Welcome to the Talk Local Podcast: a weekly chat with business owners in Victoria, Vancouver, and throughout British Columbia to learn what they’re doing to create stronger connections with local customers
This week’s episode is sponsored by Time2getonline.com and hosted by Alan Ford.
Jason Dauphinee is the Chief Creative Officer at Eclipse360, a full-size advertising agency in Victoria that delivers creative solutions that get results across a variety of local industries, especially tourism. We asked him, ‘How can small businesses benefit from a full-service agency?’
What Can Small Businesses Do to Build Their Brand, Either Online or Offline?
“Whether you’re talking about tourism or any other type of business, the biggest advice that we try to give is to not overextend yourself,” Jason says. “What happens is, as a small business owner, you end up wearing a lot of hats; especially with marketing and advertising. You end up with a bit of a shotgun approach and spreading yourself as an owner too thin.
“This can be solved by understanding who your client base is, where they hang out, and being more strategic and direct about the homework you do about where your clients are coming from and what your messaging is.”
While digital is what Jason calls “the place to be”, he advises to be selective about the platforms you advertise on in order to maximize your reach without running your energy dry. “The client journey ends up looping through social media. It’s all about knowing your demographic: pick your social media presence depending on where your customers are. Don’t spread yourself too thin, because you’ll find that you won’t be able to keep up with posting on any of them. Make sure your messaging is enjoyable and educational for your clients.”
The Benefits of Measurability
Why has digital advertising skyrocketed while print advertising has fallen? Jason makes the case that it’s all to do with measurability. “Online advertising has given us really simple tools where you can gauge the effectiveness of your messaging,” he says. “It’s all about watching those metrics.”
That measurability can also lead business owners towards the decision to begin outsourcing their digital marketing. The other decision-maker is when business owners begin to feel that they’re “drowning” and, because of this, no longer reaching their target audience as quickly or effectively as they need to be.
Eclipse360’s work is now more than 75% digital due to business owners running into these hurdles; especially in the wake of COVID-19, when more and more business owners have turned primarily to digital marketing to advertise their offers and services. “You’re never too small of a business to benefit from outsourcing,” advises Jason. “As an example, one of our clients is a one-person show!”
If you don’t have the:
- Time
- Skillset
- And/or know-how
Then Jason recommends you begin outsourcing sooner rather than later in order to ensure that your digital marketing is being done right.
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