Clever Marketing IDEAS for Small Business
As a small business owner or marketing professional, you likely don’t have the resources of a mega-brand to market your service or product as aggressively or with the same reach. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still make a strong impact with targeted and creative ideas that will both help you to get your small business in front of a new audience, and retain and engage the customers you already have.
We’ve chosen 5 of our favorite small business marketing ideas to help you re-think your size advantage and the potential power of your marketing efforts.
1. Optimize your virtual presence
Let’s assume you already have a website. Your website should be more than a simple telephone-book listing of your location and hours. It should be the most powerful of your marketing tools, especially if you’re able to deliver value above and beyond simply promoting your business. The best small business websites are those that offer real content and serve as a resource for your industry. Consider starting a frequently-updated blog that offers both updates about your small business and other interesting content, such as industry news and observations. Use your writing and images to establish a unique point-of-view and creative voice, further clarifying the tone of your brand. Once you have strong content, distribution platforms like can help you find a wider network for your work, even without a massive marketing budget.
Additionally, make sure to include clear calls to action on the heels of good content, such as inviting readers to sign up for your email distribution list or to find you on social media. And be sure your site is mobile enabled. More and more readers are accessing information on the go, and small businesses that aren’t optimized for mobile formats risk falling behind the curve.
2. Reach out
Explore customer discovery tools like Groupon, LivingSocial, or Scoutmob. These deal-of-the-day platforms, which discount your products or services, can offer you the chance to target a whole new customer base. While they do entail a momentary cut in profits, this will hopefully be offset by customers who become loyal followers - that’s where your relationship-building skills come in!
Additionally, make sure your business is enabled for review and check-in services like Yelp and Foursquare, and be sure to respond to reviews - both positive AND negative. Reaching out after negative feedback demonstrates responsiveness and a commitment to customer service that many larger companies can’t deliver.
