Small Business Marketing 101

Research, social media, print ads, blogs — these are all examples of marketing. With all of these options, it’s hard to know where to start. Not to mention that as a small business owner, you’re probably already juggling a lot of different tasks. So you’re ready to start marketing your small business, but you may not have the resources yet to invest in a marketing agency that can help your business grow.

That’s why we’re here to help. Follow the simple steps below to start marketing your business.

1. Get organized. Make a plan and transfer action items to a to-do list. Develop your elevator pitch so that you can easily explain your business or products and services to a complete stranger within 30 seconds or less.
2. Launch a website. Let’s be honest, when you’re looking for a business, the first place you check is the Internet. Your website is key to showing prospective customers that you’re real and credible. It’s also your most important marketing tool — so make sure it speaks to what your business has to offer.
3. Claim your GMB. Use Google’s free Google My Business (GMB) tool to proactively control what people read when they see your business in the search results.
4. Gather data. Install Google Analytics and Search Console to gather data about how many users visit your site, your best performing content, and more. This data will be essential to your online marketing strategy, so make sure you are utilizing these tracking tools.
5. Implement SEO. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to the practice of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic through organic search engine results. Keep in mind that SEO is a long-term strategy that is the best tool for growing your business sustainably.
6. Utilize email marketing. Email marketing can provide the highest ROI for your investment, as it can be done well for very little cost. Using a program like Constant Contact or MailChimp allows you to customize email templates and upload contact lists.
7. Start paid campaigns. As we mentioned, SEO is a long-term strategy and seeing results can take some time. To see more immediate results, implement a paid campaign on Google AdWords or Bing.
8. Get on social media. There is a huge pool of potential customers you’re missing out on if you aren’t currently on social media. Leverage your accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more to reach a larger audience quickly.
9. Develop videos. YouTube is the 2nd most popular search engine next to Google and video is one of the fastest-growing marketing channels today. You can utilize video even if you don’t have a professional videographer on hand, which means there’s no excuse for you to not use this marketing tool!

When is it Time to Bring in an Agency?

Using the marketing initiatives listed above can help you grow your small business as you get started. So how do you know when it’s time to bring in an agency to further your success? When you’re ready to allocate at least 5% of your profit towards marketing. Keep in mind that hiring a marketing agency will allow you to focus more on running your business day-to-day.

When you’re ready to elevate your marketing materials and invest in true digital marketing expertise, contact ADVAN Digital.