The Australian small business sector is thriving and opportunities for small business owners are about to increase. Next year will see the largest event to take place on the Gold Coast, the Commonwealth Games, and we are focused on helping small businesses and the self-employed to be as prepared as possible.
This means foreseeing issues that may arise as the result of an influx of customers and managing operations through such a demanding time, but also how small businesses can take advantage of such a busy time.
It’s also a timely reminder for all Aussie small businesses to reflect on the importance of marketing in a country which is becoming increasingly competitive and content-saturated.
Below are key ways to market your business, take advantage of the small-business sector and stand out from the crowd in the lead up to and during the Commonwealth Games.
Expensive is not always better
With a huge number of visitors and a tuned-in audience, television and radio advertising will be out of the reach of most small businesses, owing to cost. However, many small-business owners underestimate the power of digital content, which can provide you with an effective and efficient platform to attract eyes to your business.
I recently spoke with one of our customers, Reuben Bergola, who is Managing Partner of Gold Coast-based accounting firm New Wave Business Solutions, to understand more deeply the marketing opportunities for small businesses around the Commonwealth Games.
He said, “It’s very easy for small-business owners to think ‘customers won’t bother to read what I write and say’, but digital content is not just a fad. With a multiplying audience and creative ways to advertise, increased discussion about your products or services, and the ability to drive and influence online conversations, the ability to capture an audience is invaluable for any business.
“During the Commonwealth Games, the community will turn to sharing their experiences on social media on a global scale.”
The objectives for any business seeking to leverage digital content during the Commonwealth Games should be to:
- develop brand awareness
- drive traffic to your website
- generate leads and convert them into customers.
To achieve this, a small business needs to understand what content its target audience prefers. One of the ways of doing this is identifying whether they prefer pictures, videos or text. How and when they like to receive content will also help you be more effective in achieving your goals.
Once you find the content that works, you next need to focus on optimising that content. Major sporting events always bring out stories that touch the public. Stories tend to stick with an audience because we remember the way they make us feel. So, telling stories is the most effective way to attract an audience. Another way of optimising your content is to create short, impactful headlines.
Incorporating digital content into your overall business plan can improve the sales of your business tremendously during a major event like the Commonwealth Games or even the upcoming holiday season.
With many of our QuickBooks customers and accounting partners based in Queensland, we look forward to helping them prepare for the coming Commonwealth Games and take advantage of an event which will put many Aussie small businesses on the global stage.
Nicolette Maury, Vice President and Country Manager, Intuit Australia
