Don’t let a limited budget hold you back from getting visibility for your small business. You can still have the best marketing strategy even if you’re an established brand. Check out these 12 Marketing tips for small business owners, so you can reach more customers and make the most of your marketing budget.
Key takeaways
- Your brand can be positioned as an industry leader by creating value through content marketing
- Utilize online reviews, business partnerships, and referral programs to boost referrals
- Choosing channels that allow you to target your target audience closely is important when spending money on marketing
12 Marketing tips for small businesses
Are you not hiring a marketing agency? Nothing to worry about. Beginners can implement great marketing tactics without spending a dime. Listed below are 12 small business marketing tips you and your team can implement immediately.
1. Turn leads into customers with drip campaigns
You can schedule drip campaigns to send automatically on a schedule based on a preselected online action. Despite what it sounds like, it’s actually quite simple. For instance, If you own a yoga studio, you could send a welcome email whenever a new lead joins your list. You may send them emails next week introducing them to your instructors, describing your class offerings, and offering a free first class.
When leads are actively looking for your product or service, drip campaigns keep them engaged. With free email marketing tools such as AWeber and Mailchimp, you can create each email in your sequence and set up your triggers. Once that’s done, emails will engage your leads without you having to do much extra work.
2. Use email newsletters to re-engage customers
Email marketing is considered to be the most effective method of retaining customers by most marketers. Your existing customers (who spend 31% more than new customers) will keep coming back if you send them regular emails with valuable content.
It’s a great idea to send out an email newsletter weekly or monthly. Maintain customer loyalty by keeping them up-to-date on your business, current promotions, and industry news. These basic email marketing strategies will help you build your first email marketing campaign.
3. Blogging can provide value
Blogging is a powerful content marketing tool that you can use to position yourself as a leader in your field. In-depth blog posts can build trust by answering specific questions your audience may have. Suppose a landscaping business writes a blog post describing artificial grass installation, detailing what it is, how it is done, and how professionals can help.
You can reach the right readers by using search engine optimization (SEO). Search engine results can be improved by including keywords throughout your posts, linking to other pages on your website, and linking to external sites with high domain authority.
4. Get the best results from your website by optimizing it
Optimizing your website is also an effective SEO tactic. Search engines don’t just consider your content when determining your ranking; they also consider how easy it is to use your website. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly, your navigation is well-organized, and your web pages load quickly. Tips: Reducing file sizes can make a difference.
5. Engage your audience with video content
It is expected that by 2024, video traffic will make up over 90% of consumer internet traffic. There are two major video platforms in the world-Facebook and YouTube, while TikTok is rapidly rising in popularity.
Taking advantage of this online marketing tactic (or even going viral) doesn’t require any video editing skills. You can use video with just your smartphone camera to:
- Engage potential clients in live Q&A sessions
- Show followers what your business is like behind the scenes
- Give an example of the process (for example, how to fix a clog for plumber marketing)
- Provide a demo of the product
6. Start conversations with social media marketing
Social media is an integral part of any digital marketing conversation. The social media platforms, from Facebook and Instagram to YouTube and Tik Tok, help build brand awareness and relationships.
Engage with your potential clients on your social media pages beyond publishing posts that provide value to your followers. Join trending conversations relevant to your brand, respond to comments and direct messages (DMs), and share posts you’re tagged in.
7. Utilize referral programs to generate word-of-mouth
Word-of-mouth marketing remains a powerful marketing tool despite the power of the internet. You can get some of the most qualified leads by using direct referrals since over 80% of consumers trust recommendations from family and friends.
Referrals usually don’t come by themselves. After a client buys from you, use your email marketing tool to automate a follow-up email. Referral rewards such as gift cards or discounts will motivate your customers to spread the word.
8. Encourage reviews from satisfied customers
The majority of shoppers trust online reviews as much as recommendations from family and friends. If a client gives you a positive review online, they are essentially referring thousands of people to you at the same time. You must respond to every review if you want to keep getting great reviews.
You can manage your online reputation by responding to every social media review. Respond professionally to negative reviews to demonstrate stellar customer service, and thank satisfied customers for their reviews to build loyalty. Your courteous responses may even lead some reviewers to upgrade their star ratings.
9. Take your marketing to the next level with a CRM
CRM tools help you organize client contact information, details about past interactions, and more in one place. By using a CRM such as Activecampaign, you can provide seamless, highly personalized client experiences. Over time, you can gain a better understanding of your existing customer base by collecting client data. Any member of your team can provide personalized service to a client who reaches out to you as a result of your campaigns.
10. Create a brand that sells itself
Whatever marketing tips you add to your marketing plan, great branding should be at the top of your list. Consumers will remember your brand if you provide a consistent brand experience. Here are some ways to get started with small business branding:
- All marketing channels should use the same visual branding (colors, logo, font, etc.)
- Social media, customer service, and beyond should use the same tone of voice
- Using the same key messages throughout your marketing campaigns
11. Establish partnerships with local businesses
The best way to generate referrals is to partner with other brands. You can share exclusive referrals with reputable brands that offer complementary services. Cleaning companies may partner with housekeepers and window cleaners, for example. Through this tactic, you can reach leads who are actively looking for your product or service.
12. Use micro-influencers to promote your brand
Some of the most effective promoters are micro-influencers, who typically have 1,000–10,000 followers. In contrast to big-name influencers, niche influencers build highly engaged niche audiences that trust their recommendations. Additionally, they are affordable. The cost of reaching 10,000 users can be as low as $100. As an alternative to monetary compensation, some micro-influencers will accept commissions or complimentary products or services.
Consider their audience demographics, engagement rates, and case studies when choosing influencers. Ensure that you scroll through their social media posts to understand their voice, style, and how they engage with the public. Make sure you partner with someone who shares your brand’s values and goals.
(Credits: Pexels, unsplash)