As a small business owner, finding affordable and effective ways to market your business is as important as it is challenging.
Without access to a marketing department or the ability to outsource such to other companies, small business owners often struggle to know exactly where to invest and how to initiate marketing programs.
For guidance, we reached out to some of our members in the marketing industry to help you gain better knowledge and understanding about how to make the most of your marketing dollars.
Grow Your Business: 10 Things Marketing Companies Wish Small Business Owners Knew
It’s important to keep your online content fresh.
“We see small businesses finding success in developing new client relationships when they keep their online content fresh and relevant to products or services they offer. Simple and genuine writing, photos, and videos encourage easy engagement with current and new customers.” – Debbie Butler, Tandem Creative
“Search engine optimization is not a one-and-done. You need to have fresh content on your website regularly in order to demonstrate that you are an authority in your industry and rank well in search results. This type of content helps you attract your ideal customers, so make it fun and informative.” – Lindsey Wigfield, Sweet Home Marketing
Marketing is NOT sales.
“Marketing is about communicating your value to your intended marketing. Sales teams capture the opportunity in the market. Many companies do little marketing and have phenomenal sales. Some have poor sales teams and blame marketing. Make sure you know the difference in what you are asking for.” -Tobin Lehman, New North
Great branding is powerful.
“A good branding guide and logo helps to give your company a voice through the use of colors, fonts, and imagery. Some of the best branding takes into consideration psychology and how the brand makes a person feel or react to your product and company. Being consistent with your branding and marketing can help establish a strong recognizable brand that people know and trust at a glance which in turn means increased sales and growth!” -Acacia Bowens, AKs GraFix
Your expertise should figure into your marketing strategy.
“You are an expert! That’s why you started your business. Your clients look to you as a resource, use that to develop content that helps them to succeed. This will make a profound difference in your content marketing efforts, focus on their needs and how you can help them. Write content that answers the questions they ask you everyday. This will improve your trustworthiness and have a positive impact on your SEO.” -Jon Bailey, Wellspring Digital
“When pitching services or products to clients, one of the most important things to keep in mind is ‘what is the problem you’re solving for your customer?’ Your sales message needs to focus on the solution you can provide to make the buyer’s life easier.” -Melissa Vivari, Tandem Creative
You should go where your customers are.
“Business owners grossly underestimate how much time consumers spend on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc. Their customers are on these platforms no matter the business, so they can’t afford to not have a social presence.” -Jay Harkcom, Northern Pass Marketing
Your marketing strategy should be unique to your company – there’s no “one size fits all” formula.
“There is no single advertising tactic, approach, or formula that works for everyone. Your marketing strategy is uniquely yours.” -Larry Veihmeyer, Manning Media
You should consult with an expert – there are things you can do, but also things you won’t know.
“When it comes to digital marketing, small businesses can do a lot on their own, however, they miss things they do not know about and it maybe better to hire a consultant to review their online presence and/or training for all social media help. Continue to handle on your own, but be informed!” – Ellen Keyser, EKDesigns
“I would tell small business owners to talk to a marketing professional who understands digital marketing strategy so they can focus on what works and stop wasting money on what doesn’t.” -Jon Bailey, Wellspring Digital
Your marketing should be about adding value – not just promoting yourself.
‘The reason so many businesses struggle with social media is because they put out content that’s in their best interest, instead of the person on the other side.” -Jay Harkcom, Northern Pass Marketing
“If you build it they will come,” is a complete myth.
“Many business owners think their business will succeed solely because they have a great product, service, or store location. Unfortunately, that doesn’t do any good if people never hear about you.” -Lindsey Wigfield, Sweet Home Marketing
Use social media platforms wisely.
“One of my top social media marketing tips is when sharing content to your business page, utilize Facebook groups by resharing your content to your target audience. This is completely FREE and can help you get in front of and be seen by clientele you may not have been able to reach just from your own page.” -Acacia Bowens, AKs GraFix
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