Do you run a mobile business?

Offering freedom and flexibility, operating a mobile business can provide benefits that stand still location does not.

But that doesn’t mean a mobile business isn’t without its unique challenges.

From finding the right finance to creating your online presence, knowing what to expect – and how to overcome these challenges, can ensure your business takes advantage of the latest technological trends to provide a quality service, increase exposure and scale up.

According to small business experts at Max Funding, “mobile business offer flexible hours, but this means uncertainty in terms of cash flow. Securing the necessary capital is the first and most important step, with marketing able to build on this stable foundation.”

So if you’re ready to make the most of your mobile business, here are the 6 marketing tips you need to know.

• Do Your Research

Before you begin promoting your mobile business, it’s important to know who you should be targeting. Identifying your target demographics will not only help you know who you should be engaging with, but also how to engage with them. 

Conduct your own market research by talking to existing clients, creating polls or surveys online to get feedback and information from them, and look at the data you have already collected from your business – for example, booking times and dates. These pieces of information can tell you a lot about the patterns of your clients, both current and potential. 

If you know that the majority of your clients are aged 18-30, a platform such as Instagram, is probably going to help you market your business to the right people. It’s information like this that can really help you effectively market your business. 

• Get Social

Social media can be overwhelming at times, but it is also a powerful marketing space. 

Facebook in particular is an important tool for mobile business when it comes to promoting their work and retaining clientele. 

By setting up a dedicated Facebook page to your mobile business, you are opening up the opportunity to reach a wider audience and attract a wealth of potential clients.

Some key things you should have covered on your social media platforms include:

• Your contact details
• What locations you can travel to
• Your prices and rates. 

If there is a style or event type you specialise in or are known for, such as weddings, mention them too. These specialties will help you stand out from the crowd and highlight your strengths! 

If you are just starting out, ask family and friends to like/follow and share your social media accounts. This is a simple way to get the ball rolling on your social media experience.

• Show Off Your Skills

Speaking of strengths, why not show them off? 

Whether you are creating posts for your social media feeds or producing marketing brochures and other collateral, highlight what you are good at and love to do. 

Photos and videos of your work showcase you in a visual way. Asking some clients to also provide testimonials and reviews, which you can share on your website or social media feeds, is another great way to highlight what you do best.

Another idea is to hold an online tutorial. This is a great way for you to showcase a DIY you enjoy doing and also allow your clients to see the process you go through while making them feel empowered and motivated to take action.

• Quality Over Quantity

Make sure you share good photos and video on your website and social media feeds. 

The great thing about modern technology is that you don’t necessarily need a professional camera to take quality snaps. Smartphones take great photos. Get your settings in order and make sure wherever you are taking the photos or videos, that there is decent light and voila – you have yourself some pretty darn professional-looking snaps. 

While some bloggers and experts will tell you to post, post, post, it’s important to keep in mind the message you are putting out to your audience when you are engaging on social media. 

TIP: “It’s not about how much you’re creating, but rather the message you’re delivering.”  It’s important to ensure what content you are putting out into the universe, conveys the right message about your business and what you do. 

• Have Fun

Marketing your mobile business is serious work but it should also be fun. 

After all, you are helping clients look and feel fabulous, and no doubt you are having fun while you doll them up.

Social media, in particular, is a place where you can have plenty of fun while promoting your business. Giveaways and discounts are a great way to get new business in – although, it’s better to do this every now and then as opposed to all the time or just once. 

Holding a competition every two to three months, for example, you might offer a free trial or discounted price, will show your clients and other potential customers that you enjoy their patronage and regularly give back to them. 

Another idea is running Instagram photo competitions. Ask your clients to send them their best selfie or inspiration – people love doing this and if they know there’s a little something extra involved, you might find yourself bombarded with selfies. This, in turn, shows potential clients the scope of your work and how valued you are by your current clients. 

• Keep it Real

A challenge of the online era is that it can be hard to know what’s real and what’s not. Customers appreciate honesty and will respond more to seeing real content. 

Before and after images are a great way to highlight your talents and strengths, and they show potential customers that you can work with a variety of spaces and tasks. 

While simple edits to photos and videos of your work can be beneficial, it’s important to not overdo it. In fact, heavily edited content, such as photos, are something you should probably avoid if you want to be known for your authenticity. 

Another idea is to share your story on why you are in business, what you love about your job and why you wanted to start your own mobile business. By having this information available, whether it’s in your website bio or a blog, or even through videos on social media, you are allowing your clients to get to know the real you.