marketing strategy for small online business

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

A comprehensive guide to small business marketing

• Valerie Kakovkina
• 13 min read

In the ever-changing competitive landscape of modern business, small businesses face a unique set of challenges when it comes to standing out and reaching their target audience. While limited budgets and resources may seem like barriers to effective marketing, they also present opportunities for creativity and innovation.

This article will outline the fundamentals of small business marketing—what it is and how it differs from other types of marketing, providing valuable examples and setting out an actionable plan to help you get started. Including tips and ideas for marketing small businesses online and offline and why your marketing mix should be diverse, including both digital and traditional marketing strategies .

Create a website  to build your online presence and foster your small business network. 

What is small business marketing?

Small business marketing is the tailored process of promoting products or services by businesses with fewer resources, making use of unique strategies to target audiences effectively. All small business marketing is based on the basic structure of the 4 Ps of marketing : p roduct, p rice, p lace and p romotion.

Small businesses have less marketing muscle, yet more agility compared to bigger companies. While traditional corporate marketing often involves substantial budgets and extensive market research, small business marketing thrives on innovation and experimentation. Rather than adhering to rigid marketing plans, small businesses are free to test new ideas and adjust their strategies based on real-time feedback. 

Small business marketing also prioritizes personalized engagement over mass appeal. While large corporations aim to reach broad audiences using above-the-line advertising channels, like television commercials and billboards, small businesses focus on building intimate connections with their target customers. Below-the-line tactics, such as social media engagement, search engine marketing  and community outreach, help small businesses deliver tailored messages that resonate with their customer base, fostering loyalty and trust.

15 small business marketing types and ideas

Small business marketing encompasses a variety of strategies—both on and offline, all aimed at effectively reaching and engaging with target audiences to drive business growth.

Social media marketing

Paid advertising, targeted advertising, PPC (Google Ads)

Email marketing

Affiliate marketing

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Content marketing

Video marketing

Online public relations and press releases

Networking through trade events, professional networks and local marketing

Print advertising and print marketing

Loyalty programs and discount coupons, promotional marketing

Community marketing: events, workshops, tutorials and donations

Word of mouth and referral marketing

Direct mail marketing

Guerilla marketing

01. Social media marketing 

Social media has become a pivotal platform for small businesses seeking to expand their reach and brand presence. As more social platforms and trends evolve, social media marketing remains a critical component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. This is because 55% of customers worldwide  discover brands via social media and regularly use it to research a brand when deciding whether to make a purchase.

Social media marketing  strategically identifies, engages and captivates a target audience. Get the most out of your small business social media marketing by:

Defining goals and key metrics (engagement rates, click-throughs and follower growth)

Choosing the most appropriate platforms (those preferred by your target audience and that support the content you intend to share).

Posting share-worthy content and optimizing it for social media search.

Planning your content using a social media calendar , ensuring posts are staggered, consistent and aligned with relevant dates or events.

Small businesses can also take advantage of influencer marketing when promoting their offers on social media. Smaller creators with more engaged audiences often yield higher levels of trust and authenticity. These micro-influencers are ideal partners for small businesses seeking to establish genuine relationships with their target demographics. 

Another strong social media strategy is to use user-generated content (UGC). You can encourage customers to create and share content featuring your products or services on their social channels. Repurpose user-generated content for your marketing materials to save on content creation costs while leveraging authentic testimonials.

02. Paid advertising, targeted advertising, PPC (Google Ads)

Paid advertising, including targeted ads and PPC campaigns, helps small businesses reach their potential customers more efficiently. Also, platforms like Google Ads are more cost-effective, as you only pay when someone clicks your ad.

Paid advertising best practice:

Start with clear goals, for example, increasing website visits or sales.

Target your ads to specific demographics to reach the right audience.

Monitor your campaigns regularly and adjust them based on what's proving most effective.

03. Email marketing

Email marketing  is a trusty classic that continues to prove its indispensability, particularly for small businesses. Email marketing offers small businesses a cost-effective, targeted and measurable way to engage with their audience, build relationships and drive results. 

Email marketing tips:

Use segmentation  to categorize subscribers based on their preferences, behaviors or demographics.

Personalize email campaigns. Go beyond addressing recipients by their first name—craft content that speaks directly to their interests and needs.

Tip:  Use email marketing tools  to create well-designed and personalized email campaigns. Use a business email address  for a cohesive and professional look. 

04. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing  involves partnering with affiliates who promote products or services in exchange for a sales commission, allowing small businesses to expand their reach without upfront costs.

Start by identifying reputable affiliates with audiences that align with your target market and provide them with compelling promotional materials and incentives. Regularly communicate with your affiliates to nurture the relationship and optimize performance.

05. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the silent hero of the digital world. According to a study by Backlinko , the first ten websites on Google's search results snag 86% of all organic clicks.

Optimizing your website and content for search engines increases brand visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find you when they’re searching for the products or services your company offers.

While there are plenty of SEO features  to help small businesses boost their websites, the fundamental thinking behind any successful SEO strategy is:

Search engines love fresh, relevant content:  Regular updates signal to Google that the site is active and up-to-date, boosting its ranking and making it easier for customers to find the small business.

Most searches start with a question and your blog can provide the answers : By creating content that addresses the needs and queries of your audience, you position your business as a helpful resource, increasing website ranking and building brand credibility.

06. Content marketing

At a time when so many brands are vying for attention, content marketing  helps small businesses to engage audiences with stories they want to hear. Unlike traditional advertising, which often involves a significant upfront investment and escalating costs, effective content marketing allows small businesses to create impactful, engaging material with relatively modest resources.

You can start a blog  to deep dive into topics and create infographics to make data more digestible. Try podcasts to give your brand a voice, testimonials to provide potential customers with proof of credibility, or offer interactive content your audience can engage with.

Invest time in creating evergreen content that remains relevant and valuable over time. This content can continue to attract organic traffic and engagement long after it's been published, reducing the need for ongoing content creation expenses.

07. Video marketing

Video marketing allows small businesses to convey their brand message in a dynamic and engaging format that captivates audiences. With the widespread popularity of platforms like YouTube and TikTok, videos can reach a vast audience at minimal cost. 87% of marketers  say video directly increased sales and helped generate leads.

Use a video maker  to keep videos concise, attention-grabbing and optimized for mobile viewing. Utilize storytelling techniques to forge an emotional connection with viewers and showcase your brand’s USP. 

08. Online public relations and press releases

Small businesses can generate buzz, increase brand visibility and attract media attention by distributing press releases through online channels. This cost-effective strategy aids businesses to share their news, achievements and product launches directly with target audiences and relevant journalists.

Press releases in national media bring small businesses global visibility, while local media strengthens community ties.

You can explore various free or low-cost PR tools and services, such as HARO (Help a Reporter Out) or PR distribution platforms like PRLog, to secure media coverage and press mentions without hiring a PR agency.

09. Networking through trade events, professional networks and local marketing 

Before the world went digital, small businesses had to get out there, shake hands and become familiar faces in their communities. This approach still holds a ton of value today, with 83% of international brands  crediting event marketing for increasing sales. Trade shows, professional networking events and local marketing activities are also great places to distribute business cards . Try adding qr codes  onto relevant merchandise, as these events help get further exposure. 

10. Print advertising and print marketing

Traditional print advertising  and marketing methods remain effective for small businesses today, here’s why:

Tangibility and permanence: A well-designed brochure or business card can stay with a potential customer for weeks, months or even years, reminding them of your brand.

Cut through the digital clutter: With an overwhelming amount of digital content, print materials grab attention in a less saturated space.

Builds credibility: Print provides a sense of legitimacy. High-quality materials can elevate the perception of your brand, showcasing professionalism.

How to make different types of print marketing materials  work for your small business:

Brochures:  Great for giving a comprehensive overview of a small business. Keep your content clear, concise and focused.

Business cards: Not just for contact information; business cards are representatives of your brand. Focus on clarity, relevance to your brand identity and durability when designing your business cards , ensuring that they effectively represent your brand and leave a positive impression on recipients.

Flyers and posters:  Ideal for promotions or events. Make sure they include a clear call to action and distribute them in places your target audience frequents.

Catalogs: Perfect for showcasing a range of products. High-quality images and engaging descriptions can transform a simple catalog into a compelling sales tool.

For print marketing to contribute towards your overall strategy, they need to reflect your brand's personality and values. Invest in quality design and printing; unique, eye-catching materials can make a lasting impression.

11. Loyalty programs and discount coupons, promotional marketing

Rewarding customers for their continued support with loyalty programs and discount coupons helps small businesses cultivate long-term relationships and drive sales growth. 

Offer personalized rewards, promote exclusivity and leverage digital platforms for easy redemption. Regularly communicate with customers via various channels to keep them informed about upcoming promotions and exclusive offers, fostering strong customer engagement and customer loyalty . 

12. Community marketing: events, workshops, tutorials and donations

Organizing local events transforms your small business into an active member of the community. Whether a street fair, workshop, giveaway, charity fundraiser or local conference, events are golden opportunities to introduce your small business to potential customers, drawing them into the marketing funnel . They help put a face to your brand while building relationships that no digital ad can match. 

Don’t forget about virtual events—everything from webinars to Reels can be effective ways to engage with your audience. If you don’t fancy holding an event, you can still show your community that you actively give back by sponsoring a local team, making a donation towards a local cause or collaborating with other local businesses to raise funds. Or co-host events or workshops with other local or small businesses to share resources and split costs. This allows you to reach a broader audience while sharing the financial burden of hosting.

Try finding mutually beneficial partnerships with other small businesses, like exchanging goods or services. For example, a restaurant could offer catering services in exchange for marketing collateral from a local graphic designer.

13. Word of mouth and referral marketing

Harnessing the power of satisfied repeat customers  to spread positive recommendations can significantly enhance brand credibility and attract new clientele. Encourage customers to refer friends and family by offering incentives or rewards for successful referrals.

But remember , the only way to truly maximize the benefits of referral marketing is to ensure that the reviews customers leave are positive. Prioritize delivering exceptional customer experience to increase the likelihood of positive word-of-mouth endorsements.

14. Direct mail marketing

Direct mail marketing remains one of the best tools for small businesses to attract new local customers. Highly effective for targeting specific neighborhoods and demographics, it offers a tangible and personalized approach that stands out in a digital world.

Experiment with different mail formats to create eye-catching and informative material. Track the effectiveness of your campaigns by including unique codes, UTM links  or URLs for recipients to redeem offers, allowing you to measure ROI and refine your future mailings accordingly. 

15. Guerrilla marketing

Guerrilla marketing  campaigns are about creating bold, creative and unconventional shareable moments that grab attention beyond your local area in a way traditional marketing can’t. Done right, the campaign can go viral, allowing small businesses to make a big impact without a huge marketing budget.

To ensure your guerrilla marketing campaign is a success, you need to:

Know your audience: Make sure it resonates with your target audience. What are they likely to find funny, surprising or engaging?

Be clear with your message: While creativity is important, don’t let your message get lost in the spectacle. Remember, the goal is to promote your business.

Think through the location: Choose a spot where you’ll get maximum visibility and your target audience is likely to be.

Small business marketing costs

Small business marketing costs can vary widely depending on the industry, demographic, geographic location and specific marketing strategies employed.

The exact percentage may vary depending on these factors:

Business goals

Industry competitiveness (more competitive sectors may require higher marketing expenditures)

Target market demographics

Competitor strategies (to be used for benchmarking)

It's essential for small businesses to carefully budget and prioritize their marketing expenses. By investing strategically in marketing activities that align with their objectives, small businesses can both maximize their return on investment and achieve sustainable growth.

Small business marketing examples

These small businesses built on Wix use effective marketing tools and ideas to connect with their customers. 

CICADA Goods

CICADA Goods  who sells paraben-free, vegan candles effectively taps into ethical impulse buying . Understanding the psychology of selling , CICADA uses the feel-good feeling of earthy, clean ingredients and effectively markets her products to the right audience. What’s more, her products and brand perfectly align with the overall concept of ethical and clean products. For example, all CICADA products are hand poured and crafted in small batches in her Tucson-based studio and are packaged in wildflower seed paper—a biodegradable eco-paper made with post-consumer and post-industrial paper waste.

The brand also leverages holiday marketing ideas . Owner, Stacey McClure, says she always includes her best-seller Cactus blossom candle, “Memory Number 5” in all her curated holiday boxes. This adds a personal touch and shows she knows her product offering well, but also genuinely cares about her customers. What’s more, she hosts pop-up events like a “Valentines Sip and Shop Event” to gain brand exposure and develop meaningful relationships with shoppers.

Founded by three brothers, Dominic, Nicholas and Daniel, Sol Cacao  strives to create the finest quality of chocolate. The brothers are involved at every level and have a thorough understanding of each detail—including the manufacturing process, from growing the cacao pods to the actual crafting of the chocolate bars.

They are clearly aware of their best selling products and know both their products and their clients. The brand found co-branding opportunities with other small businesses like their collaboration with Russ and Daughters, a New York culinary and cultural icon, by adding their chocolate into baked goods. They also joined DoorDash’s Accelerator for Local Goods with tens of other local businesses to make their product offering more available.

Sol Cacao has booths at various exhibitions and pop ups, they also hold workshops and tutorials on the history of cacao and chocolate making.

How to get started with small business marketing

Embarking on your small business marketing journey can be both exciting and overwhelming. We've outlined practical steps to kick start your efforts and help you navigate this process with confidence.

Create a marketing plan

A marketing plan  serves as a roadmap for small businesses, guiding marketing efforts and ensuring strategic alignment with overarching business objectives. It provides clear direction and focus, helping to allocate resources efficiently and set measurable objectives. A good marketing plan should also track progress, ensure brand consistency and adapt to market conditions.

Use a marketing plan template  to create your marketing plan, making sure to cover these bases:

Clear goals: Define specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) objectives, such as increasing brand awareness or driving sales.

Strategies:  Outline the tactics and channels you'll use to achieve your goals, such as social media marketing, email campaigns or content creation.

Budget and timeline:  Establish a realistic marketing budget and timeline to ensure efficient resource allocation and timely execution.

Performance measurement: Define key performance indicators (KPIs)  to track campaign success and evaluate return on investment (ROI) .

Research your target audience and know your target market

Understanding your target audience  is essential for effective marketing. Here's what to consider:

Customer demographics :  Identify the age, gender, income and other relevant characteristics of your target audience. Understanding specifics about the Gen Alpha or Gen Z consumer  can help you narrow in on specific tactics or approaches to communicate effectively. 

Behavioral insights:  Understanding purchase behavior, preferences and pain points allows small businesses to tailor marketing strategies.

Geographic location: Determine potential customers’ location to target markets geographically.

For your small business marketing to be successful, stay updated on industry marketing trends , competitor strategies and consumer preferences to adapt your marketing accordingly.

Set your marketing KPIs

Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you to achieve your business objectives, for instance:

Website traffic :  Total visits to your website, showing online brand interest and awareness.

Conversion rate : Percentage of website visitors completing a desired action, indicating website effectiveness.

Customer acquisition cost (CAC) :  Average cost to acquire a new customer, revealing marketing efficiency.

Customer lifetime value (CLV) : Total revenue from a customer, assessing customer value.

Social media engagement:  Likes, shares, comments and followers on social media, measuring audience interaction.

Email open and click-through rates: Percentage of email recipients opening and clicking links, gauging email campaign success.

Customer retention rate:  Percentage of returning customers, showing loyalty and satisfaction levels.

Return on Investment (ROI): Ratio of marketing campaign net profit to cost, revealing its profitability.

Lead generation rate: Number of leads generated, indicating success in attracting potential customers using lead generation strategies .

Brand awareness metrics: Measures of brand recognition, such as mentions and search volume, indicating brand visibility.

Ensure your KPIs are realistic and achievable, avoiding broad or vague metrics. For example, instead of simply saying,   “ Drive traffic to your website ,” use a more specific, attainable and time-bound KPI, like increasing website traffic by 20% in the next quarter through targeted SEO and content marketing. 

Build your brand identity

Build a cohesive brand identity  that makes your small business memorable and differentiates you from other businesses, helping you to stand out in the crowd of competitors. 

Clearly define your brand's essence by articulating its core values, mission and unique selling proposition . Understanding what sets your business apart and what it stands for is crucial for creating a strong foundation that resonates with your audience.

Invest in creating cohesive, memorable and visually appealing brand assets, including   logos, color schemes and typography that reflect your brand's personality. Consistency in design across all platforms helps reinforce brand recognition and credibility.

Develop a tone of voice that is distinctive of your brand that speaks to your intended audience. Whether it's friendly and conversational, authoritative and professional, or quirky and humorous, your tone of voice humanizes your brand and creates a deeper connection with your customers.

Authentic engagement   with your audience is also vital for building a strong brand identity. Develop compelling storytelling narratives that resonate with your audience's emotions and values. Actively engage with your social media followers, respond to inquiries promptly and foster a sense of community through user-generated content and interactive campaigns.

Tip:  Use a logo maker  to design a strong logo that can be used across all branding collateral, both on and offline. 

Create a website

Having an online presence is a prerequisite for good business today. Think of a website as your digital storefront, a place where potential customers can visit, regardless of your business offering. 

A well-designed website instills trust and credibility in your brand. It gives the impression that your business is established and legitimate, which is particularly important for small businesses looking to compete with larger competitors.

And, of course, a website dramatically expands your business hours—your digital doors are always open for browsing, shopping and impulsive late-night purchases.

Learn how to make a website  for your small business. Explore these customizable business website templates  to help get started. 

Tip:  Try an AI website builder  to bring your small business marketing ideas to life.

Consider partnering with other local or small businesses

Collaborate with other local or small businesses to expand your reach, build community connections, offer added value and make your marketing more cost-effective. Your small business network will become an invaluable asset that you can utilize to grow your own brand. Approach businesses that are aligned with or at a similar stage to yours, and maintain and nurture these mutually beneficial relationships over time.

VistaPrint is a partner of Wix.

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Small Business Marketing 101: Using Email, Social, Video and More

Introduction to small business marketing 101.

Whether your small business has existed for years, or just recently started up, finding the most effective marketing strategies is critical. That’s because small businesses don’t have the same resources to execute as larger scale firms. In fact, you may be the founder and CEO who has also taken up the mantle of marketer.

That’s why Sprout Social worked with our amazing partners at HubSpot, Animoto and Campaign Monitor to put together this guide to small business marketing.

Together, we’ve covered some of the most frequently discussed topics among small business marketers. We’ll continue to work with more partners to expand on these topics over time. For now, keep reading for the following:

• HubSpot on inbound marketing for small businesses
• Animoto on video marketing for small businesses
• Campaign Monitor on email marketing for small businesses
• Sprout Social on social marketing for small businesses

Small business marketing with inbound

Would you rather have your customers searching for you instead of the other way around? Look no further than inbound marketing. In this section, HubSpot discusses the importance of inbound marketing for small business, the basics of getting started and how to choose the right channels for your organization.

Let’s talk about a framework for bringing the ideal customer to your website. It’s used by tons of businesses, big and small, and it can work for you as well.

What is inbound marketing?

One quick definition we at HubSpot use is to think of outbound marketing as “push” marketing and inbound marketing as “pull.” Rather than interrupt customers with disruptive ads or unethical sales tactics, you attract them via valuable content that helps them accomplish their goals.

To further elaborate, it’s about three pieces:

You attract prospects and customers to your website and blog through relevant and helpful content.

Once they arrive, you engage with them using conversational tools like email and chat and by promising continued value.

Finally, you delight them by continuing to act as an empathetic advisor and expert.

The inbound methodology isn’t specific to marketing, by the way. The same process and mindset can be used in sales and services, too.

So, how do you actually do inbound marketing?

Inbound 101: The basics for getting started

There have been many books and courses on inbound marketing, so we won’t be able to comprehensively cover the idea here. Rather, we’ll give the 80/20 so you can start to take action. After you get your wheels on the ground, you can always go back and learn more about the methodology.

So what are the basic steps for getting started?

• First, map out your ideal audience, aka your target market. Who do you want to sell to?
• Second, map out the channels you can use to attract, engage and delight your customers. Where do they hang out and how do they communicate?
• Finally, begin crafting content and messaging that will be used to attract, engage and delight customers. Make sure you have analytics in place, because you’ll need to constantly learn and update your strategy based on the results you get.

Let’s dive into each one of these individually.

Know your personas & target markets

It’s possible you know your target market and have already built your buyer personas , but even if that’s the case, it never hurts doing this work again and learning more about your customers. The more you know about your customer, the better you can craft your messaging and strategy.

In defining a target market, you narrow down your audience to the level that you can choose correct marketing channels and start to define a buyer persona for messaging.

In building a buyer persona, you create a representative model of your prototypical customer. As in machine learning, you need to split the difference between perfect accuracy and perfect utility . In other words, you should gather enough data and information to make a buyer persona largely accurate to the real world, but you shouldn’t gather too much information and make it too complex.

How do you gather data to inform your buyer persona? There are many ways, some easier, some harder, depending on the stage of your company:

• Customer interviews (phone or in person)
• Digital analytics
• Surveys (on-site polls like Qualaroo and customer surveys )
• User testing
• Live chat transcripts and intelligence via sales and service teams

You’ll want to answer core questions about your ideal buyer, such as:

• What are their motivations and fears?
• How do they prefer to make purchases?
• How much research do they do and what kind of content is useful to them?
• How do they interact with brands? What do they prefer the relationship to look like?
• Who do they look to when they’re making decisions? Who influences them?
• Where do they hang out? How can you reach them?
• What type of language do they use?

All of these things will help you a) choose channels and b) craft messaging.

Just don’t create a silly made-up buyer persona with a cute name just to go through the motions. Also, it probably doesn’t matter what your buyer persona’s favorite color of car is unless you’re selling paint or used vehicles. Stick to the stuff that’s important and knowable.

Map out your channels and tactics

When you have a target market and buyer persona, you can look into different channels. There are only so many inbound marketing channels:

• Facebook Ads (suggested reading: Are ads inbound? )

Some channels won’t work for your business no matter how hard you try. For example, virality probably doesn’t make sense if you sell dish soap.

Similarly, some channels could potentially work but will take so much effort and risk to pull off, that you should probably table them for the time being in favor of higher impact channels. For example, if you’re a LawnStarter (lawn care) or ProTranslating (translation services), social media may not pay off.

Though oddly enough, MoonPie kills it on Twitter

To identify your best channels, use this heuristic: “how does a customer buy this type of product?”

In the case of lawn care, it’s usually when their lawn grows too long and they need someone right away. SEO and search ads are perfect to capture this type of demand.

Some products, such as Chubbies or Airpods , are naturally viral. Just optimize the viral components and add a little wind to the sail.

Others make a perfect fit for content marketing, such as B2B software companies like Wordable or Mutiny . These products tend to require a little bit of upfront education, and their target customers are accustomed to learning via blogs, webinars and ebooks.

Content often works well for SaaS products

In any case, just think about it and discuss with your colleagues before jumping into a channel. Don’t simply join a channel because your competitors have or because it’s new and buzzworthy. We don’t need more gurus or businesses trying to make it big on Snapchat, and we especially don’t need more businesses trying to go viral on Reddit. Do what makes sense for you.

Create content and execute on the playbook

Any inbound channel—nay, any marketing channel—will require some sort of messaging strategy. How you execute on messaging will largely determine how effective the channel becomes.

Let’s say, for example, we want to use blogging and SEO as our inbound channel. This usually forms the basis of such efforts, as it’s an owned channel, and you can generally compete with very large players and win some or much of the time on quality and 10x content .

Now, what do you blog about?

While you can answer this question many ways with some degree of validity, we like to follow the Pillar + Cluster model .

In plain English, your “pillar content” represents the big topic you want to rank for, and “cluster content” represents supporting content that relates to your big topic. Hyperlinking pages together shows Google they’re related to each other.

For example, let’s say your big topic is “personalization” For this, you might create a pillar page called “The Ultimate Guide to Web Personalization.”

Then you could create several cluster content blog posts to support the pillar page. These could be on topics like:

• How to personalize email newsletters
• Top personalization tools in 2019
• Personalization examples
• How to measure ROI from personalization

…And on and on.

We like to start backwards from our product and branch out from there. So, basically, what’s the end goal? Define that product page, and then come up with high traffic pillar page ideas that can support that. From there, break topic ideas off of your pillar page to create long tail blog posts. A good way to find long tail ideas is on Answer The Public .

Soon, you’ll bring in tons of traffic, and then you’ll simply have to worry about converting that traffic into leads, users, demos…whatever your goal conversion is.

Unfortunately, that’s a huge topic, and one we can’t crack into here. So here are some resources on email marketing and conversion optimization to check out:

• Lead Magnets – Ideas to get people to sign up for your list
• Web forms guide – Best practices to get form completions, no matter the purpose)
• A/B testing guide – Everything you want to know about running your own tests

Obviously this is a short primer on inbound, and there’s a lot more to talk about. But if we could boil it down to the simplest possible summary, we’d say, “Define your audience, go where the fish are and craft your messaging in a way that resonates with them.”

This sounds easy, but it takes a lot of work. In fact, we’ll end by emphasizing the need to keep learning and improving.

Make sure you have proper analytics in place, and continue to improve and optimize your inbound funnel.

When it works, it really works. And when it really, really works, you can build a moat that is hard to compete with.

Small business marketing with video

Is your growing business interested in taking advantage of the power of video? Then you have come to the right place. This section discusses the importance of video marketing for small business, how to overcome hurdles in video marketing. It ends with ideas to consider for your own strategy.

According to Forbes , 90% of consumers say videos help them with buying decisions. Sixty-four percent say that watching videos makes them more likely to purchase. Forbes also reports that businesses that use video in their marketing see a 41% increase in search traffic compared to those that don’t.

Video has taken social media, and marketing in general, by storm.

But for small business owners or marketers, it may feel daunting. Here at Animoto , we’ve spoken with countless small business owners that already wear a lot of hats. We know adding video to the mix may feel overwhelming—especially without the time, resources or technical expertise needed for video creation.

But guess what? Video marketing isn’t as time-consuming or difficult as you may think. We’ve put together a quick guide to help you get started (and show you how easy it can be). We’ll share:

• Why video matters for small businesses
• How to overcome the hurdles to video creation
• Small business video ideas
• Tips and tricks for small business video creation
• How to get started with video marketing today

Let’s dive in!

Why Video matters for small businesses

Video affords marketers at businesses of all sizes a massive opportunity. We’ll take a quick look at what video can do for your marketing on social media, on YouTube, on your website, in your emails and even in your store or at an event.

Social video for small business

According to a recent Animoto survey , consumers rank video as their number one favorite type of content to see from brands on social media, and 93% of marketers using video on social media say it’s landed them a new customer.

Video has become increasingly important on social media, where it generates 1200% more shares than images and text combined. Video can be incorporated into your social marketing throughout the customer journey to maximize the success of your campaigns.

YouTube video for small business

You’ve likely already heard that YouTube is the second largest search engine, after Google. What does this mean for you? More consumers than ever (including your own customers) search YouTube for product reviews, how-tos and more.

Creating YouTube videos means that you’ll get in front of more customers searching for videos related to your industry and products or services.

Website video for small business

Did you know that the average customer spends 88% more time on a website if it has video? Pretty incredible, right? There are all sorts of ways to incorporate video into your website, including an introductory video on your

• Product videos
• A personal video for your about page that showcases your small business story

And guess what? These videos can also be repurposed to share on YouTube and social media.

Email video for small business

Including video in email can lead to an up to 19% increase in open rate and an up to 50% increase in click-through rate, according to Campaign Monitor .

The even better news? Adding video to your emails isn’t as complicated as it may sound. In fact, the videos don’t actually have to play in your email. Rather, you can simply link out to them and mention “video” in your subject line to start seeing results.

In-person video for small business

Video doesn’t have to be limited to the web. You can also use it for your in-person marketing—in your shop, at events and trade shows and in sales sessions. Loop a video on a screen to attract foot traffic or include videos to make presentations more engaging.

Overcoming the hurdles to video marketing

Our recent survey on the State of Social Video Marketing showed that marketers aren’t making as many videos as they’d like. The reasons? They say video requires too much time and budget and the tools and software seem too complicated.

As a small business owner, you likely face similar hurdles. We’ll break them down here and show you why video is easier to get started with than you may think.

Myth #1: Video is too time consuming

There’s a common misconception when it comes to video that it takes days (or even more) to create a single video. In truth, this may be accurate when it comes to professional productions with big production crews, designed to be run as television ad campaigns. However, creating videos for social, or to embed on your blog and website, doesn’t have to take a ton of time.

You can get started with as little as a couple hours a week, and as you get better at making videos, you’ll need even less. You can repurpose photos and videos you already have or use stock imagery to save time on production.

We’d also like to call out that even big brands with big budgets have started opting for less polished social videos for a more authentic look. You don’t have to spend hours to reap the benefits of video.

Myth #2: Video is too complicated

But even with the time set aside, a lot of small businesses don’t use video because they believe they don’t have the expertise. Yes, some video editing softwares require advanced know-how. But a wide range of video editing solutions cater to non-professionals. And you can use these to create professional videos on your own. We promise you.

We should also mention that, when it comes to social video especially, you don’t need heavy production. A lot of the most engaging videos are short clips with just a few shots, or even a single clip with text on it. Start simple and as you get more familiar with video creation you can try new, more complicated things.

Myth #3: Video is too expensive

Finally, video production doesn’t have to break your budget. As we mentioned above, you likely have the photos and video clips you need to get started. If you don’t, you can use your smartphone instead of an expensive video camera.

Add text over your video clips and you don’t need to worry about expensive audio equipment (85% of people watch with the sound off anyway). And you can tie it all together with an inexpensive, easy-to-use video editing tool.

Small business videos ideas

Okay, so now we’ve convinced you that you need video. But what types of videos should you make? This is one of the biggest questions faced by small business marketers looking to get started with video. We’ve rounded up some small business video ideas and examples for inspiration.

And to help you out, each of these video examples includes a template that you can customize to make your own .

About us video

Share the story behind your business. Who are you and what products or services do you offer? An About Us lets you show off the people and story behind your business, which can work especially well for small and growing businesses.

Product story video

A product video ad, which we’ll get to next, works when you want to close the deal and make a sale. But telling the story of your product or service can engage with potential customers on a whole other level. Telling the backstory of a specific product can make for share-worthy content, as you can see in this example. Do you offer a product with an interesting backstory?

We promised a product video ad, and here it is. A video ad should be short and sweet. It introduces your product to the target audience and provides a clear call to action (CTA) so they know how they can purchase.

Fun social video

Looking for a quick video idea for your social media pages? Try a quote. Quote videos take little time to make and rack up shares to boot. Just pair a nice photo or video clip with a quote that’s relevant to your business or industry.

How-to video

A how-to video lets you showcase your expertise. Answer a question you hear a lot from your customers or share an insider tip based on your industry expertise. Share it on social media and YouTube too, where potential customers are searching for answers. You can also share your expertise with a list or step-by-step instructional video.

Blog teaser video

If you’ve got a blog or other content on your website, try creating a short video teaser to promote it. Make sure to include a clear call to action with the link where viewers can go to read more.

Testimonial video

With testimonial videos, you can share social proof and help new customers feel comfortable doing business with you. While you can actually shoot interviews with your customers to create testimonial videos, there are some easy alternatives too. Try using quotes from Yelp, social media or customer emails, paired with accolades and imagery of yourself or your product.

Video tips and tricks for small businesses

We hope we’ve inspired you to start making videos. Before you dive in, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your video marketing.

• Get started with what you have . You likely already have photos and video clips you can use to create your first videos. Look on your phone, your desktop, your website, and your social media profiles for content to get started with.
• Plan for sound off . When creating videos for social media, remember that 85% of people watch with the sound off. Use text to tell a story that translates whether or not viewers turn the sound on.
• Keep mobile in mind . More and more viewers watch videos on mobile devices,. Make text large enough to read and go for a square or vertical format for videos designed for mobile or social media.
• Target your video ads . With the targeting capabilities of Facebook Ads Manager and other social platforms, you can reach the audience most likely to engage with your business or product.
• One size doesn’t fit all . Creating a video for Facebook? For the Instagram feed? Twitter? An Instagram story? Different types of formats and content work best on different platforms, so plan your video content accordingly. Here’s a cheat sheet to help you out.
• Use your smartphone . You don’t need fancy equipment to get started. We’ve all got great professional cameras in our pockets. Your phone shoots better video than you think!
• Pay attention to lighting . Good light (or lack of it) can really make or break the quality of your video. Don’t have professional lighting equipment? Try shooting outside in the sunlight, next to a window or simply turn on as many lights as you’ve got indoors.
• Pay attention to audio . Similarly, the state of your audio can have a big impact on the quality of your video. When recording, listen with headphones to make sure everything sounds OK. And remember, even if you do plan on using audio you should plan for sound-off viewing and use text or captions.

Animoto for small business

Ready to dive in? We’re here to help. Animoto provides everything small businesses and marketers need to drag and drop their way to powerful and professional videos. With customizable video templates, designed with success in mind, Animoto makes it easy for anyone to create their own videos in minutes. With over a decade in the industry and partnerships with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn, Animoto is used by more than one million businesses worldwide.

Video templates for a variety of small business use cases, including all the ideas we shared earlier in the article, can be selected and customized. Add your own photos, video clips and text. Then, add your logo and update the colors to fit your brand and you’re done

We invite you to try it for free today. Happy video making!

Small business marketing with email

Email marketing is a must-have for business, but that doesn't mean it's easy to get right. In this section, Campaign Monitor discusses why email marketing is important for your small business, how to send amazing emails and, most importantly, how to scale your efforts.

When you started your own business or started working at one, there were probably a few hats you were expected to wear—like creator, CEO, founder or visionary.

But as your business grows, there will inevitably be a few more hats you have to put on—hats that may not fit quite as easily, like email marketing aficionado.

At Campaign Monitor we want to empower you with email marketing tools and tips that are powerful yet simple, so you can get back to doing what you do best.

Email marketing is alive and well

With so many options for marketing a new and growing business, you may struggle to decide where to focus. Research supports prioritizing email marketing. Let’s take a look at the stats:

• There are over 3.7 billion email users in the world currently, which means the projected number of users by 2021 is 4.1 billion.
• 59% of marketers say email is their biggest source of ROI.
• Email marketing drives $44 for every $1 spent .
• 89% of marketers say email serves as their primary channel for lead generation.

Before your first send

So you’ve decided to implement an email marketing strategy. Now what? First, you need to understand the purpose of email marketing: to create, secure and nurture relationships.

Yes, you’ll likely meet other goals along the way, like increasing customer engagement and ROI, but don’t lose sight of the people whose inboxes you’re sending to. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a few tips for maximum success.

1. Start with a plan

There’s no right or wrong formula for your first email marketing plan, as long as it answers the following questions:

• Why am I sending emails?
• Who am I sending them to?
• What value can I offer subscribers?
• What are my email marketing goals?

Once you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to map your customers’ journey. Think of this like mapping out a route for marathon runners; make sure the path is clear of barriers and the signs point the right way. You need to be familiar with the journey your customers take from lead to conversion so you can anticipate any needs or questions they will have along the way.

2. Segment your audience

When setting up your email subscription form, consider the information you’ll need long-term. Name and email address are the traditional fields, but collecting additional demographic information will help you to segment your audience into groups based on age, gender, location or another variable.

Rather than send the same mass email to your entire list every time, segmentation allows you to send customized and relevant content that your subscribers will more likely engage with. After all, proper email list segmentation can double email open rates.

As an example, Facebook segmented their list based on location and invited users to events in their area:

3. Personalize your messages

Once you’ve divided your list into groups based on purchase history, interest or other variables, it’s time to create content specifically for the people in that group. Maybe something they indicated interest in has gone on sale, there’s an event happening in their area or you want to address them by name and recommend something they’ll love.

One of our favorite ways to do this using Campaign Monitor is by inserting dynamic content into your message. This shows your audience that you understand and care for them, and it will add an extra “wow” factor that will surprise and delight them. And in case you needed additional convincing, MarketingSherpa ’s research shows that open rates increase by 41% when a personalized subject line is used.

See how Lyft uses the information they’ve gathered about their customers to create a pretty cool personalized email:

4. Scale your efforts

So you’ve mapped out a plan, organized your list into segments and created personalized content that drives engagement. It’s time to take all the tools and tactics that work and scale them to reach more people. At this point, automation is your go-to.

By scheduling emails to meet your subscribers at each point in their customer journey (which you already mapped out in step #1), you’ll continue to ensure that your content is relevant and fulfilling your customers’ needs. Plus, automated email messaging can increase open rates by 70.5%.

Paravel uses automation and personalization to send customized trip “postcards” to their customers:

5. Measure your success

You made it to the final step—see, that wasn’t so bad. The best way to continue to improve and refine your email marketing skills is to look at the data and find out what works, what you could do better and what you can live without.

Keep an eye on your metrics, try to retarget the subscribers who don’t engage and maintain good deliverability to ensure long-term email marketing success. Seventy-seven percent of ROI comes from segmented, targeted and triggered campaigns, so find what works for you and continue to help it grow.

What to look for in an email marketing platform

When it comes to email marketing platforms, there are a lot of options to choose from and ideas to consider. We’ve given you tips and tricks to begin creating your email marketing strategy, but choosing the right provider can make or break your business growth. Of course, you’ll want to choose a provider that can grow with your business in terms of subscriber list size and functional capability, but what about features to enhance your segmentation, personalization and automation?

If you’re looking for a service provider that will help you focus on your subscribers’ needs, design beautiful emails and scale your success, Campaign Monitor could be the perfect fit. With robust features for segmentation, personalization and automation, as well as 24/7 access to customer support, our team is here to help you drive engagement and increase ROI. Happy sending!

Small business marketing with social

Social media is a critical channel for growing your audience, showcasing your organization, and creating lasting relationships that will yield delighted customers. In this section, Sprout Social discusses the value of social for small business, how to get started on social and shares tips for advanced audiences.

Sprout Social works with thousands of small businesses to help them improve their social marketing strategy while also saving time online. Over the course of working with so many organizations, we’ve gotten good at helping guide their social strategy.

Here we’ve put together the essentials for small business marketing on social, but for a more comprehensive guide you can see our entire guide to social media for small business .

The value of social media for small business

Social is essential for driving your inbound marketing strategy, sharing your videos and increasing leads to email.

But social media is also important on its own.

Social media is valuable for businesses of any size or industry, and finding customers on social media has a direct impact on sales and your bottom line.

In fact, those individuals who follow you on your social channels are 57.5% more likely to buy from you.

But it doesn’t stop there. If you can actually manufacture a great positive social media experience that number increases to 71%.

These numbers prove your brand should capitalize on the power of social media for small business marketing.

We’ve broken the next sections down by where you may be in your social strategy, including information for those just getting started and more advanced tips for those with an established presence.

Getting started with small business marketing on social

1. define your social goals.

If you don’t know what you want to accomplish on social media, then you’ll never know when you succeed or fall short. Without this, you’ll likely struggle to maintain a nimble strategy.

Goals can vary wildly from one industry to the next. While a retail company may look for direct purchases from social, someone in higher education may look at new enrollment rates.

Our recent Sprout Social Index asked social marketers about their biggest goals. You can use their responses to help you choose your initial social media goals, then refine those as you get a better sense of what social marketing can provide your business. We’ve included a cheat sheet to define each item below.

• Increase brand awareness: How familiar social users are with your brand
• Increase community engagement: Authentic conversations you have with your followers
• Increase web traffic: The number of website visitors driven from social channels
• Generate sales/leads: Individuals who purchase your goods or services, or those who fill out a website form, from social channels
• Distribute content: Sharing your content to your social channels.
• Increase brand advocacy from customers: Getting happy customers to share their experiences on social
• Support customers: Using social to respond to customer inquiries and create better customer experiences
• Grow influencer marketing program: Increase the number of influencers discussing your brand on social

2. Define your core metrics

Think of your social goals as the destination and your core metrics as the map that helps you get there. Once again, we’ve provided a cheat sheet to some key metrics for social media marketing below.

Impressions : The number of times an individual saw your message

Engagements The number of times an individual has interacted with your message, including:

Engagement Rates : The number of engagements divided by the number of impressions

Site Visits : The number of times someone visited your profile page

Mentions : The number of times your handle or brand was mentioned on social. Followers : The number of individuals who follow you on social, usually shown as an increase or decrease over time

New Sales/ROI : The new revenue generated from social visitors, trackable with UTM tagging and website analytics

3. Target your audience and social networks

Social media provides one of the best ways to reach a targeted audience, but first, you have to identify that audience. Consider things like:

Remember the more specific you can get, the better. This will enable you to create a strong social media marketing strategy around these individuals and take a targeted approach to reach the right people at the right time.

Once you know who you want to reach, you’ll have to figure out where they are. Earlier in this guide, HubSpot noted that not every single inbound channel works for small business marketing. The same is true for specific social media networks—not every single one will make sense for your business. Social networks have varied user bases. Don’t invest in one network if your core audience is on another.

Before choosing a platform, ask yourself things like:

• Which platform best fits your B2B or B2C interactions?
• How often do you publish content?
• What’s the lifespan of your content?
• Are you using social media for customer service?
• Are you engaging with user-generated content?
• Can you automate parts of your social media?

The answers to those questions will inform the networks you should choose.

4. Figure out what to share

To figure out what content to post, look no further than what has worked best in the past. If you’ve published to social media before, tools like Sprout Social , Twitter or Facebook Insights can help you understand what resonated most with your audience.

Below is an example of how to view your Sent Messages with Sprout ( available with a free trial ).

Sort your messages by your key metric and you’ll see the top posts for that metric. Look through a handful to find any consistencies and leverage that insight when choosing what to publish.

5. Build your publishing calendar

Once you know what kind of content works, you can create social media posts to automatically publish at the times and days of your choosing. Additionally, you can use a social media publishing tool like Sprout Social to visualize your entire Publishing Calendar, across all of your networks and profiles.

Automatically export your calendar as a PDF to share with other key stakeholders throughout your organization.

6. Respond to inbound messages

Unless you sell the most niche product in the world, your customers likely post about it (and you) on social media. Whether they directly tag you or use certain keywords and phrases that relate to your company, it’s your job to respond to their messages to create a better user experience.

Monitor your social channels for conversations or posts that warrant a response. You can use a social media engagement tool to pull in the conversations that directly mention you or mention something relevant to your organization.

7. Analyze your results

Once you’ve established the metrics that matter most to your brand, and spent time on social channels posting and engaging, you can start to track the impact of your efforts.

The frequency with which you analyze your social media results will likely depend on your time and how much you utilize social. Remember that it’s important to track metrics to optimize your strategy. You can use a social media analytics tool to automatically run high-level or in-depth reports if your time is limited.

Advanced tips for small business social

1. search social for new opportunities.

We’ve established that small business marketers must respond to social media posts that tag or mention them. For a more advanced tactic, we suggest monitoring social media for conversations on topics related to your business, and then joining in.

Let’s say you own a pizza restaurant in Chicago that prides itself on its gluten-free offering. By using a social media listening tool , you can track everyone who mentions a term like “gluten free pizza” in the Chicago area.

These conversations will populate in your inbox in real time so that you can reach out to anyone looking for a recommendation and suggest your restaurant.

2. Run competitive analyses

Keep an eye on your competition’s social media strategy. Doing so will help you understand the industry and how you measure up as well as develop unique ideas to stand out from the crowd. We’ve created this entire guide on running a competitive analysis , including a free template to help you conduct your research.

3. Leverage relevant hashtags

Hashtags help you get your content in front of new audiences on social media. Not sure which to use? Our free Hashtag Holiday calendar contains a ton of ideas. Just make sure that the hashtags you use actually make sense for your brand and you’re not forcing it.

4. Create great visuals and videos

Earlier in this guide, Animoto shared the importance of video:

“Video has become increasingly important on social media, where it generates 1200% more shares than images and text combined. Video can be incorporated into your social marketing throughout the customer journey to maximize the success of your campaigns.”

They also shared some tips to make creating videos easier on your team. Now that you’ve bought in, make sure that you share any and all videos you create with their guidance on your relevant social channels.

5. Get your teammates on social

Social media poses so many opportunities for businesses that it can feel a little overwhelming at times. As a small business marketer, you may be in short supply of resources, but if there is anyone at your organization that can help you keep up, then invite them to join you.

If your concern is in doubling efforts or reducing how secure your accounts are, then never fear. Social media collaboration tools can ensure that you effectively manage your presence as a team.

6. Boost your content with paid ads

If you don’t get the impressions you hoped for on social media, it could make sense to boost your views by putting some paid advertising dollars into your posts until your presence takes hold. Each native network has its own paid social functionality, or you can use a paid social tool to quickly boost your posts.

Using a social media tool

A social media marketing tool like Sprout Social saves you countless hours managing your presence. Long gone are the days that you should find yourself manually logging in and out of each social profile when it’s time to publish a message, respond to customers or get your social media analytics.

Learn all about Sprout Social for your small business and start a free 30-day trial today.

Recommended for you

• Social Media Strategy

What social media tasks to automate and what to personalize

• Social Media Content

31 free social media templates that will elevate your workflows

• Leveling Up

54 answers to the most common social media questions

Target audience: What it is and how to find yours

• Now on slide

Build and grow stronger relationships on social

Sprout Social helps you understand and reach your audience, engage your community and measure performance with the only all-in-one social media management platform built for connection.

Digital Marketing For Small Business (2023 Guide)

Discover how to unlock the potential of digital marketing to grow your business effectively with our actionable guide.

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Benefits of Digital Marketing For Small Businesses

10 ways small businesses use digital marketing, how much does digital marketing cost for small businesses, additional learning resources.

Digital marketing is a critical process for small businesses. Small businesses can expand their online reach, boost brand awareness, and generate leads and sales by utilizing online marketing channels.

In this article, you’ll learn the best techniques small businesses can leverage to get the maximum benefit from their efforts.

We crafted this guide based on our extensive practical experience running digital marketing campaigns for local businesses, startups, sole entrepreneurs, online shops, and service-based businesses.

Before we get into how to use digital marketing to grow your business, let’s review the most important benefits of digital marketing for small businesses:

• It’s cost-effective compared to traditional marketing
• Enables small businesses to target their ideal customers precisely
• It’s great for raising brand awareness
• It’s easy to track results
• Allows small businesses to compete with bigger competitors
• It can lead to more sales and conversions

For a complete list of all the benefits of digital marketing, read our comprehensive guide below.

• Digital Marketing Benefits
• Establish Brand Identity and Increase Online Visibility
• Get Targeted Traffic From Search Engines
• Reach New Customers With PPC Ads
• Attract and Engage Customers With Content
• Run Social Media Campaigns to Specific Audiences
• Nurture Leads With Email Marketing
• Get Customers With Local Marketing
• Increase Sales With Affiliate Marketing
• Make Money Selling Other Businesses Products
• Use Analytics to Make Data-Driven Decisions

1. Build Brand Awareness and Increase Online Visibility

Perhaps the most common way for any small business to leverage digital marketing is to increase reach and visibility.

In today’s world, customers expect to find information about the companies they want to work with online.

If your customers can’t find you online, they may assume your company isn’t reliable, legitimate, or trustworthy.

Some of the most effective ways to use digital marketing to boost awareness and visibility include:

• Creating a professional website to showcase your products and services and draw attention to your brand story, values, and overall purpose.
• Creating social media profiles for your business on all major platforms.
• Responding to online reviews allows you to show a customer-first mindset.
• Creating business listings on local and industry-specific directories and platforms like Google My Business makes it easier to find specific local audiences.

2. Get Targeted Traffic From Search Engines

Creating a website and online presence can give your small business more credibility in a competitive space.

However, you still need to take steps to attract traffic (or prospects) to your business. Cultivating “targeted traffic” is particularly essential for smaller companies with limited marketing budgets.

With targeted traffic , you focus on drawing people with specific needs and goals to your site, leveraging the power of intent .

Concentrating on targeted traffic increases conversion rates and reduces customer acquisition costs, allowing you to appeal to more qualified leads with a genuine interest in your products or services.

The best way to invest in targeted traffic acquisition is SEO. Mastering SEO can be a complex process, as it involves many different steps, such as:

Keyword research: Keyword research is the first and most important element of any SEO strategy.

This means defining the terms your customers search for at each point in the purchasing journey.

Small businesses can use tools like SEMRush and Ahrefs to find relevant keywords with low difficulty levels and high traffic potential.

The best keywords for smaller companies are usually long-tail keywords , specific terms relevant to a niche audience, such as “Motorcycle garage near me.”

Website SEO Marketing : Website optimization for SEO is a multi-faceted process involving on-page and technical SEO strategies.

To ensure your site ranks, you’ll need to invest in implementing keywords into the right parts of your site, from page content to meta descriptions, tags, and titles.

It’s also important to ensure your site offers an excellent user experience, with fast-loading pages, easy navigation, and valuable content tailored to each stage of the purchasing journey.

Link building: Link building for SEO (also known as Off-Page SEO ) involves multiple steps. Internal linking between pages makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your content.

Gaining backlinks from high-authority websites in your niche can improve the reputation of your domain and provide access to new sources of traffic.

Inbound marketing: Inbound marketing involves creating content that captures customer attention and drives people to your site without you needing to reach out directly.

Strategies like content marketing, social media marketing, and PPC advertising can all increase your traffic and deliver new lead opportunities.

For more information, view the following guides.

• SEO Guide for Beginners
• Benefits of SEO For Small Businesses
• Benefits of Inbound Marketing for Small Businesses

3. Reach New Customers With PPC Ads

While many small businesses focus most of their attention on free forms of inbound marketing, paid ads can significantly boost your online presence.

Unlike SEO, which can take months to deliver consistent results, Pay-Per-Click advertising instantly draws attention to your business.

With PPC, companies pay for every click they receive from an ad campaign posted on an advertising platform like Google or Facebook.

PPC advertising allows businesses to specifically target unique audiences with certain criteria and measure their results using analytics.

PPC ads are excellent for attracting both local and international customers, building brand recognition, and increasing sales without worrying about Google algorithmic changes.

In the age of generative AI-based search engines, PPC is also becoming one of the most powerful ways to capture real estate at the top of the search result pages.

The key to success with PPC advertising is proper planning. Companies need to:

Target the right audience: You can target people based on their demographics, interests, purchasing behaviors, and even previous interactions with your brand.

Creating compelling ad copy: The right ads on any channel should immediately engage your audience. Focusing on the benefits you can offer to your customers and targeting their specific needs and pain points with your campaigns will increase results.

Read the following guides for more information on how to use PPC platforms to make sales and money.

• How to Make Money With Facebook Ads
• Facebook Marketing For Beginners

4. Attract and Engage Customers With Content

Content marketing is one of the most popular forms of inbound marketing. 70% of B2C companies and 70% of B2B organizations say they utilize content marketing as part of their strategy to connect with audiences.

For small businesses, content marketing is more than just an opportunity to increase search engine rankings with carefully placed keywords. It’s also a tool for building thought leadership and earning customer trust.

Sharing valuable content in the form of blog posts, articles, Ebooks, infographics, podcasts, and videos, allows you to engage your customers at every stage of the buyer funnel, no matter their level of intent.

The right content can educate and inform customers, entertain prospects, and keep clients returning to your website, increasing your chances of sales.

However, like any inbound marketing strategy, this method requires careful implementation.

The best content marketing strategies:

Deliver value to customers: More than anything else, your content needs to be valuable, informative, and actionable. It needs to answer customers’ questions about your products and services and help buyers achieve their goals.

Follow Google content guidelines: Following the guidelines established by Google , such as “E-E-A-T,” helps you create authoritative, trustworthy, and valuable content.

Focus on promotion: Just creating optimized content isn’t enough. Companies also need to draw attention to the pieces they produce consistently.

Sharing content on social media platforms, promoting links in email newsletters, and even working with influencers to draw attention to content can increase your ROI.

• Content Marketing Guide For Beginners

5. Run Social Media Campaigns to Specific Audiences

Social media is an incredible channel for small businesses. It offers a way to connect consistently with your audience in an environment they visit daily.

At the same time, social media gives companies a great way to learn about their customers, build more in-depth buyer personas, and even deliver rapid customer service.

Running an effective social media strategy starts with choosing the right platforms. Examining your customer personas can help you gain insight into which platforms you should use.

For instance, TikTok is the ultimate platform for reaching younger audiences from the Gen Z landscape.

Instagram is ideal for companies selling visually appealing products, while LinkedIn is fantastic for B2B businesses.

Once you’ve found the platforms most likely to resonate with your customers, make sure you’re committed to:

Posting engaging content regularly: Staying active is crucial on social media. Use your platform analytics to determine when your customers are most likely to be online and connect with them constantly, using links for engaging content, sharing updates about your business, and promoting sales and offers.

Engaging with followers: Social media is all about building relationships. Alongside posting regular content, you should also find ways to interact with your followers through polls and questions, responses to comments and messages, and competitions or contests.

Running targeted campaigns: As mentioned above, social media platforms offer various targeting options to help you connect with the right audience.

You can use these tools to reach specific demographics of people with unique interests or even create targeted campaigns for different customer groups.

Read the following guides to become an expert on social media marketing.

• Social Media Marketing Guide For Beginners
• Best Social Media Marketing Courses

6. Nurture Leads With Email Marketing

Email can seem a little old-fashioned compared to trending digital marketing channels for small businesses, such as video campaigns, webinars, and social media.

However, it’s a tried and tested way to collect and nurture leads. Email marketing delivers an ROI of around $36 for every $1 you spend.

Effective email marketing starts with list building. This means creating lists of contacts who actually want to hear from your company.

There are numerous ways to build email lists, but many of the most effective methods use landing pages, forms, pop-ups, and link magnets.

With an exceptional offer, such as a free download or resource, you can convince customers to share their contact details with you.

Once you have your list, you can segment customers into different groups based on their interests and behaviors.

This ensures you can send more personalized messages to every customer, designed to drive sales.

Email marketing platforms are excellent for boosting the value of your marketing strategy. They help you to segment customers from your list and send regular newsletters, updates, and promotional offers at the perfect time.

What’s more, with email marketing platforms, you’ll have access to analytics and insights you can use to optimize your campaigns over time.

Tracking click-through rates and engagement and experimenting with A/B tests can boost your marketing performance.

To learn more, use the following guides.

• Email Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
• Email Marketing Guide for Beginners

7. Get Customers With Local Marketing

As tempting as it might be to create marketing strategies with the broadest global reach possible, local marketing can often be more cost-effective and lucrative for small companies.

Local marketing strategies involve targeting a very specific group of customers with carefully crafted SEO campaigns, PPC advertisements, and social strategies.

You can use Google My Business to improve your presence on the search result pages and channels like Google Maps, which can increase foot traffic to your physical location.

Plus, with local strategies, companies often see a much higher return on investment.

Local campaigns cost less to implement than huge multi-national marketing strategies, and focus your marketing budget on the customers most likely to buy from you.

However, there are numerous steps involved in building a local online presence.

You’ll need to optimize your site for local SEO with carefully chosen keywords, register with Google My Business, and use Schema (Structured data markup) to give more information about your business to the search engines.

To fully optimize your website for local marketing, read our comprehensive guide below.

• Local SEO Checklist for Small Businesses

8. Increase Sales With Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the top three channels chosen for advertising by brand marketers for a good reason.

Affiliate marketing involves leveraging the influence other digital content creators have in the online world to increase your sales.

To use this tactic, you’ll offer a commission to other companies or individuals every time they help facilitate a sale.

There are numerous ways to experiment with affiliate marketing, such as:

Activating brand advocates: Your existing customers are one of the most valuable resources you have as a small business.

Happy customers who already love your products or services may be willing to refer new people to your company in exchange for a discount on their next purchase or a monetary reward.

Creating loyalty and referral programs for existing customers can help increase sales too. A referred customer is up to 18% more loyal than a customer acquired by other methods.

Working with influencers: Influencer marketing doesn’t just mean working with celebrities to showcase your products. Even micro-influencers can have a significant impact on your brand reputation and revenue.

These experts share information about your brand and products with an existing community on social media and other channels.

Joining affiliate networks: Affiliate networks provide companies access to niche-specific affiliates willing to work for their brand.

In exchange for a commission, these individuals can promote your products in various ways, with blogs, podcasts, and social posts.

9. Make Money Selling Other Businesses Products

Just as you can earn more sales for your own business by working with affiliates and influences, you can also consider unlocking another form of revenue by becoming an affiliate yourself.

Many small businesses work with partner brands in their industry to increase sales and access new opportunities.

The key to success is choosing the right businesses to partner with. You don’t want to promote companies that could steal your customers, and the products and services you advertise should be relevant to your target audience.

Read our guide below for more information on using affiliate marketing as an additional revenue stream for your business.

• Make Money With Affiliate Marketing

10. Use Analytics to Make Data-Driven Decisions

Mastering digital marketing for small businesses takes time and consistent effort. Learning from each campaign you create is crucial to maximizing your marketing budget and driving the right results.

This means data analytics is one of the most useful tools you’ll use in any campaign. Before starting a campaign, consider the goals you want to achieve and the KPIs and metrics you’ll need to track.

For instance, if you’re implementing an SEO strategy to boost traffic and brand awareness, you might monitor the number of unique visits to your site and brand mentions.

If you’re using social media to increase conversions, you can track the number of customers converting on your site from social media campaigns.

The good news is various tools are available to help you gather useful insights from your marketing strategies.

Google Analytics is the go-to resource for analyzing what your visitors do while on your website, and the Google Search Console will give you insights into how your website is performing on Google.

Social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn all have their own useful analytical tools for businesses.

Good email marketing automation platforms come with analytical tools and A/B testing features built-in.

You can also consider experimenting with third-party tools, like SEMRush and Ahrefs, for tracking ranking opportunities or social media platforms, like Sprout Social and HootSuite, for managing your social media accounts.

The cost of digital marketing for small businesses can vary widely depending on several factors, including the specific marketing strategies employed, the scale of the business, the target audience, and the goals of the marketing campaigns.

Here are some key cost considerations for small businesses engaging in digital marketing:

Building your marketing team : Digital marketing for small businesses often requires the support of multiple different professionals, from social media experts to content creators.

You’ll need to consider the cost of paying freelancers or full-time employee salaries. There are also expenses to consider around benefits, training for team members, and software subscriptions.

Outsourcing: Since digital marketing often takes a lot of time and effort, many small businesses outsource their needs to agencies and freelancers .

While this is cheaper than hiring in-house staff, you’ll still need to track the costs of each project. Some companies charge per hour or per project, while others use monthly retainers.

Advertising budgets: If you’re going to be using paid advertising, you’ll need to create a strategic budget for channels like Google Ads and Facebook ads.

Content creation: Most business owners don’t have the time or skill to create large amounts of content themselves.

While content creation can be quite affordable, there are still costs for blog post writing, video creation, and even podcast production.

Web development costs: Building an online presence also incurs its own fees. You may need to hire developers or designers to create a custom website from scratch, or you may choose to pay a subscription cost for a platform like Wix, where you can design your site yourself.

Digital marketing tools : Whether you’re investing in digital marketing internally or outsourcing to a third party, you’ll often need to invest in your own tools. This means paying for tools related to keyword research, social media marketing automation, email marketing, and even PPC ad management.

To give you some real numbers based on our experience:

• The average hourly rate of a digital marketing consultant is between $100 – $150 (in the US). You’ll need at least 10-15 hours per month to get things done.
• The minimum budget for Facebook and Google Ads is $2000 monthly ($1000 on each network). A lower amount will make getting any real results from PPC is very hard.
• The average cost of creating a custom website is $2000 – $5000.
• The average monthly cost for tools is between $500 – $1000.

To sum up, a reasonable digital marketing budget for a small business is between $3500 – $5000 monthly.

Read the following resources to learn more about digital marketing and how to use it to benefit your business.

• Digital Marketing For Startups
• How to Start an Online Business
• Digital Marketing Guide for Beginners
• How to Promote Your Small Business Online
• How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy

Alex Chris is a digital marketing consultant, author, and instructor. He has more than 18 years of practical experience with SEO and digital marketing. Alex holds an MSc Degree in eCommerce and has consulted with Fortune 500 companies in different industries. He blogs regularly about SEO and Digital marketing, and his work has been referenced by leading marketing websites. Connect with Alex on Twitter and LinkedIn .

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The Ultimate Guide to Marketing for Small Businesses

In this article, you'll learn the fundamentals of marketing for small businesses. We’ll explore the idea of brand identity and the many types of marketing available, including how to use each to your advantage.

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reating a marketing plan is essential for small business owners to connect with their target audience, build loyal customers, and drive growth.  

Identifying your target audience

Marketing works when it resonates with a potential buyer, tapping into their needs or desires. Therefore, to market effectively, you need to know who your buyers are and what they want .

Defining your ideal customer

Start by creating an "ideal customer"—a composite profile of the person who is your business is best equipped to serve.

You may have these ideal customers already. Talk to your most loyal buyers or clients. Find out what drew them to you and what they love about your offering. If possible, dive deeper and find out what social media platforms they use, whether they open emails from businesses like yours, and if there are specific messages, discounts, or events that inspire them to make a purchase. If you’re just starting out, do some competitive analysis of other businesses in your industry to get a sense of the customers they’re targeting.

Aanalyze any customer data you have. For example, find out what your top buyers have in common, from income level to purchase patterns.

Doing market research

Since you'll want to explore beyond your current customer base, doing general market research is essential. Look at the following:

• Demand: What unmet needs can your business fill?
• Market saturation: How tough is the competition?
• Market size: How many people could you serve?
• Location: What areas can you serve?

Start with existing sources, such as trade associations and industry publications . If you're a consumer business, look at related consumer publications and online forums. Some businesses design focus groups and surveys, but these techniques are resource-intensive and may not be worthwhile for smaller businesses.

Creating a small business marketing plan

Maximize the impact of a limited marketing budget with a clear, strategic marketing plan . Identify what makes your business unique and determine how you'll communicate that to your audience.

Finding your unique selling proposition (USP)

Your USP is your "it" factor—the thing you do better or differently than the competition. It's about offering something no one else can. Identify how you stand out, then put that feature at the front of your marketing.

Setting goals and developing a strategy

Like any goal for your business, your marketing goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). Create a quantifiable target you want to reach with a deadline, but don't make it impossible to hit.

For example, your primary goal might be to increase your customer base by 25% in a year. Determining who you want to reach, the tactics that will help you achieve this increase, and how you will implement them forms the basis of your marketing strategy.

Creating your small business marketing mix

The first element of your strategy is your marketing mix, also known as the "Four P's":

• Product: What do you sell, and what makes it unique?
• Price: How much will people pay for it, and will that price cover your costs?
• Placement: Where do people buy products or services like yours?
• Promotion: What channels and messaging will you use for marketing your business?

Most businesses use the first three P's to inform their promotional strategy. For the fourth P, Promotion, consider your brand identity and communication style when selecting your marketing channels. For example, if you’re a consumer brand with a casual image, Instagram could be a great way to reach your target audience.

Developing your brand

Branding is the foundation of any successful marketing strategy. It shapes how consumers think of you and helps you stand out from the crowd.

Strong brands are critical for marketing success, but they take purposeful thought and planning. Here’s how to develop yours.

Creating a solid brand identity

Consumer psychology is all about identity. Consumers choose brands like they choose friends—because they feel a personal connection and "fit." If you’re starting your business from scratch, you will need to define your brand before you start creating marketing messages.

Creating a brand persona can help. Imagine your business as a person and describe them. How do they dress, act, and talk? These details will help you create more cohesive messaging.

Establishing brand messaging and guidelines

Guidelines help you maintain brand consistency in all of your marketing, whether you’re creating marketing materials yourself, have an in-house creative team, or work with freelancers. Clear, well documented brand guidelines will save you time by simplifying creative decisions when you or your team are drafting emails, ads, social media posts, and more. When you’re working with multiple vendors, contractors, writers, or interns, brand guidelines will help keep your messaging and visual identity consistent everywhere your brand shows up. They keep your messaging consistent. Consistency is essential for customer loyalty, which drives higher spending.

In 2021, 68% of marketers reported that brand consistency drove 10% to over 20% of recent revenue growth..

The best way to develop brand guidelines is with a formal style guide. It doesn’t have to be extensive—just long enough to convey the important points of how you present yourself.

A basic style guide should include the following:

• A unique selling proposition: What makes you stand out from the competition?
• Your business’s mission: Your vision and values
• Your brand personality: How you’d describe your brand as a person—casual or formal, outgoing or reserved, etc.
• Your brand voice: How your business expresses itself in words, considering its personality and image
• Your visual branding: The logo, color scheme, and graphic style you prefer for brand messaging

Be as clear as possible in how you express your branding preferences. You want all content creators, now and in the future, to be able to follow it and create consistent messaging.

Website and search engine optimization (SEO)

Many customers will find you through your website. Some will search Google or a map app for your business name or category, such as “consultants near me.” Others will click through from your social media or paid ads, if you’re investing in paid search or display advertising.

That means that your website should be designed for your customers and optimized for them to take action. And you’ll want to follow best practices for SEO to ensure that you’re maximizing your online visibility to potential leads. 

Elements of a successful website

A well-designed business website includes the following:

• Straightforward navigation : A user-friendly menu that makes it easy to find specific pages.
• Elegant design : A professional and uncluttered layout featuring images and just enough text to get the message across.
• Mobile-optimized: Easy to browse on any device.
• Valuable content: Pages and posts that meet a need or solve a problem.
• Clear calls-to-action : Buttons and forms that help people take the next step, whether that is filling out a form or making a purchase.

Many website-building tools make it easy to create a beautiful website. If you have the budget and want something more customized, consider hiring a designer.

Strategies for SEO

SEO is designing and tweaking your website to rank highly on search engine results pages (SERPs). The most important search engine is Google, which processes over 91% of web searches.

The top result on a Google SERP gets 27.6% of clicks . In other words, more than one in four searchers will click the first non-ad result on a page. Also, for each position you move up, you can expect your click-through rate to increase by about 2.8%. It’s important to keep in mind that Google updates its algorithm without notice, and regularly experiments with new or paid SERP features that may push your organic listings further down. Search is a competitive and constantly evolving space, so it’s normal to see your rankings for non-branded keywords move up and down. Ideally, your site consistently ranks at the top of the first SERP for your business name and any related searches that include your business name.

Apply SEO best practices to give search engines what they want. For example:

• Do keyword research. Find out what phrases your ideal customer uses to search, and work them into your website.
• Create relevant and helpful content. Google's helpful content system rewards websites that offer valuable and authoritative information.
• Format for search engines—and readers. Use headings, subheadings, and concise paragraphs to make content easy to read. Add title tags to help Google understand each page's topics. But your website doesn’t only exist for robots and web crawlers, and Google favors content that humans click on, so don’t overlook the user experience on your site.

Like other elements of your marketing strategy, your website does its job when it converts. Monitor your SEO performance by tracking changes in your website performance. Some straightforward metrics to start with include:

• Bounce rate: How often people leave after viewing one page
• Duration : How long people spend on a page
• Conversion: How often visitors make a purchase or take another action

Start checking this data for free using Google Analytics.

Social media marketing

Social media marketing is essential for small businesses. It's how you actively engage with audiences and start conversations that turn into relationships.

Choosing the right platforms

Social media is valuable, but it can be time-consuming. According to HubSpot research, most brands post four times weekly or more per platform. You may consider some tools that help you plan and schedule social posts in advance, or post across multiple platforms at once. You can also narrow your focus — you don't have to be on every platform to get results.

Start with the sites that attract your target audience. For example, if you sell beauty products primarily to millennial women, Instagram is a must-have. On the other hand, if you're a consultant targeting startups, LinkedIn may be more useful.

Developing your social strategy

Once you've chosen your platforms, identify goals for your social media strategy. For example, you might use paid ads to reach new audiences or encourage existing followers to share your content. Either way, knowing your goals will help you decide when, where, and what to post.

Making effective content

Aim to post consistently, but don't fall into the trap of posting solely to meet your quota. Every content piece should educate, entertain, or inspire an emotional reaction.

Engaging with audiences

Getting the most out of social means interacting with your audience. Respond to questions in the comments, your direct messages, or DMs in social media lingo. If someone mentions your brand, comment or share.

Content marketing

Content marketing is a strategic approach to creating and sharing valuable content with the goal of attracting and retaining a clearly defined audience. It's a great way to build your brand and offer value to your target audience. It focuses on offering value, strengthening relationships, and moving audiences along the sales funnel.

Creating a strategy

If you've already developed a brand identity and created an SEO strategy, you've done half the content marketing work. You know your target audience and the keywords it uses to search, and you understand the competitive landscape.

Your next step is to create a content calendar. This outlines what you plan to post, in what format, and when. Use the goals you've established to decide how much content you want to create around each topic.

Developing effective content

Articles and blog posts under 3,000 words are the most common type of content marketing for B2B and business-to-consumer (B2C) marketers . They're straightforward to create and are easily shareable on social media.

Video is more time-consuming to create, but it's highly engaging and gets excellent results. Among the 91% of surveyed marketers who use video, 96% say it's an integral part of their strategy. Choose the materials that you believe will serve your audience best.

Tracking content marketing success

Content marketing leads readers to other conversion-focused pages, but it isn't sales-oriented. It's a top-of-funnel strategy that attracts audiences with informational or entertaining content relevant to your business.

Because the goal of content is to build relationships and not necessarily make an immediate sale, you need to measure it in other ways. Typical content marketing success metrics include:

• Web traffic: Navigations to your website from your marketing content
• Lead generation: Prospects who contact you after interacting with your content
• Conversions: People who sign up to learn more, buy something, or take another desired action
• Search rankings: Whether you move up in search results after publishing content

Choose the metrics that best match your goals. For example, if organic traffic is a content goal, you'll pay more attention to rankings than conversions.

Email marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool for reaching current and prospective customers. As of 2021, 41.5% of marketers say it's essential to their marketing mix.

Customers love it, too. According to Constant Contact , more than half of consumers prefer businesses to contact them by email.

Developing an email marketing strategy

Your email strategy starts like every other marketing strategy—by identifying your goals and whom you want to reach. For example, do you need to deepen your relationships with existing customers or convert more prospects? From there, decide what channels to use.

Creating effective email campaigns

Use the email types that will communicate your message best. Available types of marketing emails include:

• Newsletters: Staying top-of-mind with news and updates
• Promotional campaigns: Sharing discounts or members-only specials
• Seasonal marketing : Planning special promotions for times such as spring, the Fourth of July, and Halloween
• Win-back emails: Contacting people who have fallen out of touch

Before you get started, set your business up with an email service with all the functionality you’ll need for building your list, designing emails, and scheduling automated messages. Look for one that will track the success of your campaigns and show you which messages get the best results.

Tracking email success

The simplest and most effective way to track your email campaigns is through a bulk email service, such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact. These services report on metrics such as open rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, bounce rate, unsubscribe rate, and spam complaints.

Paid advertising

Even with free and low-cost options such as content and email, paid advertising is still a tried-and-true small business marketing strategy.

Types of paid ads

There's a massive variety of options available, both online and offline. Online paid ads include:

• Social media ads
• Search ads , also called pay-per-click
• Display ads on third-party websites

Online advertising is generally affordable, which makes it great for small businesses. For example, Google Ads lets you set a monthly budget , and you only pay per click. Most digital ads also let you show your messages to people who share specific characteristics from age and location to buying behavior.

That said, don't dismiss "old-school" advertising, especially if you have a local presence. TV, radio, and newspaper ads still reach local audiences.

Launching and measuring paid advertising

Whether they're online or offline, effective ads are concise and persuasive. They focus on benefits rather than features—what the buyer will get out of the product, not what the product can do.

Digital advertising platforms, such as Google or Facebook, let you track the results of your ads. Follow these closely and adjust your campaigns accordingly.

Traditional advertising is harder to measure, but you can still get plenty of information by asking how people found you. For example, before you start running ads, add a “How did you learn about us?” question to channels such as your email signup or purchase form. If people point to your ads, you’ll know those ads are working.

Public relations

Until this point, all of the marketing strategies you’ve learned about have focused on how you communicate with consumers. Public relations—PR—takes care of what other people say about you.

Public conversations exist about any business. PR efforts follow what people say and weigh in to shape the conversation, so your public image becomes what you want it to be.

Creating a PR strategy

Develop your PR strategy by paying attention to what people say about your business. Then reinforce the "good stuff" and prove the bad stuff wrong.

Unlike other types of marketing, most PR primarily involves “earned media”—other sources talking about or featuring you. Some of those messages, such as press releases, you can directly contribute to. Others, such as brand mentions on social media, you take an indirect role in facilitating.

For example, suppose you own a coffee business, and you want to establish yourself as edgy and on-trend. Your PR team creates a hashtag, #notyourmotherscoffeeshop, and reaches out to a few smaller-scale influencers to promote it.

Influencing is just one way to impact your PR strategy. Find out how your customers talk about you, whether by asking them directly or searching social media for brand mentions, then strategize ways to weigh in.

Using press releases

The press release is a classic PR tool. Written for audiences of news reporters, press releases position your company's news as something other people will want to read about. A well-written press release should:

• Start with a short, engaging headline
• Present key facts
• Show why the story is newsworthy
• Include a link to learn more

Of course, press releases only succeed if someone picks them up. Take time to research journalists who write in your industry, and send personalized messages to build your relationship.

Measuring small business marketing success

To get the most from your marketing dollars, you need to track campaign performance and learn which decisions move you forward.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) for small businesses

KPIs are quantifiable metrics of success, each of which connects your marketing efforts to your bottom line. Popular KPIs for small business marketers include:

• Customer acquisition cost: How much you spend to acquire a customer
• Click-through rate: How many people click through to your website from a marketing asset
• Conversion rate: How many people visited your website compared to how many took the desired action

You don't have to track every KPI—just the ones most relevant to your goals, financial needs, and data resources.

Tools to measure your success

Many KPIs are measurable using your existing marketing tools. For example, your bulk email service will help you understand your click-through rate. Likewise, Google Analytics will help you understand landing page and blog traffic.

If you’re not familiar with Google Analytics or you want to get started before you set it up, you can calculate some KPIs manually. For instance, to calculate customer acquisition cost, divide the amount you spent on a campaign by how many customers it brought in.

Finally, if you have the budget for it, consider investing in a data analytics solution such as SAS or InsightSquared. These tools help you track performance across your organization, not just in your marketing.

Analytics tools are helpful because they give you not just the numbers but also what they mean. Data is just numbers, but analytics provide you with direction.

Finding the best way to market your business

There's a lot to learn about small business marketing, but it all comes down to three basic ideas:

• Know your audience
• Create an engaging journey
• Show potential customers why they should choose you

If launching a complete marketing strategy seems overwhelming, start with one channel and one campaign. If it does well, take what you learned and try something new.

Finally, as your business grows, make sure it stays scalable and well-organized. For instance, you’ll ideally have more money coming in, so you’ll want reliable business banking with automation features, insightful reporting, and simple money movement.

With everything in place, a customer-focused marketing strategy will take you to the next level.

Novo Platform Inc. strives to provide accurate information but cannot guarantee that this content is correct, complete, or up-to-date. This page is for informational purposes only and is not financial or legal advice nor an endorsement of any third-party products or services. All products and services are presented without warranty. Novo Platform Inc. does not provide any financial or legal advice, and you should consult your own financial, legal, or tax advisors.

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How to Create a Complete Marketing Strategy in 2024 [Data + Expert Tips]

Updated: March 29, 2024

Published: October 26, 2023

Creating a marketing strategy is essential to effectively nurture your customers, improve your business’s bottom line, and increase the ROI of your efforts.

A marketing strategy is especially critical if you want to use the highest ROI trends for 2024 : short-form video and social media. To get powerful results, you must carefully weave both emerging trends and proven strategies into your plan.

Let’s dive into the critical components of a complete marketing strategy in 2024, followed by some examples for inspiration.

Table of Contents

• What is a marketing strategy?

Marketing Strategy vs. Marketing Plan

Marketing strategy components, why is a marketing strategy important, marketing strategy process, recommended resources, examples of successful marketing strategies, what to expect after following your marketing process steps, marketing strategy.

A marketing strategy covers a company’s overall approach for promoting its brand to a target audience. The process involves research, goal-setting, and positioning.

A completed marketing strategy typically includes brand objectives, target audience personas, marketing channels, key performance indicators, and more.

A marketing strategy will:

• Align your team to specific goals.
• Help you tie your efforts to business objectives.
• Allow you to identify and test what resonates with your target audience.
• Empower you to capitalize on emerging trends.

The last one is especially important. Keeping up with marketing trends is important for your strategy, but it could be a full-time job.

Why? Because almost 80% of marketers say this industry changed more in the last three years than it has in the past five decades.

Add to that the fact that 50% of marketers believe their marketing strategy in 2023 was only *somewhat effective,* which means there’s plenty of room for improvement.

In short, what worked for your marketing strategy in the past might not fly today.

A marketing strategy outlines the long-term goals and overall approach, while a marketing plan covers the specific actions and tactics to achieve those goals.

Phrased another way, marketing strategy guides the overall marketing efforts of a business. It includes goal-setting, market and competitor research, as well as messaging and positioning for a brand.

For example, say you’re creating a marketing strategy for a new fashion brand. Your strategy might target young urban professionals and position the brand as trendy and affordable.

But a marketing plan is a detailed tactical roadmap. It outlines the specific actions and tactics that should achieve the marketing strategy’s goals.

For example, the marketing plan for the fashion brand mentioned above might include:

• Targeted social media campaigns.
• Influencer partnerships.
• Online advertising timeline.

Both a marketing strategy and a marketing plan are essential for a business’s success.

To succeed in the fast-paced marketing world — and maintain a sense of relevance with your audience — it’s vital to stay ahead of the curve.

To help ease some of that uncertainty, we’re going to show you step-by-step how to create a comprehensive marketing strategy. But first, let’s go over the individual components that make up a strong marketing strategy.

Free Marketing Plan Template

Outline your company's marketing strategy in one simple, coherent plan.

• Pre-Sectioned Template
• Completely Customizable
• Example Prompts
• Professionally Designed

You're all set!

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• Marketing Mix (4 Ps of Marketing)
• Marketing Objectives
• Marketing Budget
• Competitive Analysis
• Segmentation, Targeting, & Positioning
• Content Creation (Including Trending Content)
• Metrics & Key Performance Indicators

1. Marketing Mix

7. Metrics & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Conduct market research.
• Define your goals.
• Identify your target audience and create buyer personas.
• Conduct competitive analysis.
• Develop key messaging.
• Choose your marketing channels.
• Create, track, and analyze KPIs.
• Present your marketing strategy.

1. Conduct market research.

Before you can begin creating your marketing strategy, you need to gather useful data for making informed decisions. Market research is like playing detective, but instead of solving crimes, you’re uncovering juicy details about your customers.

Market research will help your businesses make data-driven decisions for your marketing strategy. It also makes it easier to understand your target market, find gaps, and make the most of your resources.

This process is essential for understanding your customers and adapting to changing trends. If you’re new to this process, this complete market research guide and template can help.

Once you have the data you need, you’ll be ready to set some marketing goals.

2. Define your goals.

What do you want to achieve through your marketing efforts?

Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or diversifying your customer base, well-defined goals will guide your marketing strategy.

Your marketing strategy goals should reflect your business goals. They should also offer clear direction for marketing efforts.

For example, say one of your business goals is to increase market share by 20% within a year. Your goal as a marketer could include expanding into new target markets, updating your brand, or driving customer acquisition.

Other marketing goals might be to increase brand awareness or generate high-quality leads. You might also want to grow or maintain thought leadership in your industry or increase customer value.

Defining clear goals provides direction and clarity, guiding marketing efforts toward desired outcomes. It helps with resource allocation, decision-making, and measuring the success of marketing initiatives.

This SMART goal guide can help you with more effective goal-setting.

3. Identify your target audience and create buyer personas.

To create an effective marketing strategy, you need to understand who your ideal customers are. Take a look at your market research to understand your target audience and market landscape. Accurate customer data is especially important for this step.

But it’s not enough to know who your audience is. Once you’ve figured out who they are, you need to understand what they want. This isn’t just their needs and pain points. It’s how your product or service can solve their problems.

So, if you can’t define who your audience is in one sentence, now’s your chance to do it. Create a buyer persona that’s a snapshot of your ideal customer.

For example, a store like Macy’s could define a buyer persona as Budgeting Belinda, a stylish working-class woman in her 30s living in a suburb, looking to fill her closet with designer deals at low prices.

With this description, Macy’s Marketing department can picture Budgeting Belinda and work with a clear definition in mind.

Buyer personas have critical demographic and psychographic information, including age, job title, income, location, interests, and challenges. Notice how Belinda has all those attributes in her description.

For B2B SaaS companies, keep in mind that buyer personas don’t apply solely to the end user. When you’re selling a product to another business, you also have to address the decision-maker, the financial buyer, and the technical advisor, among other roles, says Head of Marketing at Entrapeer, Hillary Lyons .

“You need to be able to tailor your message to each of these unique personas even though most of them will never actually use the product,” says Lyons. “You have to sell each of them on the unparalleled benefit you provide without muddling your [overall] message.”

You don’t have to create your buyer persona with a pen and paper. In fact, HubSpot offers a free template you can use to make your own (and it’s really fun).

You can also use a platform like Versium , which helps you identify, understand, and reach your target audience through data and artificial intelligence.

Buyer personas should be at the core of your strategy.

4. Conduct competitive analysis.

Now that you have an understanding of your customers, it’s time to see who you’re competing with to get their attention.

To begin your competitive analysis, start with your top competitors. Reviewing their websites, content, ads, and pricing can help you understand how to differentiate your brand. It’s also a useful way to find opportunities for growth.

But how do you know which competitors are most important? This competitive analysis kit with templates will walk you through the process. It will help you choose and evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and strategies of your competitors.

This process will help you find market gaps, spot trends, and figure out which marketing tactics will be most effective. Competitive analysis can also offer valuable insights into pricing, positioning, and marketing channels.

5. Develop key messaging.

You’ve figured out who you’re talking to, what they’ve already heard, and what they want to hear. Now, it’s time to share your brand’s unique value proposition .

In this step, you’ll craft key messaging that shows the benefits of your product or service and resonates with your target audience. This process should show off the research and work you have done up to this point. It should also incorporate your creativity, inventiveness, and willingness to experiment.

Well-crafted key messaging:

• Sets businesses apart from the competition.
• Resonates with the target audience.
• Is flexible enough to be consistent across all marketing channels.
• Builds brand credibility.
• Creates an emotional connection with customers.
• Influences buying decisions.

The key messaging in your marketing strategy is critical to driving engagement, loyalty, and business growth. These value proposition templates can help if you’re not sure how to draft this important messaging.

6. Choose your marketing channels.

You know what you have to say. Now, decide on the best marketing channels for your message. Your top goal for this stage of your strategy is to align your channel choices with your target persona’s media consumption habits.

Start with media channels you’re already using. Then, consider a mix of traditional and digital channels such as social media, TV, email marketing, podcast ads, SEO, content marketing, and influencer partnerships.

To streamline this process, think of your assets in three categories — paid, owned, and earned media.

To decide which marketing channels are best for your marketing strategy, look carefully at each channel. Think about which channels are best for reaching your audience, staying within budget, and meeting your goals.

For example, a business targeting a younger demographic might consider using TikTok or Reddit to reach its audience.

Don’t forget to take a look at emerging platforms and trends as you complete this review. You may also want to look at the content you’ve already created. Gather your materials in each media type in one location. Then, look at your content as a whole to get a clear vision of how you can integrate them into your strategy.

For example, say you already have a blog that’s rolling out weekly content in your niche (owned media). You might consider promoting your blog posts on Threads (owned media), which customers might then repost (earned media). Ultimately, that will help you create a better, more well-rounded marketing strategy.

If you have resources that don’t fit into your goals, nix them. This is also a great time to clean house and find gaps in your materials.

7. Create, track, and analyze KPIs.

Once you have a clear outline of your marketing strategy, you’ll need to think about how you’ll measure whether it’s working.

At this stage, you’ll shift from marketing detective to numbers nerd. With a little planning and prep, your analytics can unveil the mysteries of marketing performance and unlock super insights.

Review your strategy and choose measurable KPIs to track the effectiveness of your strategy. Create a system that works for your team to collect and measure your data.

Then, plan to check and analyze the performance of your strategy over time. This can help you refine your approach based on results and feedback.

Lexi Boese , an ecommerce growth strategist and co-founder of The Digital Opportunists, recommends making data a priority when building your marketing strategy this year.

“The more data you can use, the easier you can track your success,” she says. “This could be as simple as understanding which channels convert the highest amount of customers (to determine how your team should prioritize ad spend), or assessing whether you have a higher amount of first-time or returning customers to [determine] if you should focus on internal or external marketing.”

Analyzing KPIs helps businesses stay agile, refine their strategies, and adapt to evolving customer needs.

8. Present your marketing strategy.

A finished marketing strategy will pull together the sections and components above. It may also include:

Executive Summary

A concise overview that outlines the marketing goals, target audience, and key marketing tactics.

Brand Identity

You may want to create a brand identity as part of your strategy. Brand positioning, voice, and visual identity may also be helpful additions to your marketing strategy.

Marketing Plan and Tactics

Your marketing plan is the specific actions you’ll take to achieve the goals in your marketing strategy. Your plan may cover campaigns, channel-specific tactics, and more.

Not sure where to start? This free marketing plan template can help.

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10 Crucial Marketing Tips for Online Businesses Boost your visibility and attract more customers with these proven strategies.

By Jigar Thakkar Edited by Micah Zimmerman Jan 19, 2023

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Starting an online business is great for bringing your products or services to a broader audience. However, the competition is fierce, and it can be difficult to stand out in the crowded online marketplace.

That's where marketing comes in. Implementing the right marketing strategies can boost your visibility, attract more customers and achieve online business success. Here are ten marketing tips that can help you achieve these goals.

1. Understand your target audience: It's important to know who you are selling to, so you can create marketing campaigns that appeal to them. Conduct market research to learn more about your target audience and their needs, preferences, and behaviors.

Related: 9 Ways to Meet and Understand Your Audience

2. Have a clear value proposition: Your value proposition should explain why your product or service is better than those offered by your competitors. It should be clear, concise and compelling and should address your target audience's needs and pain points.

3. Create a strong website: Your website is often the first point of contact between you and your potential customers, so it's important to make a good impression. Make sure your website is well-designed, easy to navigate, and informative.

4. Use SEO to your advantage : SEO (search engine optimization) can help you get more organic traffic to your website by making it easier for search engines to find and understand your content. Use keyword research to optimize your website and content for relevant search terms, and make sure your website is mobile-friendly and has a fast loading speed.

5. Use social media: Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can be powerful marketing tools for online businesses. Use them to engage with your audience, share updates and promotions, and build brand awareness.

Related: The Business of Harnessing the Power of Social Media

6. Utilize email marketing: Email marketing can be an effective way to stay in touch with your customers and promote your products or services. Use email marketing software to create newsletters and automated email campaigns, and segment your email list to send targeted messages to specific groups of customers.

7. Maximize your use of content marketing and Influencer marketing: Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. Use content marketing to educate and engage your customers and to build trust and credibility for your brand.

Influencer marketing involves partnering with influential people in your industry to promote your products or services. Identify relevant influencers in your industry, and reach out to them to discuss potential collaboration opportunities.

8. Utilize paid advertising: Paid advertising can be a powerful way to quickly get your message in front of a large audience. Use platforms like Google AdWords, Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads to reach your target audience.

Related: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Paid Ads

9. Offer excellent customer service: Providing excellent customer service is essential for online businesses. Respond promptly to customer inquiries and complaints, and ensure your customers have a positive experience interacting with your business.

10. Analyze and optimize your marketing efforts: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your marketing campaigns and identify areas for improvement. Continuously test and optimize your campaigns to get the best results.

Related: The 6 Online Marketing Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs

These ten marketing tips can increase your visibility , attract more customers, and achieve online business success. Remember to create high-quality, original content and optimize your website and content for relevant keywords.

Use social media to promote your content and make sure your website is mobile-friendly and has a fast loading speed. Manage your online presence with Google My Business, monitoring and addressing technical issues and conducting A/B testing .

By implementing these strategies, you can give your online business the boost it needs to thrive in the digital marketplace.

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14 Digital Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Whether you run an e-commerce business or a traditional brick-and-mortar store, investing in digital marketing can be essential in promoting your brand and remaining competitive in the marketplace. Digital marketing typically involves online marketing methods, but it can also include local marketing options.

Here are 14 digital marketing tips to consider when developing your marketing strategy .

1. Optimize your website for mobile

With more consumers browsing and making purchases using their smartphones and tablets, using a responsive design for your website will allow it to display correctly on mobile devices, as well as desktops. This is especially important for e-commerce businesses looking to drive sales.

Website builders such as Squarespace and Wix, as well as dedicated e-commerce platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce, typically offer mobile-friendly templates and features. As you design your website, check to see how it looks and functions on a mobile device and make any necessary adjustments.

2. Create business profiles

A free advertising strategy and an easy way to improve search rank for your business is to claim and update your business profiles on Google, Bing, Yahoo and other popular search platforms. Your business profile is a useful way to provide current and potential customers with essential information about your business, such as address, phone number and store hours. Also, adding images, photos and logos can be helpful when engaging potential customers.

The Better Business Bureau, Yelp for Business and Nextdoor are other platforms where details about your business can gain the attention of local customers.

3. Understand your target audience

Knowing your target audience, the consumers who are likely to buy your products and services, allows you to customize your digital marketing strategy for different segments of your customer base. For example, if you own a coffee shop and want to sell bags of your specialty blends to customers outside your local area, your digital marketing strategy would typically be different than the one you use for walk-in customers.

Identifying different groups in your target audience allows you to customize the digital marketing strategies you use to engage them — whether it’s through social platforms, local listings, email or another method.

4. Invest in local marketing

If your business operates in a local market, you’ll want to take advantage of the digital marketing strategies that specifically appeal and relate to that audience. Some local marketing strategies to consider include:

Local TV and radio ads.

Digital billboards, signs and displays in high-traffic locations.

Direct mail campaigns in your local area.

Hosting or participating in community events.

With these strategies, you can easily include your business's website and social media handles on any materials or information you distribute in your local community.

5. Start a blog as part of your content marketing strategy

Blog articles, one of the simplest ways to get involved in content marketing , can have a significant impact on your ability to attract customers and drive sales. Articles as well as newsletters, videos, infographics, e-books and other materials can be shared on your website and through email and social media posts.

Writing about topics related to your business, showing your expertise and providing helpful information can drive more traffic to your website and help improve search rankings for your business.

» MORE: Best content marketing software

6. Engage on social media platforms that suit your business

Just like content marketing, social media marketing is another type of digital marketing. Many consumers rely on social media marketing to guide purchasing decisions. However, instead of trying to excel on all social media platforms, determine which platforms are best for your business and focus your energy there.

For example, if you’re starting an online boutique, you might find that platforms with an emphasis on images, such as Pinterest and Instagram, match your digital marketing strategies better than others.

Zeroing in on a few platforms can make it easier to stay active and respond quickly to customer interactions.

7. Build your contact list to maximize email marketing

Using customer relationship management with email marketing is an effective digital marketing tactic that’s often used to build loyalty and engage new customers. CRM software can help you collect and store information about your contacts — your existing customers and potential customers who have interacted with your business in some way.

Your contact list can be used to share newsletters, special offers, announcements, discounts and other information about your business and products. Also, information such as a contact’s first name and location can autopopulate to personalize outgoing emails.

» MORE: Best email marketing software

8. Encourage customers to leave online reviews

Customer reviews can be personally rewarding and strengthen the reputation of your business. Reviews can also be helpful in building rapport with existing customers and influencing others to visit your website. You can place signs at your location, in addition to including links on your website and in emails, to encourage customers to write reviews of your business.

You’ll want to monitor your reviews for any negative feedback as well, so you can quickly work to resolve the issue. Meeting bad reviews head-on can help you improve your products and processes and can give you the opportunity to strengthen your relationship with customers.

9. Use digital ads to reach your target audience

If it’s within your marketing budget, placing digital ads on Google and social media platforms can help get your business in front of your target audience. Digital ads generally give you the ability to choose keywords, target your specific audience and engage prospective customers who are likely to want your product or service. Digital advertising can be used to target customers in your local area, in a specific age range and in a niche market.

Retargeting tools are also offered by many of these platforms and allow you to show your ads specifically to customers who have already interacted with your business website and shown an interest in your products.

» MORE: Best places to advertise your business online

10. Explore influencer marketing opportunities

You may want to consider adding influencer marketing to your social media marketing efforts. Influencers have a sizable number of followers on social media, and their reviews and promotion of products can affect the buying decisions of their audience.

A nano-influencer may be an especially good choice for small businesses. Because they have less than 10,000 followers, they often have strong engagement with their community and can be less expensive than influencers with higher follower counts. When selecting an influencer, it’s important that their audience be similar to your target audience and that you thoroughly review them and their platforms.

11. Use SMS marketing to build customer loyalty

Short Message Service (SMS) marketing is a fairly cost-effective way to promote your business through text messages. You can use SMS to regularly engage existing customers with information about special offers, discounts, store events and other promotions. Like email marketing, you’ll want to get permission before sending texts to your contact list.

SMS marketing software can automate the process of sending text messages to existing and potential customers. Also, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages can be used when you want to share photos, images, videos, audio files and other content with your contact list.

12. Respond to online feedback

Customer service can be a determining factor in attracting and retaining customers. You can extend your in-person customer service practices to your business website. A good place to start is to create a contact page on your website with information on how customers can contact you and then respond promptly to requests, questions and comments you receive.

You might also consider investing in a chatbot service for extended 24/7 customer support hours. Chatbots can provide answers to frequently asked questions and can be a particularly useful tool for e-commerce businesses.

13. Monitor your campaigns and adjust your strategy

Monitor your digital marketing strategies to determine what’s working well and what can be changed. It’s important to remember that not all of your strategies will be successful. A large part of your digital marketing efforts will involve testing and trying new things to determine the best methods for your business.

» MORE: What is online marketing? Strategy and tips

For example, if a Facebook ads campaign for a new product doesn’t meet your expectations, you can adjust your strategy by changing the ads in the campaign, picking another social media platform or using a different digital marketing method.

14. Spend within your marketing budget

Although marketing is necessary for attracting customers, it can be difficult to devote a large budget to these efforts. That's why creating a marketing budget is essential. As you consider how to allocate funds, you may want to lock in the “basics” to establish your digital presence — launching and optimizing your business website, setting up your social media profiles and building an email list. Then, you can branch out and investigate other tactics that might require more of your budget, such as digital ads and local marketing tactics.

» MORE: Best marketing software and services for small businesses

Rieva Lesonsky, a freelance writer, contributed to this article.

A version of this article originally appeared on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

Experience new growth possibilities with Microsoft Advertising today >

How to grow your small business online

Maintaining a strong internet presence is essential to growing your small business online. In today’s digital age, using social media, digital advertising, emails, and videos are all ways to expand your business’s outreach. These methods are simple and cost-effective when your small business uses them properly. Whether you want to target certain locations or want to increase your sales and visibility to anyone with internet access, Microsoft Advertising can help you.

Digital marketing tools for small businesses

There are digital marketing tools your small business can use that will stay within the constraints of your marketing budget. Some of these tools are free, and you might already use them in your personal life. Don’t worry if your marketing tool costs money because there are many that are still affordable while giving you a wide scope of services. Using social media, keyword research, a business website, and an email list are all cost-effective ways to grow your small business online.

• Keyword research:  Before you post on social media or design your website, you’ll want to conduct keyword research. Keyword research will help you determine what relevant words and phrases your small business should use in its online presence.  Microsoft Keyword Planner  can help you find how people are searching for goods and services that are related to your small business. Once you have your list of keywords, you can implement them on your small business’s website and use them in your social media captions.  
• Social media:  You can grow your small business online by using social media platforms. The key here is consistency. Some social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, allow you to create, schedule, and post on your business profile without having to pay for a huge advertising budget. If your small business doesn’t have employees to manage the different social media profiles, there are other tools you can use to consolidate the posts.

• Website building:  Your small business doesn’t have to spend a ton of money paying website designers and computer engineers who know how to code. There are plenty of free and affordable website building platforms that you can use to create your small business website. Use the relevant keywords you found from your research so that your website has a better chance of appearing on search engines.  
• Email marketing:  Some people check their emails as much as they check their social media pages. Email marketing is an effective marketing tool that reminds consumers that your small business’s goods or services exist. Set up a place for customers to enter their email addresses on your website for them to join your email list. Send them emails when you have new products, when old products are back in stock, when there are new sales, and coupons to show your appreciation for them. Some email marketing tools are free if your small business doesn’t exceed a certain number of customers. These tools allow you to send the same email to multiple consumers at the same time.

Online advertising

Digital communications can help your small business grow online, but using online advertising methods can also increase your sales and consumer base. Online advertisements can be seen on search engines, social media platforms, other websites, and more. Exploring different  online advertising solutions  can help your small business tap into audiences that you might not be able to immediately reach when you first design your website.

Native Advertising

In the digital world, consumers are served advertisements everywhere they look. An excess of advertising can be overwhelming or even annoying for some people. When designing your online advertisement plan, consider using native ads. These are less intrusive forms of advertising because they usually blend well with the webpage or platform that they’re shown on.

Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing  (SEM) is a convenient way to make sure your ads and small business website are seen on search engines. SEM uses relevant keywords to decide the instances your ad should show on the results page. A search engine results page (SERP) includes organic pages that don’t use advertising spots to show up for a specific query, and the SERP also includes paid results from websites that use SEM. One of the best things about search engine marketing is that it can place your small business ads above all results—even organic ones. This means that your website will be the very first page that a consumer sees when searching online.

Video Advertising

Video ads might be shown on social media platforms, other websites, and in the middle of other videos. Using video ads instead of text ads or still photos adds a valuable visual component to your small business’s online presence. People are watching videos now more than ever. Video ads can influence a consumer’s decision on purchasing your good or service. Use video advertising to show the direct benefits that yours offer. The Microsoft Audience Network can help you grow your small business online using  video advertising .

Digital advertising benefits for small businesses

Advertising your small business online can be more affordable than renting a physical billboard or buying ad space in a magazine. With digital advertising, you have control over your business’s online presence. Some other  benefits of online advertising  are that you get to decide how long an advertisement stays up, when it changes, and how much you want to budget toward your marketing plan.

Cost-Effective

Unlike billboards and other forms of physical advertising, marketing your small business online gives you a greater visual reach at a lower cost. Consumers in your city might see your business’s website or advertisement while browsing online as well as someone who lives on the other side of the world. You can use free or affordable digital services to implement your digital marketing ideas.

Targeted Reach

Your small business can target new customers who are looking for your goods or services with online advertising. Conducting keyword research can help you target the consumers who are more likely to click on your ad or website based on what they’re searching on the web. This helps you manage your business’s advertising plan because you can use the click-through rate to determine how effective your ads are. The  Microsoft Audience Network  can help you find your target audience and track the success of your online marketing plan.

Once you use the Microsoft Audience Network to track your ads’ metrics, your small business can adjust its advertisements accordingly. Not only can you track how many people click on your ads or website, but you can also track what people click on while there. Use  Universal Event Tracking  to see what’s effective on your website based on where customers are clicking and spending the most time.

Grow your small business online with Microsoft Advertising

Digital advertising methods are cost-effective ways to grow your small business online. These tools and methods expand your business’s outreach, increase the website’s position on the SERP, and give you more flexibility on when and how you want to advertise your goods or services. Help your small business grow online today using  Microsoft Advertising .

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How To Create Marketing Plans for Small Businesses

Big businesses make big plans. They also create elaborate marketing schemes to put those plans into action.

It’s easy for SMB (small and medium business) owners and their teams to feel that a full-fledged marketing plan is out of their reach. While they may lack the resources to go toe to toe with larger competitors in the market, though, that makes the strategic planning and guidance of small business marketing efforts that much more valuable.

Let’s go over what it means to create marketing plans for small businesses, why having a small business marketing strategy is so important for success, and how your business can create its own master marketing plan.

What are Marketing Plans for Small Businesses?

A marketing plan, at its most fundamental level, is a series of steps that you can take to promote your brand and its products and services to consumers. In other words, a marketing plan isn’t your actual marketing activity. It’s the strategy or guidelines that you create to set those initiatives in motion. 

In the context of marketing plans for small businesses, this could include anything from creating a website to crafting an email drip campaign, drafting a social media marketing campaign, building credibility through digital PR , and more. A small business marketing plan takes the limited resources of a small business and considers how that entity can effectively reach its target audience with its marketing.

Why are Marketing Plans for Small Businesses Important?

Grasping the goal of a marketing plan is the easy part. For a small business team with finite time and resources, justifying the investment in a marketing plan is where things can bog down.  

It’s tempting to redirect your team’s efforts toward activities with more immediate or tangible results, such as sales or product development. When you take the time to invest in a genuine growth-oriented marketing plan , though, you can provide a long-term blueprint for growth that you simply can’t recreate through other areas of business activity.

The goal of a marketing plan is to create basic parameters, such as a schedule and marketing budget, that help you optimize your promotional resources. Developing the plan itself may require some extra investment, but the benefits are well worth it.  

By planning ahead of time, you give yourself the opportunity to consider all of your marketing options. It also allows you to either establish or revisit key factors, such as your target audience, primary selling points, and your competition. From there, you can decide which marketing activities are the most cost-effective and beneficial for your brand, as well as the order in which you need to execute them.  

For example, a marketing plan might reveal that paying for ongoing PPC (pay-per-click) ads is exorbitant and expensive over the long term. It also may reveal that the money saved from slashing your PPC ads in half allows you to invest in a content marketing strategy. From there, you can plot out the steps required to generate, optimize, and promote that content (see the next section) as an effective way to put your marketing in motion. 

Small business marketing plans also allow you to gauge the ROI of your marketing investments over time. This gives you the ability to make adjustments and maximize results as you go along. It also frees you up to be more creative in your long-term approach to marketing by building on past successes that you otherwise might not have known about.

What Should You Include in Marketing Plans for Small Businesses?

If you’re sold on the concept of developing a marketing plan for your small business but aren’t quite sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. In the following section, we’ll break

down a step-by-step analysis of how you can turn your marketing ambitions into a solid plan of action that can guide you.

Step 1: Define Your Goals

It’s easy to skip this step, but trust us, you don’t want to do that. Most small business owners think they know their marketing goals — and in a certain sense, that’s true. As an involved executive of a smaller enterprise, you probably have your finger on the pulse of your organization more than most leaders. 

But that proximity to daily operations and activities can also make it easy to cloud out the big-picture stuff at times. Before you establish your marketing plan, take a minute to step back. 

What are you trying to accomplish with your marketing in the next year? What about the next five years? Do you want to generate revenue? Build brand awareness? Increase online visibility? Spark long-term growth? 

Each goal is related to your marketing, but the differences are important. Get each specific marketing goal in place before you flesh out your plan.

Step 2: Identify Your Audience

Your target audience should be the central focal point of your entire operation. When you develop products, you should consider whom they serve. When you bring them to market, you want to consider how to communicate to a select group of consumers that they’re available to solve their problems.

Make sure you have a buyer persona in place that reflects precisely whom you’re trying to market to and what their pain points are. If you’ve already considered what your customer base looks like, use this step to review that data and ensure that it’s informed by up-to-date market research.

Step 3: Consider Resources and Competition

As a final step to set the stage for your planning, review what resources you have available. As a small business, do you have a marketing team, or does that responsibility overlap with other employees (or yourself)? How much time do you have to invest in marketing? What is your marketing budget? What assets do you already have, such as a CRM or social media marketing tools?

Also, consider conducting a fresh round of competitive analysis. You likely did this when you were pulling together your business plan. Go back and observe how your competitors are marketing themselves to your target audience. Note the pros and cons of their efforts.

Step 4: Identify the Marketing Tactics You Can Use

Now comes the marketing magic. Once you’ve considered your goals, target audience, resources, and competition, it’s time to bring it all together. 

Consider the marketing tactics you have available and which ones best meet your current marketing needs. Then, weave these marketing ideas into a plan that considers resources and timelines. A few common marketing tactics that work well for small businesses include:

• Creating a strong website : This becomes your central online presence and a place to host your blogs, user-generated content, landing pages, and other content marketing.
• Optimizing your website : SEO is important. Optimizing your site with long-tail keyword phrases, links, and technical SEO (think metadata, mobile-friendly, etc.) is a powerful way to maximize your content creation efforts.
• Build up off-site marketing : Create a social media presence using platforms your target audience prefers. Nurture email marketing, as well, including drip campaigns, newsletters, and targeted announcements.
• Organize leads in a CRM : As a small business owner, you want to stay organized. When your marketing begins to gain momentum, have a customer relationship management (CRM) platform ready to keep things organized and under control.

Remember, you’re a small business with limited marketing resources. Consider which tactic is particularly relevant to your brand at the moment, and invest in those areas first.

Step 5: Establish Success Metrics and Feedback Loops

Finally, consider how you’ll track your marketing over time. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 to keep tabs on important marketing metrics, such as ranking for brand keywords, measuring organic traffic, and tracking conversions.

Also, request feedback from customers and team members and then use that information to hone your marketing activities moving forward. If you’re unsure how to adapt your plan (or create one in the first place), consider working with a growth marketing agency that can bring a cost-effective degree of experience and knowledge to bear on your brand’s marketing initiatives.

Building Master Marketing Plans for Small Businesses

As a small business, you may have limited time, money, and tools to work with. However, that doesn’t mean investing in a marketing plan isn’t worth it.

On the contrary, creating an effective marketing strategy helps you ensure that every ounce of resources you pour into promoting your business has a purpose. This gives you the best chance of sparking genuine, measurable growth, which can enable you to build larger marketing budgets, plans, and strategies in the future.

This CEO Shares 4 Highly Effective Ways to Promote and Scale Your Small to Medium-Sized Business

B usinesses in any industry invariably encounter marketing and advertising challenges . In the U.S., small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) wrestle with the top challenges of budget constraints and lead generation. Difficulties also arise when it comes to returns on investments (ROI), expertise and competition. In the AdTech sector , content creation, data privacy and ad fatigue are marketing pain points.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to promoting businesses, but there are strategies that can be used based on a business's unique needs. In this article, I'll share four effective and practical ways to promote SMBs based on my experience as the CEO of Mitgo Group .

Team up with a strategic partner to set up proper monetization

Publishers looking to monetize their projects should focus on setting up monetization correctly. This involves a dual approach: monetizing through users and monetizing through advertisers. While the latter is an old business model, it's still the biggest and most well-established. Conversely, the user-focused model is gaining traction with subscriptions, donations, and content sales.

To set up the monetization model correctly, SMBs must choose strategic partners. The primary value for SMBs working with such partnerships is to gain access to large webmasters (like loyalty programs, cashback services, coupon websites or content websites) who typically engage only with enterprise-level clients. This opens up new opportunities for growth and collaboration previously limited to larger businesses.

Related: Small Businesses Can Become Stronger Than Ever With These 5 Essential Strategies

Embrace the control and transparency of partner marketing

Trust is the bedrock of success, and trust starts with transparency. Partner marketing, a collaborative strategy for businesses to promote each other's products, is built on transparency. In this mutually beneficial agreement, you know exactly what you're spending and the direct returns you're getting. This means you have control. When you have both the necessary knowledge and control, you can optimize your campaigns without overspending.

An affiliate program is a specific type of partner marketing. While trust in a new affiliate program takes time to develop, the long-term benefits, including clear expense tracking and controlled spending, make it a valuable strategy for SMBs.

Prioritize tools over marketplaces

Promoting on marketplaces like Amazon and Shopify, as well as on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram, has pros and cons. Yes, these platforms can potentially generate traffic, but the operative word here is "potentially." You can't fully guarantee traffic and sales. You need to acquire that traffic, and you do that by shelling out money. However, any form of paid advertising is expensive. If that's the route a small business wants, it has to make many financial sacrifices.

I'm not saying that online marketplaces are a no-go. They also have many benefits like visibility, but don't rely solely on them. Instead, leverage tools and technologies to have more independence and control of your brand. Tools also give you more flexibility and customization. Best of all, you can choose a tool or a solution that fits best with your business.

Leverage on brand experience

The movie "The Intern" follows the story of an old widower who became a senior intern at an online fashion retailer. There is a scene in the film where the owner passionately explains to her senior intern how packaging is crucial for the overall customer experience. She takes pride that her small business ensures that each product is meticulously and aesthetically packaged.

I used the movie as an example because it accurately depicts the unique advantage of SMBs in providing personalized and memorable brand experiences. Small brands can focus on attention to detail and provide exceptional customer service, something you can't really get with marketplaces. Although they offer convenience, personalization for each transaction is out of the question. Meanwhile, SMBs can capitalize on their ability to provide a more personalized touch to develop positive brand perception and customer loyalty.

Related: 7 Strategies to Scale Your Small Business and Achieve Sustainable Growth

Expand your horizons

Promoting SMBs takes an assortment of strategies and a wider perspective. You can't have an "I'm only going to be here and nowhere else" attitude because that doesn't work. It limits your reach and eventually hurts your business. As a leader, I firmly believe that a multi-pronged approach gives SMBs (as well as larger enterprises) advantages across the board: expanded reach, achievable goals, increased opportunities, enhanced freedom, flexibility and all the elements that can propel the business forward.

List your business in marketplaces and compete for traffic there. Set up affiliate programs on your websites. Use tools for optimization. Create a more personalized approach. Adapt these strategies according to your needs to help you build a thriving and scalable business.

How to Start a Small Business in 10 Steps

Learn how to start a small business from scratch with expert guidance. Get essential tips and steps for launching your dream journey successfully.

Brett Grossfeld

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Do you have a killer idea that you think would be perfect for launching a small business? If you believe what you see on TikTok, becoming an entrepreneur is just about as easy as posting a 30-second video. But in the real world, launching a small business can be a bit more challenging.

Starting a small business may seem daunting, but if you ask those same business owners if it’s worth the risk — few would trade the opportunity to shape their own destiny.

But where to start? Thankfully, you don’t need to have everything figured out before going out on your own. Successful small business owners are constantly learning from their mistakes — and improving their ideas and dreams along the way.

If you’re ready to take the leap and become a small business owner, keep reading.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

What is a small business, how much does it cost to start a small business, how to start a small business in 10 steps, what do you need to start a small business, start small — but think big.

Small businesses are generally defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as independent operations having fewer than 200 employees. And the majority of small businesses in the United States have fewer than five employees, according to the U.S. Census Bureau . 

But the number — or lack — of employees doesn’t necessarily define a “small business.” A business’s size can also be determined by the number of sales, the range of individual business locations, and other factors.

Along with size requirements, the SBA considers a company to be small if it’s:

• Independently owned and operated
• Not dominant in its field
• Physically located and operated in the U.S. (or a U.S. territory)

If your company meets the SBA’s definition of a small business, many government programs offer resources and local assistance for you to turn your dreams into reality.

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If you’re skilled in a certain trade — say, bookkeeping — you can launch a business with almost no money . But if your idea needs to be fleshed out and developed by researchers, scientists, and engineers, your startup costs can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and beyond. But most startup costs fall somewhere in the middle. 

Factors that influence cost

A sole proprietor working from home is going to have very different startup costs than a Silicon Valley startup flush with venture capital funds. But it doesn’t matter if you have $1,000 or $1 million to launch your small business — you’ll need to have a budget.

Are you moving the clutter out of your garage to make room for a desk? Or are you going to hire an architect to remodel a warehouse space in a trendy neighborhood? Obviously, both businesses are going to have wildly different expenses.

Think about your budget and what you can afford to get started. And it’s good to assume that unexpected expenses will pop up along the way — especially in your first year of business.

What kinds of costs to expect

The SBA has a worksheet that will help you calculate typical expenses for a small business, including one-time expenses such as:

• Rent : This includes security deposit, first month’s rent and utilities. If you’re working from home, you can deduct a percentage of your rent or mortgage on your taxes .
• Improvement costs: Anything that you might spend on your physical place of business to make it suitable for work.
• Inventory : If you’re selling a product, you’ll need goods to keep up with customer demand.
• Employees : This includes payroll, payroll taxes, and health insurance.
• Professional services: Accountants, lawyers, and consultants will all need to be paid
• Supplies : Think office supplies, such as paper and pencils, and operating supplies, like computers and printers.
• Marketing: Business cards, stationery, flyers, and advertising all fall under this category.
• Miscellaneous : This includes licenses, permits, legal fees, signage, technology, and accounting software. Everything else — liability insurance, repairs, maintenance, and dues.

The most difficult part of starting a small business is committing to your vision. It’s easier if you break down the process into small, achievable goals. Here are 10 steps that will get you on your way:

1. Do your research

If you don’t do basic market research before you launch your business, you may be down for the count before you even get started. Ask neighbors, friends, and even your barista if they would be interested in your product or service — and ask how much they’d be willing to pay for it. 

Conduct competitor research, local and global searches, and even offer surveys to consumers to see what the need versus want ratio is. 

2. Write a business plan

A business plan is your roadmap; it helps guide you as you start and grow your company. If you need capital to get started, most investors will want to review a business plan before they commit to any financing. 

To organize your ideas, download and fill out a business plan template . A well-written business plan provides clarity, confirms the math, and helps you establish goals so your business has the best chance of success.

3. Choose a business name

Finding the perfect brand name is a vital step in launching a new business. But hiring a professional naming company doesn’t come cheap — it can cost as much as $100,000 , according to Fast Company. 

If that’s outside your budget, there are countless AI-powered business name generators available online, and Fiverr has entrepreneurs who will help brainstorm business names for three figures or less.

4. Decide on your location

Take a look at the taxes, zoning laws, and regulations in your location. You may find that operating your business in a different location could offer financial advantages. Review the fees, costs, and tax benefits of each state to see which location makes the most sense for your business . A strategic move may put you ahead of the game before you even open the doors.

5. Get your finances in order

Startup costs discourage many would-be entrepreneurs, but the reality is that many successful businesses got started with little more than a vision, discipline, and hard work. However, if you really need cash for that newly opened business bank account, here are four ways of getting that money:

• Self-funding: If you have the means, you may use your own earnings to kickstart your business or see out financial counsel to work it into your budget.
• Outside investors: For a stake in your company, relatives or venture capitalists may be willing to invest in your business.
• Small business loans: If you want to keep full ownership of your business, a small business loan may be the way to go.
• Crowdfunding: If you’re feeling creative and confident, try sites such as Kickstarter or GoFundMe to generate capital.

6. Take care of the legal stuff

Register your business in the state where it was formed — and make sure that you’re set up to pay state income and unemployment tax. Review whether your local municipality requires filing for a license or permit to operate your business. 

To satisfy Uncle Sam, apply for an EIN from the IRS . Confirm that no one else is using your business name by contacting your state filing office or online database. Some business structures require using a doing business as (DBA) name, and you may be required to open a business bank account.

7. Develop a marketing plan

Once you have a terrific name for your company locked down, you’ll want to create an online presence for your business. Be consistent on your social media channels , ideally creating accounts on the channels — meeting them online where they are. 

Develop a website that’s intuitive and filled with all the information your customers need. Your marketing may also include advertising campaigns and public relations.

8. Set up your CRM software

To enhance your marketing efforts and grow your small business, try customer relationship management ( CRM) for Small Business . This will be your solution for storing and managing prospect and customer information such as contact information, accounts, leads, and sales opportunities — all in one single source of truth. 

With Salesforce’s Starter Suite , you can start in minutes and easily manage your marketing, sales, and customer service as your business scales.

9. Launch your product or service

Congratulations: You’ve done all the hard work and you’re ready to introduce your product to the world. Make sure to announce your launch on social media — and consider throwing a media-friendly bash to celebrate.

10. Keep your customers happy

When you use CRM software, you can keep track and personalize support for all your customers. And happy customers are good for business — 80% of them say the experience a company provides is just as important as its products or services .

The United States has more than 33 million small businesses, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , and that number represents 99.9% of all U.S. businesses. And most of those small businesses started the same way — with an entrepreneur and an idea. But it takes more than just a dream to launch a small business.

So, where to start?

It’s time to take some notes. First, start outlining your business plan. If you’re stuck, ask yourself these four questions when developing your plan :

• Goals : What do you need to accomplish to achieve your vision?
• Methods : What are the steps you need to follow to get you there?
• Measurements : How will you determine when each objective has been met?
• Obstacles : What could throw you off course along the way?

Once you’ve written a business plan and are feeling confident, you’re ready to establish:

A name for your business

A great business name should succinctly identify your company and its audience. Brainstorm and get feedback from friends, family, and potential customers. And before you fall in love with your new company name, make sure that an established business in your industry isn’t already using that name.

A location for your business

Choosing where to conduct business is one of the most important decisions you can make for your small business. While staying close to home may be your first instinct, a change of venue may prove to be financially advantageous.

A business structure

For tax purposes and protection of personal assets, you need to choose a business structure that offers the right balance of legal protections and benefits. Common business structures include sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), corporation, and cooperative.

A legal presence

If you want personal liability protection, legal protection, and tax benefits for your company, you’ll need to register your business with state and local governments.

Federal and state tax ID numbers

Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) works like a personal Social Security number, but for your business. You need an EIN to pay state and federal taxes for your company.

Licenses and permits

Whether your business needs to apply — and pay for — licenses and permits depends on your business activities, location, and government rules. Review regulations from city, state, and federal agencies.

A business bank account

Opening up a bank account exclusively for business use will help keep your personal finances separate, making life easier at tax time. There are several banks that will allow you to open a business checking account with a zero balance, but traditionally banks will require an opening deposit of anywhere from $1,000 to $25,000.

Start-up funds

Even if you open a business checking account with a zero balance, you’re going to want to have some funds to cover basic operating expenses. The SBA offers guidance on obtaining funding for your small business, including loans, grants, and investors.

Starting a new business may feel like a gamble, but business insurance will help you cover your bet. The right insurance policy will help protect you against accidents, natural disasters, and lawsuits.

You should also consider:

Customer relationship management

A CRM platform keeps your customer data organized and provides the foundation to build connected customer experiences (that can be made even better through artificial intelligence). Starting with a suite of sales, service, marketing, and commerce tools is easy.

Invoice and billing software

While it is possible to keep track of your financial records on a traditional paper ledger, modern invoice and billing software makes the process much, much easier.

A graphic designer

A well-designed logo can make or break a business. The Nike “swoosh” was created by a graphic design student — and the $35 Nike initially spent paid for itself many times over.

Many small businesses exist with just a presence on social media, but having a professionally designed website adds legitimacy to your business.

Marketing experts

Like graphic design, marketing expenses are costs that many small business owners initially want to avoid. But strategically investing in a marketing campaign can be a boon for a small business that wants to make noise in a crowded marketplace.

A Human Resources department

Once your business grows to a certain size, it’s time to create a human resources (HR) department — or, at least, to hire an HR professional. This professional can focus on things such as labor law compliance, employee recruitment, employee engagement and development, and compensation and benefits management while you manage your business.

An assistant

For most small businesses starting out, hiring an assistant to perform administrative and clerical duties is something of a luxury. If your budget is tight, consider a virtual assistant .

What are some popular small business ideas?

If you have a unique idea for a small business, great. But some of the best small business ideas build on your strengths and experience. What do you love to do? What lights you up when you are helping the community? Do you have a pull to do something more?

What are the odds that my small business will succeed?

Starting a small business is no guarantee of success. Approximately 80% of small businesses survive their first year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survival rate decreases to 50% after five years and 30% after 10 years.

What are some Fortune 500 companies that started small?

Not all big companies started with millions of dollars in venture capital. Some of America’s biggest brand names had far more modest beginnings . Apple famously got started in a Silicon Valley garage, while Mattel was building dollhouse furniture from picture frame scraps in its early days.

What are the most business-friendly states?

Before setting up shop in New York or California, consider launching your small business in North Dakota, Indiana, Arkansas, South Dakota, or North Carolina. These states offer the best conditions to start a business , according to Forbes Advisor.

What can I deduct for my small business at tax time?

(Almost) everyone knows that you can deduct entertainment and travel expenses as a small business owner. But you can also deduct software subscriptions, office furniture, and interest on small business loans, according to NerdWallet .

Taking the leap to start your own small business is just the first step on your entrepreneurial path. But you’re in good company. Nearly half of all U.S. employees are employed by a small business — and more than 80% of those small businesses are solo ventures , according to Forbes Advisor. There’s no better time than the present to start turning your dreams into reality.

Want to grow your new small business? Sign up for a Salesforce free trial .

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Brett Grossfeld is a Product Marketing Manager supporting Salesforce's CRM, data, and AI tools. He's written for multiple websites across various industries and interests, including tech, wellness, and modern customer experiences.

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Original text

Access our collection of user-friendly templates for business planning, finance, sales, marketing, and management, designed to assist you in developing strategies for either launching a new business venture or expanding an existing one.

You can use the templates below as a starting point to create your startup business plan or map out how you will expand your existing business. Then meet with a  SCORE mentor to get expert business planning advice and feedback on your business plan.

If writing a full business plan seems overwhelming, start with a one-page Business Model Canvas. Developed by Founder and CEO of Strategyzer, Alexander Osterwalder, it can be used to easily document your business concept.

Download this template to fill out the nine squares focusing on the different building blocks of any business:

• Value Proposition
• Customer Segments
• Customer Relationships
• Key Activities
• Key Resources
• Key Partners
• Cost Structure
• Revenue Streams

For help completing the Business Model Canvas Template, contact a SCORE business mentor for guidance

From creating a startup budget to managing cash flow for a growing business, keeping tabs on your business’s finances is essential to success. The templates below will help you monitor and manage your business’s financial situation, create financial projections and seek financing to start or grow your business.

This interactive calculator allows you to provide inputs and see a full estimated repayment schedule to plan your capital needs and cash flow.

A 12-month profit and loss projection, also known as an income statement or statement of earnings, provides a detailed overview of your financial performance over a one-year period. This projection helps you anticipate future financial outcomes by estimating monthly income and expenses, which facilitates informed decision-making and strategic planning. 

If you’re trying to get a loan from a bank, they may ask you for a personal financial statement. You can use this free, downloadable template to document your assets, liabilities and net worth. 

A Personal Financial Statement is a

Marketing helps your business build brand awareness, attract customers and create customer loyalty. Use these templates to forecast sales, develop your marketing strategy and map out your marketing budget and plan.

How healthy is your business? Are you missing out on potential growth opportunities or ignoring areas of weakness? Do you need to hire employees to reach your goals? The following templates will help you assess the state of your business and accomplish important management tasks.

Whether you are starting your business or established and looking to grow, our Business Healthcheck Tool will provide practical information and guidance.

Learn how having a SCORE mentor can be a valuable asset for your business. A SCORE mentor can provide guidance and support in various areas of business, including finance, marketing, and strategy. They can help you navigate challenges and make important decisions based on their expertise and experience. By seeking out a SCORE mentor, you can gain the guidance and support you need to help grow your business and achieve success.

SCORE offers free business mentoring to anyone that wants to start, currently owns, or is planning to close or sell a small business. To initiate the process, input your zip code in the designated area below. Then, complete the mentoring request form on the following page, including as much information as possible about your business. This information is used to match you with a mentor in your area. After submitting the request, you will receive an email from your mentor to arrange your first mentoring session.

Copyright © 2024 SCORE Association, SCORE.org

Funded, in part, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.