10 Must-Haves For Small Business Marketing

Small businesses often focus their resources on meeting customer needs, which is a reasonable endeavor. But how much of a business owner’s time and energy considers a necessary and worthwhile activity like marketing?

Not enough, according to some accounts. For example, one survey found that 25% of small business survey respondents did not consider marketing in their annual budgets. Another recent study found that 53% of small business owners interviewed admitted that they limited their marketing because they struggled in selecting the right marketing tools.

There are a few “must-have” marketing tools and practices in a small business owner’s toolbox. A short list follows below.

1. Logo. Create a visual representation of your business and make sure it can translate well in both print and digital media. Use it consistently to represent your business as a visual symbol and make sure it’s readily identifiable, even if it’s an icon.
   
2. A well designed website. The mistake made by some small businesses is that they think their website must be “Louvre-ready.” A website that waits for perfection will never be launched.  But a “well designed” website simply means that the site is constructed well, is rich in meaningful content, is visually appealing, and points visitors in a clear direction. It does not have to spell out every detail about services, products or about the firm, but content should be current and revised as often as needed for updates. (Bonus points for websites that are designed “responsively” – that is, they adjust their orientation/dimensions based on the device viewing them, such as mobile phone or a laptop.)
   
3. Social media presence. Many small businesses suggest that their products or services are not “social media worthy”. But the beauty of social media is that it’s an opportunity to engage customers, prospects or interested visitors in a blog, a Facebook post or a tweet that starts a conversation with no sales pressure. Think of it as a cocktail party with a creative edge. Sure, there’s some soft selling going on, but it’s in this environment that people often decide whether or not to engage with your company. Costco has the right idea: encourage them to sample before they commit. (Don’t forget to share company initiatives and good deeds on social media outlets.
   
4. Web listings. Make sure you complete listings for directories and data aggregators so that your company data and website URL appear in directories, maps and other listings. Alternately, you can hire a firm that will ensure your listings are current and well represented.
   
5. Editorial opportunities. Offer content-rich articles and ideas to local media by calling or e-mailing editors (for print) or assignment editors (for radio or television). Media outlets are often open to ideas that fill space or time and offer good information for their target audience. Be persistent, because chances are good that they will follow up with you after your repeated attempts.
   
6. Consider search engine marketing. If you’re competing against larger competitors or those with deeper pockets, consider investing in search engine marketing. When prospects search for products or services, your firm’s website can be listed among the first seen.
7. Stay in touch. While you search out new prospects, it’s crucial to use marketing to maintain a dialogue with those who do business with you already or have in the past. Use e-mail or regular mail to send them special opportunities, invite them to events, or share details that will keep them engaged. But take care not to overwhelm them with contacts that are too frequent or offer meaningless content.
   
8. Offer customer referral programs. Make sure your customers are incentivized to recommend your products or services to others. Reward referral sources with a gift card or a discount on future purchases through your business.
   
9. Ask for customer feedback. You may think you’re doing everything right, but perhaps your customers see things differently. Ask for feedback so that you can improve upon your business practices, services or products. And since customers are more likely to be honest through anonymity, create a form that can be completed and mailed back to your business, or even from your website.
   
10. Measure your marketing results. The easiest – but not always the most accurate - way to measure results is to ask your customers where they heard about your business. You can also use a dedicated phone number to track results for targeted marketing activities, like direct mail, a website promotion, social media, search engine marketing, and so on. Small businesses can also install Google Analytics on their websites to track visitor activity. Partnering with other businesses (like data listing and search engine marketing providers) delivers reports that can show you specific details on website visitors. 

Many of these ideas are low-cost options for marketing a small business, but it’s important to establish a budget and adhere to it. Plan ahead, since you may not be able to accomplish all of the ideas in a single year.