Developing a small business marketing plan may not be at the top of your to-do list, especially if you’re just starting out. However, it’s one of the most important things you can do to ensure your success. After all, marketing can bring customers to your doorstep—and that’s what every entrepreneur wants, right?
Here’s the bad news: Most marketing options come with expenses. You’ll need to spend time on these approaches, and often, you must purchase software to implement them. Sometimes, you must juice your work with a small payment to ensure that people see them.
However, I have some good ideas for small business marketing plans that don’t come with a big price tag.
Let’s get started.
Three Small Business Marketing Ideas
You can amplify your business (and your brand) without spending a lot of money. The following three options are budget-friendly, and you don’t need extensive expertise to initiate them. They work best in concert, but if you only have time for one or two, start with the first and work your way down.
1. Blogging
A blog (like this one) comes with plenty of benefits. The pieces you write can be filled with keywords you’d like to associate with your brand. And blogs can also provide you with the content you’ll need for the next two marketing ideas I have for you in a minute.
You’re not required to blog every day, but you should create a regular schedule and stick to it. Writing often ensures that your website always stays up-to-date, and it reassures your readers that you’ll always have something for them to consume.
I often recommend that clients start by blogging once per month. Once the results start coming in, we kick up the frequency.
The potential expense of blogs comes from the time spent to write them. If you already have a website, you shouldn’t have an additional cost.
2. Social Media Marketing
Social media sites provide you with the opportunity to speak directly to potential customers. Small business owners often leap into social media and create accounts on all sites. A more budget-friendly approach involves choosing just one and adding more if you have time or more money.
Here’s a quick rundown of your options:
· Facebook, which works well for reaching middle-aged people
· Instagram, which works well for photogenic products (like hotels, jewelry, and pets)
· LinkedIn, which is best for businesses selling to other businesses.
· TikTok, which works well for reaching young people
· X, which works well for connecting with reporters
You can share links to your blog posts on your social media sites—and you should. However, you should also create content about your staff, products, location, deals, events, and more.
The most effective social media approach involves money. Sites like Facebook and Instagram allow you to share your post with more people for a small fee. It’s a sad fact that most social media sites are pay-to-play spaces these days. However, the entry costs are relatively low.
3. Email Marketing
Email marketing is a smart strategy for almost any business. Many small business owners collect customer data. For example, you might have lists of people who have visited your location or purchased something through your app. If you haven’t started collecting email addresses, now is a good time to do so. Just remember to tell your potential readers that you’re planning to send them marketing messages.
You can share links to your blog posts in your email messages (and you should!). You can also repurpose your most effective social media posts in your email messages. For example, if you shared a picture of a popular product and got a few questions about how it works, put that photo in your email with answers to those common questions.
Email marketing is the most expensive form of small business marketing I’ve listed here. You’ll spend time gathering emails, crafting content, and sending it. You’ll also need to hire a company (like MailChimp) to execute an email marketing plan.
How Much Should You Spend?
As I’ve mentioned multiple times, small business marketing plans come with financial requirements. Determining how much you should spend is critical.
One good way to determine your overall marketing budget involves customer research. Determine how much the average customer brings you in revenue, and think about the method you used to get that customer. How much did that cost? Multiply that cost by how many customers you want, and your budget is set.
If this seems a little too complicated, you can take a simpler approach. Determine your overall business revenue and devote between 2% and 5% to marketing. Remember to include the time you spend in your overall budget—after all, your time is valuable, too.
How to Get Started
A budget is a good place to start. When you know how much you can spend, you’ll know what approach to use.
Next, consider your staffing situation. Do you have the time to create content and manage it? Can you handle part of the work and contract the rest? Or should you hire someone to do all of the work for you?
If you’re looking for help, I’m here. I can tackle projects both large and small, and I’ve worked with small businesses in almost any industry you can think of. Reach out to get started.
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