I like to think that I have a unique perspective on small business marketing, having worked in both traditional media and owning a small business myself. I have worked for digital media outlets, print media, done freelance marketing for local small businesses and started my own business right here on the blog. With all of that experience, I have learned a lot and I have some tips on marketing tactics for small businesses.
First things first, let me address one big mistake that I have seen tons of small businesses make. I have seen many small businesses launch marketing campaigns through a variety of mediums from print to digital, social media or influencer marketing simply because they know that they need to market themselves. Unfortunately, many of these businesses don’t know if the medium they’ve chosen is really right for their business, and they don’t know how to understand the analytics that show whether the campaign is successful or not. This leads me to my first tip…
+ Pay attention to analytics and results // No matter what medium you use to market your business, there is always a way to track results. If you’re using digital media, learn how to read your Google Analytics and determine if you’re satisfied with the number of click-throughs or conversions. If you’re working with an influencer or running social media ads, learn how to read the insights on social platforms and keep in mind if your goal is sales conversions or brand awareness. If you’re running a print or radio campaign, include a special discount code or incentive in your ad and pay attention to how often the exclusive code or incentive is utilized. Don’t just run an ad – run a campaign that you can see results from.
+ Lean on your community // No matter the size of your business or marketing budget, you should always lean on your community to help you grow. I am lucky to have family and friends that share my content, use my affiliate links and talk about my business, but here’s the thing: You can’t expect anyone to just do it. Ask for support! You don’t have to ask your loved ones to buy your product, but you can ask them to share your Facebook page or send referrals your way.
+ Collaborate // I truly believe that collaboration is the greatest marketing tool available to small businesses these days. Whether you’re collaborating with influencers or other businesses, working together allows you to both reach new audiences and flex your creative muscles. I love collaborating with brands to share their message in creative and unique ways. I also love seeing brands that I love working together to either market their individual products or create a brand new product together. A great example of this is the OUAI X BRYEDO collaboration.
+ Know what you want // This is my biggest tip for small business marketing: know what you want. Don’t sign on to a marketing campaign just because you know you need to advertise or because it’s the trendy thing to do. It’s important to understand what you’re trying to achieve before executing a marketing campaign. Do you want your campaign to lead directly to sales? Are you hoping to reach new potential customers? Are you hoping to maintain your current client base, but keep the door open for potential clients in the future? Make sure that you have goals in mind and choose tactics that can help you to achieve those goals.
I recognize that this isn’t useful content to everyone, but if there are small business owners reading this post, I hope it is helpful to you! I love doing consulting calls for small businesses looking to make smart marketing choices, so please reach out to sammy@sammmyhill.com if you’re interested.
Disclaimer: I earn affiliate income from qualifying purchases.