Our previous article explained how joining a local church can help you increase sales for your new business, but targeted ads might not. This article is a step-by-step guide to promoting your business in the US.
Please keep in mind that this guide is mainly for B2C businesses in the real sector, not for info products, startups, etc.
So, what do you begin with?
Step 1. Do Research
You begin with research.
If your business is still an idea, research can help you understand if it's viable. Just because it worked in another country doesn't mean it will work in the US. Maybe people here don't need your product, or maybe competition is too strong to beat on price or value.
Take English classes for immigrants as an example. Despite the high immigration rate, new immigrants can learn English with free courses. Research will tell you this, saving you time and money trying to break into a saturated market.
If you already run a business but it's struggling, research can tell you how to improve.
Here's an example from our research for a company that wanted to differentiate from its competitors while charging the highest prices.
How to research:
If you're not in the US yet, use a VPN. Search results differ based on your location, and some websites might not be accessible outside the US.
Start with Google and search for all possible websites related to your type of business (see a starting list below). Study your competitors, major players, and your target audience. Make a chart to compare your business with others. Look at price, quality, reputation, customer benefits, delivery speed, extras, returns, and other aspects applicable to your niche.
What to look for:
- Is there a market for your product in the US?
- If selling products, are they legal in the states you're targeting?
- If selling services, do you need licenses, permits, certifications, or special qualifications?
- Who uses your product in the US? How do they find and choose sellers?
- Who are your competitors? What are their strengths and offers? How do they advertise? What do their websites and ads say? What are their prices? What do the reviews say?
- What are some entrepreneur support programs, meetups, or financial aid in your area?
Useful resources:
- Google search
- Professional websites, like The Knot for wedding vendors, Psychology Today for psychologists
- Ad databases: Google Ads Transparency, Meta Ad Library
- Private professional Facebook groups
- Official sources: ITA, Chamber of Commerce
- Tools like Answer the Public, Google Keyword Planner, Semrush
Outcome of step 1:
You'll know if people want your product, who your buyers are, and who you compete against.
Step 2: Define Your Unique Offer
Use your research to define your offer.
If your product isn't selling in the US, it probably won't. Don't spend more time on this, even if you don't know why yet. Focus on something else.
If there's a market for your product or service, understand how to compete.
Avoid just lowering prices. It's the worst way to differentiate your business. A low price might give the impression of low quality or fraud. I've written about this before here.
What to do:
- Set a price that matches your product's quality and value.
- Add value to your product in a way that fits your niche. This could be unique materials, production techniques, free trials, partner discounts, or access to exclusive knowledge.
- Be clear and bold in your marketing materials about what makes your product special. The US market isn't for the timid hoping someone will find their diamond among a pile of coal. Highlight how your product is different from the competition.
Outcome of step 2:
You'll know how to be different and what to tell customers.
Step 3: Choose Where to Sell
The big question for sales is where to sell.
Options include:
- Your own website
- Online marketplaces
- Business directories
- Word-of-mouth
- Social media
Keep in mind that methods you used back in your home country might not work here. The US market is all about reputation. Good reputation sells without traffic, but traffic without a good reputation doesn't. So don't just jump into social media posting. A good start is offering your product for review to your neighbors.
Brightlocal infographic about how customers view reviews. 33% always read them, 43% regularly, 22% sometimes, and only 2% never.
What to do:
- Focus on reviews and word-of-mouth. Ignore those pushing chatbots and other "modern" tactics. Chatbots don't sell, but personal recommendations do. Go to markets, events, and connect with potential customers. Tell friends and neighbors about your business. Post in local Facebook groups. Get listed on Google Maps and Facebook for reviews.
- For services, find platforms that let you build reputation and sell. Creating a page on these sites is faster than making your own website. You also get visitors from the platform.
- For products, choose between marketplaces or your own shop. Before launching, test your product at a local market or on Facebook. This will tell you if there is demand. If you are starting a marketplace, get advice from an expert on that specific marketplace. When you are opening your own shop, learn how to promote it. Mind that promoting your own shop is more costly and complex than selling on a marketplace.
- Start social media marketing only after getting some reviews and setting up your sales platform. Social media is mainly for generating traffic, not direct sales.
Outcome of step 3:
You'll choose your sales platforms and start building your reputation.
Step 4: Focus on Building Reputation
I've already mentioned the importance of reputation. Once you know what to sell, who to sell to, and where to sell, the next step is how.
Here's an infographic about where people read local business reviews.
What to do:
- Get on platforms where potential customers can find your offer and leave reviews.
- Encourage customers to leave reviews. Contact those who left negative feedback and offer a gift, refund, or another shot in exchange for a better rating. Don't ignore bad reviews. They can lose you clients and lower your search ranking.
- Use PR. Even for a small bakery in a coastal resort, a local newspaper article can be more effective than a month of Instagramming. Find local outlets for city or regional PR. Use professional sites for niche PR. Post helpful articles and interviews to build your brand. Here are some places to post for free: here and here.
Outcome of step 4:
Reviews and word-of-mouth are the cheapest way to get new customers. It's the most cost-effective way to gain customers because it doesn't cost time or money once built up.
Step 5: Manage your traffic
Now your business is up and running, you got your first and maybe even repeat customers, and your platforms are getting traffic and reviews. It's time for another round of research. You'll need to find:
- Where to promote
- Promotion costs
- Time needed for promotion
Prioritize channels based on:
- Your industry
- Your location
- Your target audience's demographics and interests
- Whether people actively search for your product or buy on impulse
- Where they search for your product (nearest shop, on trusted sites, on Instagram, etc.)
- Competition for search queries
Part of our research to find priority sites for product promotion based on where competitors advertise.
What to do:
- Identify your target audience and how they find you.
- If your product or service is needed in specific situations, list it on all platforms where people might search for it.
- Try paid listings on specialized sites. For example, people search for wedding-related stuff on specialized sites and not just Google. Paid listings get you a backlink, a badge for your website, and a quick return on your investment.
- Check Google Ads costs. If your service qualifies for Google Local Services Ads, use them – they're cheaper.
- Find niche search terms for content with Google Ads' Keyword Planner or Semrush to generate organic traffic.
- See if your audience uses social media and what it costs to reach them. Find this on Meta Ads. Check how your competitors promote themselves and their ads.
- Look into affiliate marketing. For general products, try coupon or cashback sites like Rakuten. For specialized goods, find niche sites. For example, if you sell bicycle gear, focus on specialized resources for the cycling community; don't just bombard everyone.
- Check out what your competitors are doing. If a competitor has an established, successful business, the best thing you can do is emulate them. If they offer courses or mentorship, consider buying them. If not, observe and learn.
Outcome of step 5:
You'll know which channels to focus on for traffic and leads.
Step 6: Focus on Organic Traffic (SEO, SMM, content)
Organic traffic means getting visitors, calls, and queries without paying per click. It's cheaper in the long run, but takes more time and effort – much more time and effort than it seems at first glance because competition in the US is intense. If you need sales immediately, use paid channels.
What to do:
- SEO works similarly across your own site, marketplaces, or third-party websites, but each has its nuances. Learn how SEO works for your chosen platform or hire an expert.
- For local SEO, think about how American cities are. Unlike other countries where wealthy people live closer to the city center, wealthy people in the US often live further from downtown – which is populated by students and homeless people. Plus, big American cities are more like clusters of small towns.
- Use social media for products or services that people buy based on visual appeal (like photography). Use both photos and videos. Instagram videos aren't as effective as they used to be. Today, well-crafted posts with photos and galleries are more effective than ten repetitive reels based on templates from online marketing gurus. In the US, Facebook and YouTube are more popular than Instagram. Selling through them is easier.
- Create a month's worth of content before starting your profiles to maximize views. New accounts get higher organic reach because algorithms are trying to figure out who you are and how interesting you might be to others. Creating pages and neglecting them for a month with rare posts will get you a lower organic reach.
- YouTube is the most effective social media for promotion in the US right now. Short vertical videos work best. But you should choose platforms based on what kind of content best fits your business. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok can all generate organic traffic.
- Optimize content for each network. For example, don't put text at the bottom of videos on Instagram and TikTok – it gets covered by post descriptions.
- If your business can upsell or have repeat sales, collect email addresses at first purchase. Use them to send updates and promotions. Email is a big sales channel.
- Post on your blog and platforms like Medium, Quora, and LinkedIn. Share your work and expertise. These platforms are free.
Outcome of step 6:
Initially, you'll spend a lot of time creating content for your website, social media, and third-party platforms. But, more time invested in cultivating organic traffic means less money spent in the long run since you don't pay per lead.
Step 7: Add Paid Traffic (Google Ads, Meta Ads, Affiliate Marketing)
Remember, paid traffic doesn't sell without reputation. So get some reviews and mentions before starting ads. Unknown sellers on social media are often seen as scammers.
Other than that, paid traffic in the States works like other countries, but competition for attention is fierce.
The average click-through rate for Facebook ads is 0.9%. Don't count on the results you had in other country.
What to do:
- Choose your main paid traffic source and focus on it. Don't spread your efforts across all channels. Plan your advertising strategically.
- If your product is something people search for, start with Google Ads. Check if you can afford it – queries in some fields are very expensive. Decide which queries to advertise for based on your budget. (If you're targeting niche-specific queries, ensure your landing page offer matches them.)
- If you offer services locally, see if you qualify for Google Local Services Ads. They let you advertise without a website and you only pay for leads.
- If selling on a marketplace (like Amazon) or a review site (like Yelp), consider buying ads on those sites.
- If people search for services or products in your niche on specialized sites, use their paid listings. They are often cheaper and more effective than social media or search engine ads.
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