As a small business owner, you’re probably already busy and have heard many marketing ideas that seem impossible (or at least very difficult) to implement.It can be difficult to find proven ways to improve your online presence, build your email list, engage potential customers on social media, and generate measurable revenue.
Summary
In this article, you’ll find 103 marketing ideas for small businesses designed to help you grow your business by acquiring new customers or retaining existing ones. Keep reading for tactics you can use in your small business to create better and more content, boost your presence on social media, acquire and retain customers, and much more.
Content Creation
If you’ve been paying attention, you know you need content.You and your employees have the power to create powerful and relevant content with just a basic smartphone.Here are a few simple examples:
1. Photos of staff member(s).
2. Picture of a new team member.
3. Photo of the owner or manager doing something fun.
4. Photo of new products being unpacked or stocked.
5. Photo of a happy customer (with proper consent, of course).
6. Photo of an office pet (if applicable).
7. Photo of a staff member enjoying a holiday gathering.
8. Photo of staff members in action (meeting, helping customers, stocking shelves, etc.).
9. Photo of a happy customer (along with a caption using any number of apps that can do this).
10. Photos of new equipment (especially if you’re a home-service business).
11. Photo of staff working on location (if they’re in the field).
12. “Behind the scenes” photo.
13. Memes created with your own photos.
14. Video of a birthday or some other kind of celebration.
15. Video announcement of a promotion, product, or special.
16. Video of a customer testimonial.
17. Video with some helpful tips that the customer might find useful.
18. Video supporting a local cause.
19. Video showcasing new products or services (30 seconds to one minute long).
20. Video of the owner talking about the company’s mission.
21. Video interview with team members.
22. Assemble your images into a video (many apps can do this).
Using social media to grow your business
The tips below are relevant regardless of the social platform. Do not let your biases or habits determine the social media platforms you use.
26. Go live with a Q&A. Prepare some initial questions.
27. Go live at an event or party your company is hosting or attending.
28. Share good news from another local business.
29. Share a post from a local charity or non-profit looking for help.
30. Respond to any questions or comments from customers.
31. Host an event for customers and post about it.
32. Post “little-known facts” or a relevant historic anniversary for your market or community.
33. Post a photo of your business as the seasons change.
34. Post customer stories (with permission, of course).
35. Post about a business challenge you’ve had and overcome.
36. When a local school team or organization is succeeding, post about them.
37. Turn a frequently asked question into a helpful tips post for your customers.
38. Post about good business news.
39. Celebrate a new hire.
Customer Acquisition
Acquiring new customers often means doing the little things right.People in your community need the goods and services you sell.
Part of your job is making it easier for them to do business with you.Below are some items for the customer acquisition checklist:
40. Ask for a referral in an email.
41. Ask for a review via email or text message.
42. Allow customers to send a request via text message.
43. Make sure it’s easy for customers to contact you (test this often).
44. Publish a simple paid search ad.
45. Make sure your business appears on the map.
46. Exhibit at a trade show or local fair.
47. Sponsor a team or organization (and show up often).
48. Run apaid social campaign.
49. Start building a mailing list by offering something of value in exchange.
50. Use a QR code to prompt customers to sign up for an instant coupon via SMS.
51. Start referring customers to other (non-competing) businesses.
52. Join a networking group.
53. Attend community events and meetings.
Customer Retention
Acquiring new customers is not enough to sustain a business.Work hard to keep your current customers or you may always find yourself struggling uphill.Here are some simple ideas:
54. Send a quick follow-up survey after purchase.
55. Ask for a review via email or text message.
56. Send a thank-you to the customer.
57. Follow up with the customer to ensure they are happy.
58. Send offers (price, preview, early access, etc.) to existing clients.
59. Organize a customer appreciation event.
60. Establish a customer advisory group.
61. Send a monthly email to your client with announcements, special offers, and even an occasional personal update.
62. Create a Customer of the Month program.
63. Identify your best customers and offer them exclusive deals.
Promotion
To be blunt, you have to spread the word to give your business a chance to succeed.
64. Add a promotional link in email signatures.
65. Develop some product (or service) bundle offers to increase the average order value.
66. Try a buy now, pay later service on youre-commerce site.
67. If you are a service company, offer a cash or prepayment discount.
68. Announce all promotions via social media channels.
69. Try various promotional discounts, bundles, payment methods, etc.
70. Partner with other local businesses to promote your own.
71. If you plan to do swag, make it memorable for your customers.
72. Be the face of your business. “People do business with people they like.”
73. Support your local news publications when it makes sense.
74. Get a logo to put on your vehicle.
75. Partner with a bank to offer financing on larger purchases.
Measuring Effectiveness
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably thinking: Great! But how do I know if all this is working or not?Below are some fundamental things you can do to measure the effectiveness of your efforts:
76. AddGoogle Analyticsto your website (or ask someone to do it for you).
77. Document what success looks like from a business perspective.
78. Track your progress toward your goals.
79. Know the difference between a top-of-funnel and a bottom-of-funnel metric.
80. Track redeemed coupons.
81. Track incoming calls, messages, and emails.
82. Make sure conversion tracking is set up for your digital advertising.
83. Ask customers how they heard about you.
84. Measure your foot traffic (if your business is retail).
85. Measure your average order value.
86. Measure your conversion rate (online and in physical stores).
87. Document any changes to your promotion and messaging and note the effect on business.
88. Track your profits to ensure your advertising and promotions generate profitable sales.
89. Calculate the lifetime value of a customer.
90. Know how much it costs to acquire a new customer.
91. Know your customer retention rate.
92. Know the difference in cost between retaining a current customer and acquiring a new one.
93. Try a discounted offer versus a non-discounted offer (bundle or buy now, pay later).
Getting help for the necessary work
Time is money, and you’ll find that sometimes it’s simply better to hire an expert to help you market your business.Below are some tips for doing just that:
94. Ask for a referral to hire experts in digital marketing (PPC,SEO, email, web design, and development).
95. Ask an intern to create all the images and videos outlined in the content section.
96. Hire a local freelancer if you are on a budget.
97. Be crystal clear about your definition of success with anyone you hire.
98. Ask to see relevant case studies before hiring someone.
100. Use online resources like Fiverr, Upwork, and 99 Designs for some for your needs.
101. Hire someone who can write content for you.
102. Ask an employee or someone you know to edit videos. You might be surprised at how good a job they do.
103. Keep a handy list of reliable resources for when you need them.
Get Started
That’s the list!103 marketing ideas for small businesses that you can actually implementThe best advice I can give you to start is to choose a couple of easy ones (most likely in the content section) and get to work.
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