Today, I’ll show you 16 different marketing strategies that have a track record of success with small businesses. Half of these options are likely to be feasible growth strategies for your specific company. Four of them are likely worth experimenting with over the next month.
And one of them has the ability to exponentially increase your growth over the next year.
If you’ve achieved product/market fit, it’s simply a matter of smart marketing strategies on the front end and good customer retention on the back end to drive growth for your business. You will know exactly what to do next with your marketing by the end of this post.
But before we begin, allow me to reveal a little secret to you.
There is no such thing as magic marketing strategies for businesses.
There is no silver bullet.
Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses
The goal of marketing strategies is to connect the value of your businesses to the right customer base. It’s a simple concept, but it can be interpreted in a million different ways.
- What are the demographics of your customer base?
- Where do they call home?
- Where do they hang out on the internet?
- What search terms do they use to find products in your niche?
- When making decisions about your product, who do they listen to?
The answers to these questions will decide which marketing strategies are feasible for your businesses and which are a waste of time.
In other words, Facebook Ads are not the secret to your company’s growth.
It isn’t SEO.
This isn’t networking at a conference.
There is no one-size-fits-all plan that will transform your business. Since I don’t know you, I have no idea what would work for you. I’m not familiar with your business. I’m not familiar with your clients.
But, luckily, you know your stuff! You ARE aware of your customer base!
Let’s get this started.
#1. Google My Business
One of the most powerful things you can do for your company is to rank your Google My Business (GMB) listing.
In reality, if you run small businesses aimed at local customers, I would go so far as to suggest it is the most effective marketing strategy available to you.
Google My Business consolidates all of your Google sites into a single location, including your Google+ profile, Google Maps profile, Google feedback, data access on Google Analytics and Google Insights, and more.
If you have a distinctive brand name, you can also get a big display like this to appear when people search for it:
GMB instantly lends your company reputation and exposure, and as I previously said. If you own a local business, it should be at the top of the priority list of your marketing strategies.
#2. AdWords by Google
Every second, Google receives over 40,000 search queries. No other marketing strategies have the power to get your businesses in front of so many people’s eyes.
Google Adwords is widely regarded as the “godfather” of online marketing platforms. It’s been around for quite some time. It’s a competitive sport. It is pricey. And if you know what you’re doing, it can be very beneficial to you.
#3. Content Marketing
In 2016, 18% of marketers believe that content marketing strategies have had the greatest commercial effect on their businesses of any medium.
The process of developing and delivering useful, appropriate, and reliable content to attract and maintain a clearly identified audience and drive profitable customer behavior is known as content marketing.
Content marketing, on the other hand, is difficult and necessitates careful attention to every detail:
- Material of high quality
- Topics of interest
- SEO-friendly design
- Designed with readers in mind
- Consistently creating and promoting content
Blog posts are not the only source of the material. It includes videos, podcasts, online classes, and a variety of other information consumption mediums.
Read Also: Grassroots Marketing Ideas & Examples for Small Businesses
#4. Organic Social Media
Using social media strategies for businesses marketing is an absolute must.
Sixty-seven percent of customers use social media for customer service, and 33 percent prefer it over the internet. People would search for your rivals who ARE present on preferred social networks if they can’t find your company on social media.
The main issue is not whether you should have active social media accounts, but how much time and money you should devote to expanding your social audiences.
It makes sense for some businesses to invest heavily in organic social media growth.
Instagram users who follow fashion influencers, for example, are constantly trying to buy new models. A clothing retailer can create a clear direct sales platform by creating an engaged, fashion-savvy audience.
Investing in Instagram may not make sense for other businesses.
#5. Sites that Offer Coupons
You can use coupon deal sites like to easily promote your company, whether you sell a product or provide a service.
Coupon deal websites amass vast audiences that are segmented by location and then enable local, regional, or even national companies to give limited-time discounts to their members.
As a bonus, even if they do not wish to buy the offer, several new potential customers can visit your website.
But be cautious!
If your offer takes off, you can find yourself with more customers than you can handle, and if you don’t do the math right, you can lose a lot of money. It is important to be prepared and to have a strategy in place for dealing with various levels of new business.
#6. Email Marketing
Email marketing is at the heart of digital marketing.
The majority of people who visit your website will not buy from you right away. Capturing contact information for additional marketing and “lead nurturing” is the best way to sell in 2016, and email is also the most effective medium for engaging with leads.
Email marketing also has the following advantages:
- Low price
- Global coverage
- Simple to automate
- Simple to segment
- Immediate communication
- Simple to set up and use
- Simple to monitor and optimize
#7. Webinars.
A webinar is basically a virtual conference that takes place over the internet. It could take the form of a presentation, a demonstration, or a discussion.
Webinars may also be captured and used as stand-alone items or as part of a sequence. They’re an excellent choice for both live and recorded training.
To run a webinar that includes the following features, you will need webinar software:
- 2-Way Audio – The presenter speaks while the viewers are muted, but the presenter can “turn on” individual viewers so that everyone can hear their questions.
- Screensharing – the presenter can share their screen or switch to video for whiteboard instruction or live demonstration.
- Polls – the presenter can ask viewers to vote in a poll or provide feedback in other ways.
Webinars are extremely effective in some markets. You’ll have to put one through its paces to see if it appeals to your intended audience.
#8. Promote a Consultation for Free
People want expert advice when it comes to professional services.
Promoting a free consultation is an excellent way to generate new leads if you have successfully positioned yourself as an expert or authority in your niche. A good interpersonal sales process also prepares you to close a large percentage of leads.
This can be used online as well as offline. It can be promoted through pamphlets, newspapers, signs, and even word-of-mouth. It can also be prominently displayed on your website and social media platforms.
These marketing strategies are not suitable for all businesses, but it is well worth considering if you provide a specialized or high-priced service.
#9. Provide Employee Incentives
Referrals are one of the most effective ways to find new customers, and who better to ask for referrals than your current employees?
Your employees are knowledgeable about your company’s product or service. They are intimately familiar with your clientele. Some will take initiative without financial incentives, but the majority will not, and those who bring in new business should be encouraged to repeat the process with financial or other meaningful incentives.
Employees who refer new clients should be rewarded. According to studies, incentives do not always have to be monetary; they can also take the form of:
- A sleep-in day allows employees to sleep in until a certain time.
- Journalists’ membership (of their choice).
- Massages, movie nights, and restaurant gift cards are all possibilities.
#10. Promote Your Business in Niche Print Media
While much of the world has moved online, print media continues to exist and thrives in some niches.
Indeed, as recently as 2014, retail consumers cited printed materials as the primary sources of information influencing their purchasing decisions.
#11. Form a Column
If you’re a good writer, sharing your knowledge in the form of weekly or monthly write-ups can help your brand immensely.
This isn’t typically a situation in which you are paid, but it is also not a situation in which you are required to pay. These columns allow you to maintain consistent contact with an audience, allowing you to develop a genuine relationship with the readers of the publication. When people think of experts in your field, they start thinking of you.
Make certain that the information you provide is useful to the intended audience. This isn’t some inconsequential promotion. It’s an opportunity to reach out to and gain the trust of an audience that someone else has worked very hard to build.
You could write the following articles:
- Instructional manuals
- Observation of current events
- Interviews with fascinating individuals
- Posts in alphabetical order
- Trends and events should be reported on.
#12. Participate in Local Business Organizations
Joining local business groups will allow you to meet other people who share a common interest with you: owning a business. While there are many general entrepreneur groups, your area may have some niche-specific groups and meetups.
These groups are excellent places to bounce ideas off other smart people, share referrals, find talent, and identify new opportunities.
Finally, these groups can result in joint ventures and profitable partnerships, which we will go over in greater detail in the following section.
#13. Join forces with other companies.
Teamwork is always more effective than a solo effort, and combining resources with another company can help you accomplish things you could never do on your own.
Even if your clientele isn’t local, it’s usually best to target businesses in your own community. Your goal is to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial to both businesses.
#14. Marketing Through Direct Mail
Direct mail marketing, like print media, is far from extinct.
As online channels become increasingly crowded with content, fewer businesses are turning to direct mail, which means more opportunities for you.
Success, like any other marketing strategy, is dependent on targeted creativity. You can’t expect to make money by scamming people. You must compel mail recipients to open your letters in the same way that you must compel people to click your blog post headline.
Direct mail is typically used in conjunction with online marketing strategies, as is the case with the majority of businesses offline campaigns in 2016.
#15. Participate in Public Speaking
Few things have the same impact as speaking at popular events in your niche when it comes to branding and establishing yourself as an authority.
While invitations to speak at larger events are frequently extended as a result of accomplishments or visible influence, you can also work your way into these opportunities by developing as a talented speaker and delivering excellent talks at smaller events.
You can also use it as another marketing strategies for your businesses by speaking at some of the following events:
- Consider Rotary, Lions, and the Chamber of Commerce
- Networking organizations for business.
- Clubs that cater to specific interests (photography, hiking, sewing, etc.)
- Eventbrite.com and Meetup.com
- Colleges and Universities
- Places of worship.
- Examine local newspapers and magazines for upcoming events.
- Large corporations and their workers
Prepare for everything and treat every event as if it were a big deal.
Summary & Conclusion
So there you have it: 15 tried-and-true marketing strategies that have helped thousands of businesses and can help you.
While only half of these are probably worth considering for your specific business, I’m guessing at least four of them are a good fit, and as I mentioned at the start of the article, one of these marketing strategies has the potential to skyrocket your growth this year.
