Many of my fellow SMEs have asked about effective marketing strategies for 2013. To answer this question, I'll try to outline several things that can help my fellow SMEs face business competition in this new year.
The products/services we sell must have added value and advantages over competitors. In today's era, consumers have many choices when choosing a product or service. This is an advantage for consumers, but it also presents a challenge for businesses due to the increasing number of competitors. One strategy that needs to be implemented is to create products that have added value or advantages over existing competitors.
2. Opening online sales channels
Five years ago, selling through online shops was still considered dataset unpopular, partly because internet users were not as numerous as they are now and many consumers still didn't trust online buying and selling. However, now online shopping is mushrooming, especially supported by the increasing development of internet access and mobile devices. The latest data from Internet World Stats 2012 shows that internet users in Indonesia have surpassed 60 million.
Tips for SMEs in 2013: Start building online sales channels, as online sales are relatively inexpensive and offer enormous potential.
3. Maximize communication via social media
According to the latest data from 2012, 40 million of Indonesia's total internet users (currently over 60 million) are social media users. This significant number presents significant potential for those looking to market their products without incurring significant costs. Consider @infomaicih and @steakholycow; both accounts are examples of successful entrepreneurs using social media. How do you do it? Build followers/fans with useful content, don't just sell, and actively interact with your followers/fans. Content and conversation are two powerful words for building a social media strategy. The hope is that the power of social media will build loyal consumers and user communities both online and offline.