A new decade is upon us, and even if you’re not one for resolutions, no doubt you’re already thinking about what 2020 could hold for your marine business.
If you’re wondering how to generate more sales this year, but are unsure where to start, take a look at our top 5 marine marketing tactics that will help you have the best year yet.
1) Get the right CRM
A comprehensive, intuitive CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a must-have for a successful marine business. It’s a system that will help you manage and monitor all your interactions with customers and clients, both potential and existing.
Perhaps you’re a sail maker or rigger and you want to follow up with those you worked with over winter last year? Or maybe you provide boat repairs and servicing and have some spring offers coming up that you want to shout about?
The right CRM will hold all your contacts and prospects in one place, with important information easily accessible, and automated communications so you can consistently build relationships and grow your sales.
2) Website essentials
Never underestimate the importance of having an engaging, informative website. It doesn’t have to be packed full of bells and whistles, but it does need to represent your brand and clearly communicate your products and services.
When it comes to what makes a good website, it should support both your site visitors (easy to navigate, works properly on mobiles etc…) and your business goals – think popping up on the first page of Google search results and encouraging conversions, be that sign-ups, sales or enquiries.
There are some really easy ways to tick all the boxes, such as making simple marketing videos that demonstrate your products or services, and ensuring it’s easy to get in touch with straightforward contact forms or clearly-displayed phone numbers and emails. Tying your website in with you CRM means that any contact form submissions will automatically be logged, so they’re easily accessible to all members of your team, and they’re not lost or forgotten about.
3) Easy advertising
The world of advertising is vast. The key is to choose the right approach to suit your business goals, audience and, of course, budget! Paid opportunities include online advertising using social media and Google Adwords, and of course, the more traditional printed adverts in the press.
Unsure which is the best paid advertising platform for you? The best thing you can do is develop customer personas, going into specific detail about each type of customer you’re dealing with, where they get their information and what problems or frustrations they have. This will help you to choose the most appropriate platform on which to target them, and also the type of advert content you should be using. Get in touch with our marine marketing strategy whizz, MD Sarah, to find out more.
4) Develop a list of quality contacts
With the implementation of GDPR, having a good database with permission to make contact has never been more valuable.
When you’ve got your CRM in place, you’ll be perfectly placed to build and develop your client list. This gives you easy access to existing or potential clients in order to promote special offers, generate new business in leaner months or set up recurring income by promoting yearly servicing, monthly deals etc… A well-formed, up-to-date contact list is one of the most valuable things your business can possess in terms of marketing.
5) Brush up on nurturing your leads
What exactly should you be doing with your list of prospects? It’s time to get nurturing those leads! Timely, relevant information at each stage of the buyer journey will allow you to seamlessly move each prospect through your sales funnel.
Lead nurturing methods and tactics will vary depending on your goals and target audience. Your strategy could include personalising your communications, such as email newsletters; timely follow-ups when an enquiry is made, and multi-channel nurturing, where you reach out across multiple platforms such as social media, podcasts and printed articles.
If you’re keen to get started on marketing your marine business, but would like some more advice and guidance, why not book a free marine business marketing audit? You’ll get a clear picture of your current performance, plus ideas about how to make the most of your marketing in 2020.
