Marketing for dry cleaners can seem like a daunting task and learning where to market your small business is essential. If you’ve been in business for a while or have marketing experience, you know the concept of “knowing where to put your marketing dollars.” When it comes to time and possible return on investment (ROI) for small businesses, all social platforms are not equal.

It’s about understanding your target market better so you can spend as little as possible while maximizing your returns. For this to be true, you need to know your target market/buyer and plan your social media accordingly. The problem many small business owners face is where to spend their marketing dollars. 

To keep costs low, we’ll look at some ways that don’t break the bank.

So, where should you market your small business?

Where should you market your small business? Read and learn more: Share on X

Know Your Target Audience

Who are the customers you want to serve? What does your current customer base look like? If you market to everyone, you won’t reach or speak to anyone, so you need to be specific and find your niche. 

For example, if you have a new route that you’re building in a specific community, do a little research on a current customer’s Instagram accounts and see what their days look like. Are they moms that are shuttling kids to sports events or busy parents struggling with work-from-home duties? You want to think about these people and create a persona for your ideal customer. You can even give them a name and get into the head of this perfect customer to develop social media posts that will speak directly to them.

Scout out your local schools for the date of the prom or school events that you can market specifically. Your ideal customers will love that coupon for 20% prom dress prep or post-prom dress cleaning when it hits exactly the right week.

Once you know who your target is, you need to figure out what social platforms they spend time on. Be sure to read Sprout Social’s “Social media demographics to inform your brand’s strategy in 2021” for in-depth information, but here’s a quick look at the stats:

LinkedIn 46-55-year-olds

Facebook 25-34-year-olds

Instagram 25-34-year-olds

Twitter 30-49 year-olds

TikTok 18-24-year-olds

It’s not social media but growing your email list is a reliable way to reach people. Email marketing is a critical part of your marketing toolkit.  Seventy-three percent of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email.

Clever Marketing Doesn’t Require a Big Budget

You don’t need a big budget for social media. You can focus on what will get people coming to your website using Google analytics to find how people are coming to your website now or use your Instagram account and its Insights. That’s your base of consumers, and they can help you keep your small business afloat. You can use the demographics in these analytics to choose which social platforms to choose.

Focus on your value proposition, what you do, the customer you want to serve, the demographics and location of your audience, and the best way you can use digital technology to attract these people.

Do your homework. Take a few minutes to search the Internet for related businesses that may be of interest to you and your customers. Check out online directories and other directories that provide business listings and contact information. See what potential customers are saying and read reviews left by past customers. Research is fundamental, and it’s easy on Google or Yelp.

Make sure to take advantage of our Kreussler marketing materials each month and use the printable calendar to plan your content.

Grow your positive referrals

71% of consumers are more likely to purchase based on social media referrals. That’s a powerful stat. Encourage people to share their positive experiences on social media and tag your business on their posts. 

You could create a poster with your social media handle on it and ask people to tag your business if they post. Offer a discount for people who share on Instagram Stories and tag your business.

Here’s an example of a poster for your front counter. You can customize this and print it for less than $10. LINK

All you need to do is change the logo, add your website, and add your @name to the posts. You could send customers who post on social media a special coupon to surprise and delight them.

Building a community online will grow your customer base organically. You’re in business to serve your local offline community, but you need to find and connect with them online. These tips to market your small business with social media will help get you on your way to more customers and cash in your register.