceptional. One is consistently embedding incredibly beautiful or innovative images into your content. Another is optimizing the content for scannability through the implementation of textual elements such as headers, subheaders, bullet points, and numbered lists. 2. Try Pay Per Click Advertising Pay per click advertising is a form of marketing that involves buying ads that will appear on a website, blog, etc. The clicking activity will typically direct individuals to the business owner's website, thereby putting the brand recognition and conversion processes in full effect. Attaining these types of advertising services can help increase your sales while also extending your sphere of authority in the online domain. Companies such as Solid Cactus are pleased to provide their clients with pay per click services. 4. Make Your Calls To Action More Compelling Your website calls to action are one of the most important conversion optimization tools that you have. This is the case because the call to action directs your reader/viewer to do something that will be somehow advantageous for your organization. A perhaps obvious example would be encouraging the prospect to make a purchase, but this is not the only type of call to action that could benefit your organization. Another one might involve you asking the site visitor to sign up for your monthly or weekly e-newsletter. Because calls to action play an integral role in facilitating outcomes that lead to sales and product loyalty, you want to ensure that yours are absolutely amazing. Luckily, there are several ways that you can make this happen. One is by keeping it as clear and concise as possible. This is not the time to use flowery, elaborate language. Rather than being long-winded, get straight to the point to preclude the reader from becoming frustrated or impatient. An example of a desirably short, simple call to action would be "Purchase eBook by 11:59 pm to get 50% off." 5. Start Generating Online Success Now! Ongoing success in the online sector can be your company's reality if you learn how to operate in a strategic, organized manner. Use some or all of the strategies outlined above to keep your organization on track to becoming increasingly influential and authoritative in the online world!

10 Must Have Marketing Tools To Add In Small Business Growth Strategies!

What are Marketing Tools?

Here We Have Listed Ten Must-Have Marketing Tools: