Small business advice | Essential marketing strategies

The Checklist

As a small business owner, marketing likely feels like an endless game of trial and error while fighting for traction. But with the right strategic approach, your marketing efforts can drive sustainable growth even on a shoestring budget.

Follow this essential checklist to maximise your marketing investment and set your small business up for ongoing success:

Know Your Target Audience

Analytics and assumptions don't cut it. Talk to existing happy customers to understand what resonates. Craft buyer personas based on common pain points, motivations and demographics. When messaging and offers are tailored to who you intend to serve, marketing resonates more.

Spotlight Your Value Proposition

Generic claims get ignored, but specifics and social proof convince prospects. Craft a compelling value proposition focused on the exact problems you solve for customers. Back up claims with evidence of satisfied customers in similar shoes.

Set Focused Goals

Don't dilute efforts across scattered initiatives less likely to move the needle. Identify 1-2 singular short-term goals - whether calls, conversions or customers - and craft coordinated campaigns across channels to hit them.

Capitalise on Short-Term Plays

Look for immediate opportunities to demonstrate value, like sponsoring local events and expanding referral programs. Quick campaigns with existing customers often offer the most cost-effective wins.

Double Down on What Works

Track both activity metrics and conversion rates to determine highest performing initiatives. Outperformers deserve more budget and testing for optimisation. Median efforts get reduced or removed.

Listen to Existing Customers

They already bought in, so keep engaging them with surveys, special offers and VIP access in exchange for reviews, referrals and case studies. This invaluable feedback and promotion further improves conversions.

Promote Smarter With Free Tools

While small budgets limit paid advertising, platforms like Google My Business and social media offer free promotion. Optimise profiles and post valuable, shareable content frequently.

Own Your Online Presence

A customised website that clearly communicates your offerings and value proposition is essential, allowing customers to explore on their timeframe before engaging sales.

Share Know-How Through Blogging

Search engines favour regularly updated, keyword-optimised blogs. Share your expertise to attract visitors. Calls-to-action drive them to convert across your website.

Strategically Post on Social Media

Promote content, offers and value quickly across platforms where your audience is active daily. Listen and engage followers to build relationships with your brand.

Collaborate With Local Influencers

Partnerships with influencers trusted in your community add credibility. Co-create content highlighting your shared value to tap into their audience.

Communicate Visually

Consumers increasingly favour video and visual content. Create bite-sized videos showcasing knowledge, behind-the-scenes previews, customer wins and more. Upload to YouTube and promote across other channels.

Stick to a Social Media Posting Schedule

Consistent interaction nurtures followers and surfaces content. Map out best posting days/times and themes that resonate for each channel and adhere to keep engagement flowing.

Experiment With Targeted Ads

Digital platforms allow optimising ad targeting, budgets and performance tracking to cost-effectively reach interested prospects. Test and refine over time.

Capture Website Visitors’ Contact Info

Email marketing has the highest ROI but requires opt-in contacts. Offer free content guides, discounts or trials in exchange for emails to build your list.

Nurture Leads with Email Campaigns

Guide cold visitors into customers by promoting valuable content tailored to their interests over time. Schedule emails to automatically move prospects closer to purchase based on behaviours.

Track Relationships

Logging prospect interactions, needs and milestones in a CRM gives sales vital context. Critical as marketing and sales efforts expand across initiatives and channels.

Encourage Referrals

83% of customers would refer after a positive experience. Enable this built-in marketing by asking happy customers for online reviews and offer referral perks.

Partner With Other Local Businesses

Co-marketing collaborations with complementary brands expand shared reach tremendously to new audiences.

The Bottom Line

Consistent, coordinated marketing across proven channels offering value has a compounding effect over time. As each component fuels the wider flywheel’s momentum, sustainable small business growth follows.

Lets Talk Planning

What emerging strategy or opportunity could propel your marketing efforts to the next level? Let’s connect to craft a custom playbook for your small business.