The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Marketing Without Breaking The Bank
Putting all the pieces of a small business marketing plan together can be daunting but doesn’t have to be. The challenges these days range from budget constraints, content creation and delivery, to keeping up with trends and technology.
Adding to that is the fact that small business owners got into business to provide a service or product, and most of their focus necessarily needs to be on that, with marketing playing a secondary role.
Marketing does not have to be your core competency to do this correctly. The ideal would be to have a solid small business marketing plan that is both affordable and easy to manage.
What is the Meaning of Business Marketing?
“build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The notion that having the best product or service is all you need to succeed has exceeded its expiration date. The best mousetrap without an effective messaging system, a.k.a. marketing, is destined to stay on the shelf. So, sorry Ralph, things aren’t so simple these days. In the information age, marketing has moved to equally important, or some would argue even more important, than the quality of the product itself.
To Create a Small Business Marketing Strategy Focus on the Client
The information age in which we live is in a constant state of flux and expansion. With an increased quantity and velocity of bombarding ads, consumers are increasingly shifting the focus from the destination to the path.
The quality of the customer’s journey is becoming as important as the quality of the product.
One study predicts that in 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product, as key brand differentiators. This statistic in the same study appears to prove the point: 86% of customers are willing to pay more for the same product when the user experience is better.
Maybe an update to the famous quote would go like this…
“build a better path to your doorstep and the world will show up to buy your mousetrap – – and may even be willing to pay a higher price.“
The overwhelming number and variety of tactics, tools, and methods available to help reach marketing objectives can be confusing and frustrating. Worse still, it can lead to inaction.
Often when confronted with a confusing mass of options, the hardest part is knowing where to start. A complex undertaking needs a plan to help build your path to success.
When building anything you start with the foundation. The foundation for this guide is the customer focused business model which stresses long term meaningful interaction with clients.
It is important to remember that the basic idea of marketing is the same as it has always been. It is the process of leading a prospect to your door through persuasive messaging showing you as a likeable authority who can be trusted with their business.
The classic buyer’s journey model, from awareness to consideration to decision remains intact. The marketing challenge is to figure out what messages play best at each stage of the journey, and to make the prospects’ experiences as pleasant as possible along the way.
Creating a positive customer or user experience is more than a tactic or tool; it’s a cultural mindset that should permeate your whole team. It is also the guiding principle of your plan.
If You Know Them They Will Come
It’s Not About YOU YOU YOU, it’s about your customer. Enhancing the comfort level of a prospect is a two-way proposition, you need to know them as much as they need to know you. Regardless of how awesome your product or services are, you need to understand not everyone needs or wants it. The key to successful marketing is the identification and prudent selection of the right prospects. Start with the basics.
- What demographics make up your customer base?
- What is their zip code?
- Where do they browse online?
Of course you need to tell them about yourself, the company and products, but the more you know about them the better you can craft that messaging. The idea then is to figure out who is looking to buy what you are selling. You have to develop a concise idea, a persona, or client profile.
The better your client persona, the more personal and comfortable you can make the customer’s experience. The more you know about your prospect going into a relationship, the better the chances it will be positive and lasting.
Last I checked, “customer persona” search returned 82 thousand results. But don’t freak out. That speaks more to the importance than the complexity of the concept. It really is more common sense than rocket science. Here’s a good primer on developing a client persona
So Many Tools, So Little Time.
It wasn’t all that long ago when cell phones were exclusive to upper management and curly paper fax machines were the latest technology. The growth and variety of media, messaging methods, and tools, has exploded right along with the office technology.
It is sufficient to say there are a ton of apps that may help you facilitate your marketing objectives. This list from SPINX reduces the list to 25, some of which, Yelp and Google Adwords for example, should be familiar.
The key to choosing the best apps for your plan is limiting it to those that are easier to master and most likely to be used. Learning the app will also serve as a lesson in customer experience with you as the customer. The easier it is to use, the more likely you are to use it. Any tool that stays in the toolbox is useless. Why clutter it up?
Content is King, Your Website the Castle
Even if yours is not an online business, you still have to have an online presence. The only exception might be businesses in heavy pedestrian traffic areas where a steady flow of new prospects walk by every day, this is a tiny minority.
For the rest, having a website is not optional, it is essential. Think of it having the most articulate, most knowledgeable, most helpful, sales associate working 24 hour days every week with no breaks, sick days, or vacations.
Ideally, all of your offline or traditional marketing activities offline should have a link back to your online hub. If you have a color scheme use it online as well. If you offer a printed coupon make sure your website has an image of the same coupon.
Think of your home page as the place to put information you might have on your front door or near the entrance: hours of operation, credit cards accepted, pertinent memberships like National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Chamber of Commerce, National Restaurant Association (the other NRA) and of course your address and phone number. This can serve as the bare minimum, basically a digital brochure, but it’s not even close to what a good website can do for small business marketing.
There is enough information on building websites to take a lifetime to read. But for covering the basics this checklist from Stanford Web Credibility Research is a pretty good place to start.
The bottom line is that the importance of a good website cannot be overstated in today’s marketplace. One study on web credibility from Stanford University revealed that 75% of customers judge the credibility of a business by their website. Why take chances?
The rest of the website entails everything else you’d like a prospect to know that would compel them to call or visit. Inform them about your specialty, why yours is better or different from the rest, and what they can expect by working with you or visiting your establishment.
A recent study showed that 67% of a group that sat through a presentation remembered the stories, while only 15% remembered a statistic. The point? We all love stories. What’s yours? Your website is the place to tell it.
For Content, Curate What has Already Worked
When contemplating content to post on your website be sure to review any and all printed literature about your company. There may be an inspirational quote from your founder that rings true today, use it. Familiarity breeds comfort with the browsing prospect so a company history is always a good idea for your about us page.
Consult with your most valuable assets, your employees, for content and storytelling ideas. The controller who has been with the company for decades probably knows some shareable stories. And don’t forget your top customer service and sales people. As the frontline of your business’s face to face interaction, they can relate to customers better than anyone in the company.
Content Elements to Consider for a Well Rounded Website
Testimonials. Remember, it’s not bragging when someone else says it, and even more importantly it’s not selling. A happy client singing the praises of your product or service to prospects carries more weight than you can because they can relate more easily to someone who has been in their shoes.
Keep in mind that today’s browsing public is pretty savvy, has a good nose for authenticity, and can easily spot a fake. There is a world of difference between a properly harvested and manufactured testimonial. A good rule of thumb is to require an initial and a full first or last name along with the city and state.
Good customers are your best source for glowing reviews. Engage them in conversation, take notes and ask if they mind being quoted. A small token of appreciation, a coupon or discount, for their time and input is perfectly ethical.
Case studies. A Case study is a testimony on steroids, part storytelling, all information, all pertinent, with very little or no hype. Remember, today’s buyer doesn’t want to be sold but is researching with a possibility of buying, on their own terms.
Case studies show prospects how others have been in their shoes, tried your product or service, and are happy with the result.
Ancillary uses for case studies make them one of the most diverse of all content. Some of the more popular include lead generation, claim validation, newsletter content, and webinar or article subject matter. Case studies lend themselves to inclusion in white papers, sales training, video script content, corporate lore and culture reinforcement.
Newsletters: A good newsletter is an affordable and effective way to keep the client conversation going between personal interactions. An online newsletter offers expediency, flexibility, economy, and interactivity. In short, a good newsletter helps you stay in front of people you know, repeatedly, in a way that reinforces your position as the likeable expert and obvious go to source for your market niche.
Topic ideas for the newsletter include such things as: employee of the month, letter from the president, or latest activities promoting your favored charitable causes. A rule of thumb is similar to that of Facebook postings, not ads, three personal items to 1 business item.
White Paper: Considered the opposite of the hard sell, a white paper is a persuasive essay that uses facts and logic to promote a product. They run from 3 to 15 pages, look like an academic or scientific publication but read like a magazine article
White papers are more common for business to business marketers but the shorter version can easily be used as informational articles as well.
Blogs: A weblog is the grandaddy of online messaging. When you consider the authenticity, relationship building, storytelling, versatility, and low cost, blogging could be the most valuable content element in your content mix. To get the most out of it, yours needs to be personal and conversational.
Blogs provide more information than a paid advertisement and less information than a testimonial or email. It can personalize your business in a more meaningful way, so long as you get the voice right. Your voice. A blog shows that prospects and customers are dealing with real live people and will not be treated like a number when they do business with you.
Almost as old as the internet itself, blogging has endured through many trends in digital messaging over the years because it is versatile and compelling. Your blog should be like checking in with an old friend. Ideally, it should inform, entertain, and engage.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, a Video is Worth A Million….
Everyone knows Google is far and away the number one most visited site. Who is number 2? YouTube video.
A website with video is 53% more likely to get a front page rank on Google.
The only medium that can come close to telling your story as well as you is video, but unlike you, it works three shifts year around.
The tsunami of online video is in progress. Consumers, especially millennials, demand it, and if you want them to stop on your website you’d better have something to watch, and better yet, a story to tell.
By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than it was in 2017 and other mind blowing stats right here.
While video is increasing, so too is the level of sophistication of browsers – – they have no patience for poor quality. A video with bad lighting, scratchy sound, and shaky camera will get clicked off in a heartbeat.
The consensus of the video industry is that no video is better than bad video. High quality video increases both search rankings and facetime significantly. So while producing a video may be the most expensive part of your marketing mix it is also likely to be the most cost effective. This blog post gives some tips on how to get more out of your video dollar.
The applications, styles, and treatments are only limited by imagination, budget, and time.
This 30 second spot gives you an idea on the different types of video for marketing small business. It may also serve as an example of how you can show your list of services.
The Digital versus Print Argument is Over. Or is it?
Print is limited to a number of copies you print, digital has only one. Once a paper document is ready, the print is set and there can be no editing. With a digital document, editing is just a matter of keystrokes. Speaking of old printed material, consider new digital versions of ads and even coupons. Pay per click Google adwords, social media ads and posts are all fairly inexpensive ways to get exposure.
At the same time, traditional printed products may also have their place in your marketing mix. Do you know why businesses keep paying to be included in those monthly coupon mailers? Because they work.
Brochures, posters, flyers, postcards, door hangers, magnets, banners, sales sheets, rack cards, and stickers may all have a role to play as you message the public.
Mobility can Bring Customers Right to Your Doorstep. Literally.
It wasn’t that long ago when we stopped in gas stations, or rolled down our windows to get directions from a pedestrian. It was also not that long ago when we were late to a meeting or got lost more frequently. Even if it was only a few miles or a few minutes at a time, when you consider millions of users, the amount of time and gasoline saved by Google maps alone must be staggering.
According to Statista over 52% of all web searches are on a mobile device and have been since 2017.
But finding your business through a mobile device is just the beginning. You can also facilitate transactions, provide coupons, and announce special events. Each of these uses provides an opportunity to capture customer info and contact data.
Take full advantage of the latest technology. Automate wherever possible.
Consider schedule pop ups for appointments, reservations, phone consultations and webinar invitations. Popups can also be used for newsletter sign up, announcements, and special events. Here is a good overview on widgets.
Social Media Marketing for Small Business
Social media was not at the top of the list for a reason. Too many small retailers have mistaken the shiny object of social media as the be all and end all for marketing. To be sure, it can be a relatively low cost and useful marketing tool but if it’s all you use it can come up short.
Other shortcomings of social media marketing are more thoroughly explained in my LinkedIN article from a while back.
This is the paradox. Facebook legitimately claims potential exposure to billions, but your success depends on a much smaller number of narrowly defined prospects. Your grand opening in Keokuk doesn’t much matter in Kiev.
With social media you are trusting your brand to the whims of a platform over which you have very little control. You either fit their template and guidelines or you do not get to advertise.
The bottom line is that social media is best applied at the attention-getting stage of the prospect’s journey. When you do use Facebook or any other social media platform always always always link it back to your website.
Local Small Business Marketing Ideas
Communicating digitally has its advantages, but that doesn’t mean you can slack off on real live human interaction. Heck no. For a prospect, the big payoff for finding their way along your path is finally getting to meet you or someone from your organization in person.
Even the anti-social have to admit there is no comparison between the best written email and a face to face meeting. Your job as a small business marketer is to increase the opportunities for that meeting.
Some other local low-cost marketing activities could include the following:
Hold a class or seminar. Chances are your local library has rooms to reserve for free. Selectively invite small groups of local influencers who may be willing to show up. The only cost to you is time and possibly some soft drinks and appetizers.
Be a guest Speaker. Business and civic groups are always on the lookout for guest speakers. It is a great opportunity for first person story-telling about your business. Be sure to distribute and collect business cards.
Once your USP (unique selling proposition) is clear, and your one-minute elevator pitch is perfected, an ongoing part of your plan is selective repetition. Some call this using your MBWA degree, Marketing By Walking Around. Be sure to ask for referrals every chance you get. Fellow members in your Chamber of Commerce, Business Associations and civic groups should hear your story.
Optimize your Emails and Embrace Marketing Automation
It is sometimes hard to like it when you have your own email inbox constantly overflowing, but email is still the most popular popular form of contact. 86% of consumers prefer email when communicating for business purposes.
It does not have to be overly complicated or expensive. The top three email marketing programs in this article all have free versions.
The Basics
1.From. To enhance chances of opening be sure you mail from a recognizable sender, preferably with your business name in the address.
- Subject lines. This cannot be stressed strongly enough. The more interesting your subject line, the less likely it is to be discarded as spam. Make a point to read up on effective subject lines. For starters be mindful of the ones that work on you as a reader.
3.The look. Your content should be optimized for mobile viewing. Be sure the content makes good on the promise from the subject line. Using color schemes and design elements from your website will enhance familiarity, because of course your message will invite them to visit your site.
- Call to action. No message should be sent without the urge to further action. That can range from making an appointment or reservation, to visiting your website, to signing up for your newsletter, or many more.
Feedback and Control
Customer feedback is the glue that holds your client focused small business marketing plan together and the fuel that keeps it going. Control is how you adapt that feedback into your messaging.
Small business marketing requires ongoing monitoring and adjustment. A diligent watch on customer activity serves as your guide in tweaking your messaging. As you make adjustments, give some thought on where in the journey this information is most useful to your prospect.
Customer feedback is very low cost but very valuable information – – and all you have to do is ask.The more information you get from you and staff asking customers how they heard about you and what they like about your product or service, the better direction it gives you on where to concentrate your marketing.
It is also prudent to keep an eye out for feedback you didn’t ask for, like independent review sites. This article gives a good overall approach to negative reviews and how to deal with them.
Let the Mapping Begin
Now that the frustration and confusion on where to start and what to do is gone, you can put your small business marketing plan together with confidence.
Small businesses big enough to have a marketing department could realistically incorporate most of the ideas presented here. A mom and pop startup should select a handful of the ideas they are most comfortable with and likely to maintain. None are prohibitively expensive.
Your marketing plan does not need to be painstaking and laborious, as a matter of fact it should be more of a creative planning project. Making this plan can be a fun and interesting ride with ongoing adjustments that keep it that way.
Once your plan is completed, you can watch your customer hits, clicks, and walk-ins increase – – right along with your sales.