How do you market your business?
THIS ARTICLE APPEARS IN THE RED ROCK NEWS
November 3, 2023
If you are a business owner in Sedona, how do you market your business?
Do you advertise in local newspapers or publications? Regional or national publications? Digital marketing through social media channels? Television? Or just plain word-of-mouth advertising?
I have recently discovered several articles on different types of marketing such as “19 Types of Marketing You Should Know About,” “41 Types of Marketing Your Brand Can Invest in,” “12 Types of Marketing to Boost Your Brand” and “A Complete List of 40 Effective Types of Marketing.”
Additionally, there are a multitude of options to choose from. You can invest in email marketing, direct mail, social media, digital marketing, print advertising, television, SEO, pay-per-click, outbound and inbound marketing, content marketing, affiliate marketing, word-of-mouth marketing and the list continues.
As a business owner, how do you select which marketing tool is right for your business? And can you personally handle all the business demands it takes to operate? Not only are you running day-to-day operations, managing a staff, checking your inventory, shopping for new products, delivering services, servicing customers, handling the finances, and developing sales promotions and public relations but now you have to decide on what marketing options are the best strategy to sell your products and services.
The adage “If you build it, they will come,” from the film, The Field of Dreams, may not be the best advice for running a business in 2023 even with Sedona’s increases in seasonal visitation. As the data shows, we can’t even fully count on those typical peak months anymore.
Over the last ten years, we’ve witnessed a rise in social media platforms for marketing. Businesses are expanding their marketing strategies in the hopes of reaching their ideal target audience.
It’s true that digital marketing is one of the best ways to target and measure your advertising placement to determine your return on investment. Through digital marketing, you can pinpoint your customer by their likes and dislikes, income, gender, age, financial status, where they live, and their purchasing power. But don’t put all of your marketing eggs in the digital basket. The truth is that every medium provides a unique opportunity for your brand to come alive and to speak on your behalf. Ultimately, you want to use an assortment of marketing mediums to reach your audience.
Advertising and Marketing is not a one-and-done option. It’s a continual investment that evolves over time, and it requires repetition. You probably aren’t even aware of the numerous times you saw an ad before you finally started to take notice, let alone finally bought that product. Again, marketing is an investment, and it often takes time before you see the results.
At the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau, (SCC&TB), business is our number one focus. Our team has developed a considerable number of programs and initiatives for our members that will help you make the necessary marketing decisions.
We offer our partners a multitude of services such as banner ads, business listings, consultation, website optimization, social media marketing consultation, co-op opportunities in national and regional publications, blog creation and sponsorships on our e-newsletters. We also encourage you to take advantage of our Industry Roundtable discussions, partner workshops and networking opportunities.
Be sure to sign up and read our weekly business newsletter – the Business Bulletin — which contains information, articles and special opportunities — news that you can use — that may inspire, challenge, or motivate you with new ideas and concepts or make changes to your business strategy.
At the SCC&TB, we take our partnerships seriously. We are working diligently to create and share information that will help support your business’s success.
If you are not currently a member, contact Donna Retegan at DRetegan@sedonachamber.com and sign up to receive all of our membership benefits.
–Michelle Conway Kostecki, President/CEO
Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau