7 Marketing Tactics Every Small Business Should Be Using
With limited resources, small businesses need to be strategic in their marketing efforts in order to get the most bang for their buck. There are a variety of marketing tactics that small businesses can use to reach their target audiences, and the seven listed below are some of the most effective. By implementing these tactics, small businesses can level the playing field and compete with even the largest companies.
Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are powerful tools that every small business should be utilizing. Not only are they great for building brand awareness, but they’re also perfect for connecting with potential and current customers.
Small businesses can use social media to share helpful information about their products or services, run promotional campaigns, and offer exclusive discounts and deals. Additionally, social media platforms can be used to build relationships with customers and create a community around your brand.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is another of the cost-effective marketing tactics that can be very beneficial for small businesses. By collecting email addresses from customers and potential customers, small businesses can stay in touch with their target audiences and promote their products or services on a regular basis.
Email marketing allows small businesses to send personalized messages to their subscribers and track how many people open and click through each email. This information is very valuable when it comes to understanding what type of content is resonating with your audience and making necessary adjustments.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is all about creating informative and engaging content that will help you attract new customers while also retaining your existing ones. When done correctly, content marketing is an extremely effective way to generate leads and drive sales without breaking the bank.
Some examples of content marketing include blogging, creating infographics, developing eBooks or whitepapers, and producing video tutorials or webinars. The key is to create content that is of value to your target audience and that will help promote your brand in a positive light.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
In today’s digital world, it’s more important than ever for small businesses to optimize their website for search engines like Google if they want to be successful. SEO is the process of making sure your website appears as high up as possible in search engine results pages (SERPs) when people search for keywords or phrases related to your business.
There are a number of different factors that go into SEO, but some of the most important include choosing the right keywords, creating quality content, optimizing website speed and mobile friendliness, link building, and creating an XML sitemap. By taking the time to optimize your website for search engines, you’ll be able to increase your visibility online and attract more leads/customers as a result.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)
PPC advertising is a form of digital marketing in which businesses pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. It’s a great way to generate leads quickly since you only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad—as opposed to traditional advertising methods where you pay upfront regardless of whether or not anyone sees or clicks on your ad (think billboards or TV commercials).
Some popular PPC platforms used by small businesses include Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising (formerly known as Bing Ads). If you’re thinking about using PPC advertising for your business, it’s important to work with an experienced agency like Metric Marketing so that you don’t overspend on ads that aren’t getting results.
Public Relations (PR)
While PR might traditionally be associated with big brands, it’s actually another of the very effective marketing tactics for small businesses as well. One that doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. PR involves generating media coverage for your business through things like press releases, media relations campaigns, speaking engagements, etc., in order to improve your brand image/reputation and attract new customers/clients.
Getting started with PR can be as simple as reaching out to local publications/news outlets and offering yourself up as an expert source on topics related to your industry/area of expertise. But again, working with an experienced PR agency will give you the best chance at success since they already have established relationships with members of the media.
Referral Marketing
Referral marketing is a type of word-of-mouth marketing in which businesses encourage existing customers/clients to refer new leads/customers through things like referral programs or referral cards/coupons. This type of marketing can be extremely effective since it’s coming from a trusted source—someone who has already had a positive experience with your company/brand. Therefore, it carries more weight than traditional advertising methods like TV commercials or print ads (which often fall on deaf ears).
Plus, referral marketing is relatively low-cost since you’re simply giving existing customers/clients an incentive (usually in the form of discounts or coupons) to refer new ones. You’re not paying upfront for advertising space like you would with other methods like PPC or print ads.—so it’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking for ways to acquire new leads/customers on a budget.
A strong marketing plan is important for any business, but is especially crucial for small businesses. Whether you use email marketing, content marketing, SEO, pay-per-click advertising, public relations, or referral marketing, your small business will widen its audience and rise to the level of its biggest competition. Using these marketing tactics will ensure the opportunity to reach and serve more customers, expanding your business reach.