This blog was written by Brig Serman with Advanced Integrated Marketing Inc. , CLC member of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce as a part of our Business Resource Sessions.
DIY Marketing for Small Business
Small business owners are faced with a unique challenge. They have a great product or service that they want to offer to potential clients but haven’t found a consistent way to reach those clients. While word of mouth is always the best form of advertising, it ultimately doesn’t scale to a level that will support the business growth they are trying to achieve.
This is where Marketing can play a critical role in the success of a small business. An effective marketing strategy can ensure a small business will reach the people that are looking to buy their product or service and don’t already know about the company.
An average business will spend 3-5% of their annual revenue on marketing. Many small business owners don’t have the cash flow to support that kind of investment. In other cases, they may have the funds, but don’t know where to make investments to drive the results they need. And there is no margin for error!
The Good News For Small Business Owners: There are several “do it yourself” marketing tools that a small business can utilize to help address this gap. Even better, you don’t need a degree in marketing or need to hire an outside marketing agency to get started! While every marketing tactic will require an investment in time and effort, there are a variety of professional tools that offer no-cost starter levels that may be all they need to get started.
What Are The Best Marketing Tactics To Use for Small Business?
While a business owner can choose to focus on ANY marketing approach, they can’t focus on EVERY marketing approach. They still need time to run their business!
We recommend that small business owners focus on four key areas. These areas will help them expand their reach into their market, but also offer a good balance between the effort required and the potential outcome.
In order of priority….
- Customer Reviews
- Social Media
- Email Marketing
- Blogging
Why Should I Care About Customer Reviews? People that read a negative review are 170X more likely to use that company if the review has been responded to! We’ve included links to free tools that will help you get started in this important area.
Social Media can help you tell your “Story”: Potential customers want to know your “why” and will gravitate towards companies they like, trust, and that share their values. Social media is an excellent platform to tell this story. Your target audience and the type of product or service you offer will help you decide which of these major social media platforms are the best vehicle for you to use.
Why Should I Use Email Marketing? It’s easier to keep an existing client and expand your business with them than it is to find a new client. You already have their contact information. They’ve already had a great experience with your company. Leverage your customer base to cross-sell and up-sell those customers that have already chosen to work with you. Email is an effective, low cost, and scalable method to reach your audience. Again, there are many free tools that can get you started.
Why Should I Blog? Blogs are an outstanding way to demonstrate your thought leadership and industry authority. They are also a great source of content for your social media campaign.
Here’s a Pro Tip: if you start blogging, don’t stop! Stopping a blog can create the perception that you’ve gone out of business.
Summary
Each of these four areas can be an important element in your marketing strategy. They can be instrumental in driving the business growth you need for long-term success. We’ve identified many free resources you can use to get started.
You may ask “when should I hire a marketing agency to help me grow?” Each of these areas are an investment any small business owner can make. That said, everyone will hit a point where they have to decide if this is the best investment of time and effort. They may also hit a point where their business has scaled beyond what the free tools can offer. They may also run into marketing opportunities that require the unique skills and experience of a full-time, professional marketing agency.
Only you will know when you’ve hit that point for your business. When you do hit that point, we encourage you to speak with one of the industry leading Digital Marketing Agencies that are members of the Chamber. I promise you that you will be in great hands!
For more information, visit Advanced Integrated Marketing Inc. or contact Brig directly at brig@aim-tex.com