3 innovative tech marketing tools
Your Small Business Should be Using
Technology has between an unavoidable part of our daily reality. According to Global Web Index, 87% of consumers use mobile phones for purchases. Technology innovation has made it possible to obtain deeper analysis, more direct engagement with consumers, improved customer journeys, and higher quality marketing products. To successfully compete in the market and increase sales effectiveness, it is important that small businesses stay up-to-date with innovations in technology. The four tools covered here are tools that can be valuable to small businesses in just about every industry.
qr codes
Quick Reference Codes or QR Codes are powerful marketing tools for businesses of all sizes. These cool codes will allow businesses to connect and share information with consumers directly to their mobile devices. During the COVID-19 shut-down last year, many restaurants turned to QR Codes to share their menus with customers in place of physical (and unsanitary) shared menus and continue to use these menus for easy download. Essentially the code can be scanned by a mobile device to access information including:
- Website Access
- Online Store/Campaign Access
- Discounts and Coupons
- Sweepstakes
- Informative Videos
- Store locations
- Menus
- Event Information
mobile payment apps
The customer buying process is an important part of marketing strategy. One of the goals of understanding your customers’ buying process is to ensure consumers have the easiest path to achieve their goals on your website (ultimately the straightest path between visiting your website to completing a purchase). One way to do this is to eliminate the need for clients to have to go through the tedious efforts of having to type all of their information in and have their credit card information on hand to make online purchases. By allowing payment methods like Google Pay, Apple Pay, Venmo, and PayPal, customers can oftentimes complete purchases in one click, significantly decreasing shopping cart abandonment.
Another benefit of the rise in mobile payment technology is the ease of getting paid. Small business owners can now take payment anywhere with ease via apps like CashApp, Zelle. Businesses that have no physical location no longer need to direct face-to-face customers to your website for purchase or take on cash-only. Increasing customer convenience and purchase accessibility.
animated video programs
Once upon a time, we would come across a cool animated ad while browsing the web or a detailed cartoon how-to video and think, “WOW. That’s nice! ….. I wish I could afford graphics like that”. But with the enhancement in technology, custom animated videos are easy and relatively affordable to make. Programs like Animaker, Biteable, and PowToon allow small business owners and staff to create visually appealing, high quality, custom marketing, and branding videos are sure to increase conversions, brand awareness, and online presence.
Small Business marketing is no longer just email marketing, flyers, and social media. Innovation is allowing smaller businesses to have a competitive edge against their direct competition and even larger enterprises. YouTube is now the second most popular online site so finding unique ways to stand out via videos is a strategy your business should be considering. Businesses using animated video marketing saw a 78% increase in website traffic. Videos ranging from webinars to instructional videos, to company “About Us” videos can significantly increase online conversions.
Take a look at the first marketing video I created in 1 day to test out PowToons. Now imagine if you put some time and strategy into it. Endless possibilities for your small business!
