Researching your audience is critical. Take the time to learn more about the demographics of your audience so that you can properly tailor your message. A one-size-fits-all mentality will not be successful. Instead, step up your game. Use information collected from customers and artificial intelligence to personalize your approach to them. This goes beyond using an automated system to include customers’ first names in emails. It can also include suggestions of goods or services they might like based on previous purchases, or direct mail offering a discount on something they’ve purchased before. Artificial intelligence can analyze customers’ behavior to give you an idea of how to optimize your campaign to convert.Customers like to feel like they are in a relationship with a business. They’ll feel special when they receive marketing materials personalized for them. In addition to customizing the message, you should also tailor the experience to the audience. Do they prefer mobile devices? Create mobile-friendly templates. In the end, personalization is just as much about making the experience memorable and convenient as it is providing specific content.

A great way to market your business is by getting to know your community. Consider partnering with other businesses in the neighborhood to host a block party thanking the community for their patronage. Offer special sales at your business for the day, set up games or other family activities, and schedule talks outlining the latest and greatest in your industry or offering advice regarding your goods or services to make people’s lives easier. People will appreciate the free fun and the chance to get to know you in a different type of setting. This will strengthen your relationship with them and make them more confident working with you.Handing out promotional items featuring your business’s identity is an excellent way to give attendees a reminder of your brand. Magnets from StickerMule.com or T-shirts from RushOrderTees.com are great, cost-effective options. Don’t limit yourself to standard options; consider getting a unique magnet shaped like your logo or a different style of T-shirt, such as a V-neck, sleeveless, or tie-dye.You can also have a giveaway and use coupons or gift cards inside customized holders as prizes. CompanyFolders.com has more than a dozen different styles of gift card holders from which to choose, available in 59 stocks and several different imprint methods; it’s the perfect way to give your prize some extra flair. Don’t forget to include important information on the holders, such as business hours and contact information.

Provide customers with an interactive experience using augmented reality. The most popular example of augmented reality is Pokémon Go, which shows players various creatures in real-life locations. This technology can be used for marketing, too. For example, if you sell furniture, you can offer people the chance to see how one of your pieces will look in their homes before they buy it with the use of their smartphones.You can also set up special social media filters to allow potential customers to engage with your brand. For instance, if you’re throwing a special event, consider creating a branded Snapchat filter that attendees can use while they’re in the designated area.In most augmented reality scenarios, it’s important to focus much of your efforts (and your budget) on your mobile platforms. Make sure your website has a mobile-friendly version and isn’t just a truncated desktop version. If you add AR features, don’t expect people to just intuitively know they’re available; like anything else, you have to promote them.

Combine all of those great online interactive tools into one place by developing an app. Include your augmented reality features as well as ways to track your reward or loyalty program. You can also include how-to videos and a chatbot to interact with customers. Use Geofencing to provide special deals to them, too. Geofencing, when enabled, will trigger special notifications to customers when they are in a specific radius of your business. This will allow you to advertise to them when they are in the area and have to ability to act on the message instantly.Depending on your budget, you can hire someone to develop your app or create one yourself. Before your app is developed, you should decide which features you want to include as well as the platform. Think back to your audience research to get an idea of what they will like and dislike to use as a guide for development.For many business owners, marketing is a necessary evil. A lot of time, energy and money go into it before you know if your efforts will be successful. That’s why it’s important to keep track of each strategy to determine your return on investment. Don’t do everything at once or you won’t be able to track what is working and what needs to be tweaked. Not every strategy is successful, but be patient and you’ll find something that works for you.