103 small business marketing ideas and tips for success, the 2018 guide

The universal goal of all small business is to market their goods and services to as many people as possible this is why we created the small business marketing ideas and tips guide.

Give us a call, we can assist you with almost all the marketing services below.

When the business is well positioned to the target audience with a product aimed to solve some problem, the business is destined to grow. Small business marketing, however, is a challenge for most businesses. The smartest thing any business can do is to develop a marketing plan and execute it in a way that will set the business apart from the rest. The marketing plan can include many strategies and elements that work together to drive the business towards a growth path.

Small businesses have so many ways to promote their growth amidst competition. You can identify a few of the many options to work with. The most effective marketing manoeuvres a small business can implement can be paid or even free. Here is a list of 100 ways to market a small business.

  1. Building signage

Building signageAt your place of business, it is imperative that you put up clear and attractive signage that will draw customers to your business. Once you pay for the design and creation of your signage, it will take another few years before you think of replacing or repairing the sign. Other than the local county fee, you have no other cost associated with this kind of small business marketing tactic. This makes locating your business easier than when you have no signage.

2. Social Media Marketing
social media marketing servicesOn sites like Facebook and Instagram. These services can also be done through the use of social media management companies who can take care of this for you. Today there are so many social media sites where a small business can market its services and products to a large extent free of any payment. To experience the benefits of the social media, you must regularly update your business profile with fresh information. Posting a couple of times a week will mean a lot for your marketing plan. Share valuable content with your users and be active in engaging them by following, retweeting, sharing and liking other user’s contents. You can also share content from other websites and not only from your own. In case you have a small following then paid social media advertising is an option worth considering.

 

3. Tradeshows

TradeshowsTo expose your small business to the market, consider attending Tradeshows. Rent a booth and showcase what you offer to a wider audience who can become your customers later. At trade shows, the atmosphere is relaxed, and your staff can easily chat with prospective customers where they can get detailed explanations, demos and free trials of your products and services for a satisfying experience. Get from behind your walls and meet clients in the open where the ground is level, and everyone is not under any pressure to buy or sell but to know about your products.

 

4. Having a website

Having a websiteWith an attractive internet site, you can present a professional front for your small business. The functionality of your website is what matters in small business marketing since it can allow customers to do a lot within site. If your site is outdated, redesign it to comply with new technology, for example, responsive design that can fit any screen size. If you cannot afford custom design, go for affordable web templates that require minimal tweaking to make it look unique to your business. Your web hosting provider should also favour your goals with affordable costs and hosting plans capable of supporting your target traffic level without downtime.

 

5. Pay Per Click

Pay Per ClickSites like Google Adwords and Facebook advertising. Paid advertising over the internet is fast gaining prominence among small business due to their affordable cost features. A small business marketing plan can easily wrap around Facebook advertising and Google Adwords to customize the strategy within budget and geo-targeting of customers. Paid advertising can make your website get listed in search engine result pages based on your desired search term. This works in the short term as you work on improving your organic ranking. It is easy to set a maximum budget so as to control your monthly marketing costs. When you do the right targeting, you will notice an increase in your ROI.

 

Cold calls6.Cold calls

Even with the developments in technology, cold calling is still a viable way to market your small business. Just pick up the phone and call targeted customers from the directory or your collection of business cards. You can explain to each prospective customer what you offer and convince them to buy from your business. You will be reaching one customer at a time, unlike the mass marketing avenues, but it will be a personal conversation which many people will appreciate.

 

7. Flyer distribution services

Flyer distribution servicesContracting another business to distribute your flyers will give your business a better reach than when you try doing it yourself with limited resources and skills. With a distribution service, all your hassles are taken care of, and you can go about doing what you are good at, building your business. It may be very cheap compared to enlisting your resources to distribute the flyers around your target area. The distributor will place them at strategic locations based on their past experiences and changing customer trends.

 

Feather flags8. Feather flags

There are so many small business marketing opportunities available for any business at any stage in its life or growth stage. Using feather flags can create a brand loyalty where customers display your flag at their places, therefore increasing the exposure your business gets. They are easy to carry or fix at any location. Create attractive feather flags that people will want to be associated with and help you display to maximum business exposure.

 

I know finding small business marketing ideas can sometimes be a difficult task and you may think success it out of reach but keep positive the results are near.

9. Outdoor events

Outdoor events

Such as walkathons and state fairs: get a custom tent and brand yourself. Take advantage of local events to let more people know about your business. It is not expensive to get a tent at a state fair and brand your presence from tents to T-shirts to giveaways aimed at expanding your brand awareness among the locals. When people have come out to enjoy a social day away from the stresses of everyday life, they are more likely to have time to listen to your marketing and can convert to customers.

However, during a work week, they will have no time to even think about what you have to offer.

 

10. Direct mail

Direct mailMost businesses today don’t recognize the power that direct mail holds. Design some postcards with the message you want to send to your target and mail it to the area that needs to get the promotion, offer or new product. Direct mail is an inexpensive small business marketing technique that still has efficiency and a good ROI for small and large businesses. Get mailing addresses from the directory and send your prospective customers and existing clients direct mail detailing your offer in simple terms to gain their interest for more information.

 

11. Business cards

Business cardsAll business cards are not the same, a quality business card makes a statement of who you are. This may be the only thing you ever give that person or view of your business. Does it wow them or Ahhh, another crappy insurance company. Involve graphic designers to help you express your message onto the business card and to make you stand out from the rest of the business who are gunning for the same market.

 

Warm calls12. Warm calls

You can take your time and call your current customers and past ones who may have taken long before buying from your business. It means a lot to a customer when you call them to explain any new products or changes in prices. Creating a closer relationship with your customers is one way to ensure customer loyalty and business growth. It is the one small business marketing tactic that ensures you protect your already acquired customers as you seek new ones.

 

14. EDDM

EDDMTargeting every door with this affordable tool ensures you reach all the target customers in a given area. Every Door Direct Mail is a customizable marketing approach that allows you to use the mapping tools of the US Posta; Services to plan your marketing and get the routing and estimated the cost of the entire campaign before you commit. The traditional mail still works and is effective when targeted by age and location.

 

15. Blogging and content writing

Blogging and content writingEven though it takes some time to establish a credible blog, it is a very effective way to market a small business. The results will be well worth the time you take to build your blog and blog following. Set aside a few hours per week to produce quality, relevant content to help your audience solve some problem in their life related to your business. With an increase in the publishing frequency, the benefits of blogging increase too. Those businesses that publish at least twice a week are twice as likely to generate sales leads as that which posts only once. When you blog, you build trust with your audience, hence business growth.

 

16. Guest speaking

Guest speakingPublic speaking is not for most of us; however, there are plenty of opportunities to speak to groups about your expertise. There are organizations that are seeking qualified speakers in specific subjects and can professionally present to certain groups. As a start, you can volunteer to help you gain the confidence required to speak before larger, more mature groups. As long as you share relevant and beneficial information, you don’t need to be a professional in it. More public speaking will make you better, and it will get easier with time, and people will start regarding you as an authority on the subject. Link this with your business and more people will know about what you sell resulting in business growth.

 

17. Internet citations and directories Sites

Internet citations and directories SitesLike yellow pages.com, Facebook, Yelp, Google places are the new way to find a business in your area. Today, customers prefer to see some degree of social proof before buying from you. With Facebook, Google My Business and Yelp, among other similar sites have made it possible for customers to share their experiences about services and products. When customers see more citations about your business, they will trust you even if it is the first time they hear about your business. Enroll with such websites and be found online at the right places. These are cost-effective small business marketing techniques.

 

18. Vehicle wraps

Vehicle wrapsConsider a full branding of your business truck or personal car to spread the word wherever you drive the vehicle. A full color, whole body wrap with your business information like logo, products, website and contact information will help market your business without any extra effort. As you move from one location to another, your vehicle will be advertising your business to reach more people within your locality. In case you don’t want the vehicle painted or branded with your business name, you can use magnetic signs.

 

Donations and photo ops19. Donations and photo ops

Spend some money and involve your business in charitable work like donating computers or your product to a needy organization, individual or cause. Be found in photo ops with both influential people and with those you want to help. Give the impression that your business is also interested in social issues apart from making money. Use every opportunity to involve the business in local activities and charitable causes as long as your finances permit.

 

With 103 Small Business Marketing Strategies Ideas your sure to see a boost in your sales and client base.

20. Outreach on sites like LinkedIn and Facebook

Outreach on sites like LinkedIn and FacebookThe internet and the growth of social media have created a lot of opportunities for small businesses to meet, interact with and market to a large audience at the least cost possible. LinkedIn and Facebook among other sites are rich in opportunities to connect and make your business popular without appearing to sell. There are general and specific groups within these sites where a business can engage with target groups with the same interest, share ideas and give free advice and your expertise will be respected.

 

 

21. Email lists

Email listsMost business owners know the importance of email marketing. However, only a few take steps to leverage their websites to capture visitor emails to build a large mailing list. With a simple sign-up form on your site, you can get so many email addresses for scheduled marketing emails. To speed this up, give your visitors a reason to sign up, give some free download or other relevant freebies to entice your users to give you their email addresses.

 

22. Ringless voicemails

Ringless voicemailsTechnological developments have made it possible to send mass mail even using phones. Other than ending short message services texts, you can send ringless voicemails to target customers within a given geographic area. It is affordable, measurable and you can also quantify the ROI. You can limit the reach and get real-time feedback from your marketing efforts. A small business with fewer resources is still able to achieve marketing success by employing this form of marketing.

 

Mobile billboard advertising23. Mobile billboard advertising

Whether its banners or full-color screens. Internet marketing is growing, and with the increase in the percentage of people with smartphones, the focus has now shifted to mobile marketing. Internet access from mobile devices has now surpassed desktop users, hence the growing popularity of mobile billboards. It is a cost-effective way to spread your message using pictures and videos to capture the interest of your target audience.

 

24. Ask for referrals

Ask for referralsYou don’t have to be afraid of asking your customers to refer others to you. They are in the best position to bring in referrals since they have experienced your products or services. You can even create a customer referral program where the customers are rewarded for referring others, therefore creating a large customer pool ready to bring in more customers. Failing to ask your current customers to refer others is to intentionally miss out on a great opportunity to grow and succeed in small business marketing.

 

25. Traditional billboards

Traditional billboardsThey all don’t have to break the bank, it can go from a few hundred to thousands.
The regular billboards have been used for decades and are still valuable regarding increasing your reach. When done correctly, the investment in billboards can pay off, resulting in tremendous business growth. Not many small businesses know they can use this method, instead of leaving it to the big players. Every business can gain from the investment even though it is ambitious; the returns will also be on the same level.

 

26. Chambers

ChambersBusinesses in a given town can come together and form the chamber of commerce to advocate for their issues. Check within your local town for such and be a member. The benefits can include marketing, negotiating with large customer groups on behalf of the small businesses and looking out for the interests of the businesses. They can also negotiate for insurance and tax issues that favor the small business to increase profitability.

 

Private networking groups like BNI27. Private networking groups like BNI

Business networking groups around the world have helped many businesses get their footing and grow even in tough economic times. This group and others like it operate by sending referrals to members’ businesses through their local chapters. With such kind of support, member businesses of the private networking groups can help each other grow customer bases and experience revenue growth.

 

28. Host events and open houses

Host events and open houses
This may require intensive planning to pull off, but a simple event at your local business center will contribute greatly to raise public awareness about your business. The exposure will result in sales to catapult your operations to another level. Once you have been recognized as a significant player in your region, others will view your business differently, and this is what brings about business growth.

 

Press releases29. Press releases

Creating press releases are easy and can be used to promote your small business cost-effectively. It is easy to get your press releases accepted in the major distribution sites for press releases. You can achieve increased business exposure through press releases and improve your online visibility. Contact local media, newspapers, and magazines and get their editorial guidelines and ask if they can publish your press releases. You can be surprised at the results of the initiative to publish press releases about your business.

 

30. PR company

PR companyToday there are many PR companies, meaning the cost of hiring one is not that out of reach for a small business. They have the expertise to publicize your business and present it positively to influence the target audience to emotionally invested in your product and company as a whole. They take away all the stress of brainstorming on the best approach or media to share your message with the market. This leaves you free to do what you know best which is to run the business and prepare for more customers.

 

Sponsorship31. Sponsorship

As a company, you can set aside some money from your marketing budget to sponsor a cause, a local soccer team or any activity that touches the heart of your target market. You will get a lot of free exposure from the mainstream media as a result of your sponsorship. It makes the small business be seen as a part of the community, and the corporate social responsibility activities will bring you more customers.

 

32. YouTube videos

YouTube videosThings such as commercials, interviews, product reviews, etc.Videos have become very popular today and are an excellent way to reach the target audience. Small business marketing strategies that do not include video are missing out on a large chunk of the market. Recent studies have shown that people are more likely to watch a short video than reading an article. It pays to post short marketing videos on sites like YouTube or Facebook and get more people visiting your site to learn more about the product in the video. Customers are more likely to make a purchase if there is a video of the product on your site.

 

33. SBA Loans and Mom and pop grants

SBA Loans and Mom and pop grantsThis government sponsored program was created to help small business financially and with technical assistance to grow their operations. One of the key benefits a small business can gain from this program is marketing, an area so many businesses are struggling with. Join the program in your county and see how they can help your operations grow. With adequate, affordable financing and marketing, any business can make it no matter the level of competition that exists.

 

34. Send samples

Send samples
Set aside a few samples of your product for selected prospective customers. This will entice them to make large orders if the sample meets their specifications. For example, a learning institution that makes large order can sample your supplies and see the price difference before they become your customers. You can extend this to your regular customers in the case of a new product or product updates that you would like the customers to try out.

 

35. Outside sales people

Outside sales peopleAs a growing business, you may need to outsource a sales team to handle your need to expand market reach to edge out the competition. It is cheaper to work with an outside sales team that has experience with the product and target market than employing your sales people. You can contract this team for a given duration and discontinue their services whenever you need to, however, employees can’t just come and leave like that without detrimental consequences to your small business.

 

36. Contests

ContestsCreating a competition for your audience is one way of marketing your small business cost effectively. With a good prize to be won, your customers have no reason not to try the contest. They will talk more about your brand, therefore, increasing awareness. You can also use social media sites to promote your contest to a larger target audience. You will end up attracting a buzz and increase following to your business page.

 

37. Bartering

BarteringThis involves an exchange of goods or services between two or more parties without the use of money. As a small business, you can organize to sell your goods in exchange for services to your business from other small businesses. This gives both the chance to increase turnover while rowing together. It also creates a network of complementary businesses that don’t compete but help each other grow their businesses.

 

38. Magazines

Magazines
One of the most effective targeted small business marketing avenues is magazines. They are in specific fields and professions and those you will be marketing to are almost strictly people interested in a particular field. If you sell plumbing tools, advertising in a magazine dedicated to plumbing articles will be a wise decision. You will talk directly to those in that industry who will take note of your presence and products in that location.

 

 

39. Local newspapers

Local newspapersConsider placing adverts and sponsoring articles in your local newspaper to reach a specific market. Since locals read it, you will easily link with them and increase your exposure to the right people who you want to knock at your shop. Local newspaper ad rates are usually favourable since the distribution is small. No small business should pass such a chance to increase awareness of their business presence in a specific locality.

 

40.Product Remarketing

Product Remarketing

Brand your packages with big labels that promote other services to the customer and anyone who sees it. When you have a product that sells well, you can brand it with another product or service that you want the customer to notice and buy. It costs you nothing to create awareness of another product. All you need to do is redesign the packaging to include the new details.

 

 

Promotional products41. Promotional products

By spending just a little more to finance promotional products, you can attach these to other common products. They will increase sales for the old product and create awareness of the new product you want customers to try for free. This small business marketing option has been used by both small and large businesses with great success.

 

42. Uniforms

Uniform
Design uniforms for your staff to wear at work. If they can be proud of the apparel quality and brand, you will find that employees will wear the uniform from home, therefore, marketing your business to anyone they meet along the way to work. This free form of marketing is effective since it has a human aspect to it.

 

 

Awards43. Awards: gain authority in your industry

When you do well a small business in a given niche, you have a high chance of winning certain awards. This will give your business the much-needed exposure and present you as an authority in the industry. With such a platform you will gain respect and customers will want to buy from the expert. Being professional in serving your customers is a sure ticket to gaining more customers one way or another.

 

 

44. Network with industry partners

Network with industry partnersWho can send referrals like a mechanic who can refer someone to a body shop. There is no better way to build your business than getting out of your comfort zone and meeting people. Create a network personally and through social networks. Your customers and industry partners alike can be a great source of business for you through referrals of customers and get better suppliers to work with. To create quality networks, you will need time and commitment. The gratification is never instant but will last and benefit you for a long time to come.

 

45.POP: ads on counters and signs

ads on counters and signsWithin your shop, you can place attractive signs and ads at conspicuous places to further market certain special or products on offer. This can compel a customer who came to buy one product to buy another too or get a discounted service as indicated on the signs. You can place as many signs as you want since it will only cost you designing and producing them.

 

46. Media coverage

Media coverageGet the media to get you on tv for free. When you do something newsworthy, you place your business at a position where it can attract free media coverage in the local and major TV outlets. Talk to a reporter to feature a story about what you do, how you have changed people’s lives with your business, and more people will know about your services. It takes a step of courage to get on TV for free.

 

 

Brand ambassadors47. Brand ambassadors

Get a famous actor, sportsperson or athlete to be your brand ambassador. Their popularity will bring more traffic to your business within a short time. It may cost you a bit, or in the case of supporting a cause, you may get the brand ambassador to work with you for free. The interest he creates will make people want to be associated with your brand hence business growth.

 

 

48. Word of mouth

Word of mouthThe old school marketing tactics of word-of-mouth advertising still work as effectively as it did centuries ago. People trust what they hear from a friend or relative than from an advert. You can leverage your networks to bring you trusted leads most of who will buy. You can consider giving a few free samples to influential people who can refer their followers to your site and buy your products. No small business should ignore the power of word of mouth marketing.

 

 

Join groups49. Join groups on Facebook, Quora, LinkedIn to promote and answer questions

Facebook and LinkedIn groups are rich source customers as long as you present yourself as an expert in the group. With groups for every imaginable profession and industry, you cannot fail to get somewhere to fit your skills. Join subgroups relevant to your business and help others by answering member questions, engage with others, therefore raising awareness of your expertise in the field chosen. Group members will be tempted to follow you outside the group, click on the links you leave behind and overcome their curiosity to know who you are.

 

50. Interactive content: things such as quizzes and contests

Interactive content
Create interesting interactive contents on your site or social network page to make more people interested in your business. Putting a prize for a quiz or contest will create a buzz, and many people will get to know about your business at just a small cost. Give out an interesting prize that most people will want to win and they will actively participate. When the buzz dies down, you will have acquired more customers, and even more, will have bookmarked your site for future visits when they are ready to purchase. It is very easy to set up a contest on Facebook, Twitter or other social media sites and gain in additional page likes.

 

Pinterest your products51. Pinterest your products if they are something that is shareable

Take pictures of your product and post them on Pinterest. Others will share them easily, therefore raising interest in your business. Be active in this social media with regular posts and within a short time, visitors to your site will increase, customers will make calls to your shop asking more questions and eventually place orders. This is one of the simple, cost-effective small business marketing strategies.

 

52. Go door to door

Go door to doorTake the old school route and walk to very door marketing your business. You can do your part and also employ sales people to handle other streets till you have reached the much you desire. This technique is effective since you get the chance to talk to each prospective customer who gives you a chance. The customer can get a demo or better explanation of the benefits of your products. Make sure you have things like business cards and brochures handy before going.

 

 

Podcast guests53. Podcast guests

Podcasts still have the power it held years ago. You can reach so many people and increase the awareness of your brand or business hence increased business revenue. Podcasts are effective at spreading a marketing message and giving small businesses the power to grow at very low marketing costs.

 

 

54. Host a webinar

Host a webinarWebinars are easy to set up with the advancement of technology we experience today. As long as you have a rich mailing list and strong social media presence, you can advertise your message for those interested to prepare for the webinar at the scheduled time. You will be in a position to share your message using all the available media in your possession; it is an interactive yet affordable way to reach your audience.

 

 

55. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketingOffers individual people small commissions for referring people, usually with a link to your website. It is cheaper to use others to sell your products. Enlist a large number of representatives who are not your employees to spread your product among their specific networks to increase your reach. They will gain by using your products at lower prices and also get sales commissions to supplement their incomes. Affiliates extend the word of mouth marketing since every agent will talk one-on-one with a member of their networks explaining these benefits of the products from their personal experiences. Great way to get sales in 2018 small business marketing ideas.

 

56. Become an industry expert Put out videos, articles on various sites

Become an industry expertWithin your industry, you can position yourself as an expert and share your tips, advice, and knowledge with the audience through various media. Make a video or write an article on a specific topic with the aim of helping answer a question or solve a problem. In addition to your site, you can post these on various sites like YouTube, Google Plus, Facebook, and Twitter among others.

 

 

Yelp and Google Reviews57. Yelp and Google Reviews: people trust reviews as it gives them confidence  

Make efforts to get more reviews on Google and Yelp as they increase user trust in your products and business. Encourage your customers to give you a good rating on these review sites to raise your profile in the eyes of prospective clients. Before someone makes a purchase, in most cases, they look for what others have said before them, good comments and a high star rating will increase the chances of a purchase.

 

58. Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization

Even with the best website design and the greatest content, it is useless if no one can find it on the internet. Continually optimizing your website and monitoring your web statistics is the only way to stay on top of the very competitive online arena. Continually refine your site and align it with the Google SEO updates and technological changes. Focus on creating content with specific keywords and adequate quality backlinks from authority sites.

 

 

Get interviewed whether60. Get interviewed whether it goes on YouTube, newspaper, and TV

Organize an interview with local or major media companies to get your opinion on various industry issues. It doesn’t matter where this interview will end up as long as people know about your business, what you have done and what you plan for your town and industry. It is one avenue to get noticed as an authority on certain topics.

 

61. Newsletters

NewslettersAn effective way to reach a wider customer base with detailed marketing is publishing newsletters on a regular basis. Current customers will know what’s new and new customers will come looking for you from what they have read on your newsletters. Make it as attractive as possible with pictures and short sentences making it easy to read or scan through.

 

 

62. Tag related people to increase engagement online.

Tag related people

You will increase your brand awareness when influential people in your industry are tagged in your posts. Their network will know about you resulting in an increase in user engagement. The more others talk about you, the higher the chances of a sale happening from those forums.

 

63. Get and feature testimonials

Get and feature testimonials
Customer testimonials are known to create confidence among new customers, especially for online sales. When prospective customers see positive testimonials from previous customers, they will trust your brand and be your customer. Ask your customers to give you their testimonials from their user experience o you can place on your site.

 

 

64. Branded signatures

Branded signaturesEmails normally get passed around, and many people fail to even properly display who they are. Do not send from personal emails. Start by setting up a professional business email then create a branded signature that will communicate your business activities and contacts all in one email. This will mean than any time you send out an email; you are marketing your small business. And when someone forwards your email to their friends, they also forward your marketing message at no cost to you.

 

65. Use trending hashtags and join in the buzz

Use trending hashtags and join in the buzz
Have a social media strategy that uses trending hashtags that are relevant to your business. Be a part of the internet buzz o that whenever someone clicks on a given hashtag, your business will be among the results. The more you post with your hashtags, the higher the chances your business will become visible on the internet.

 

 

Work with vendors and suppliers66.Work with vendors and suppliers

They often can send business your way. Your suppliers can be your best source of business if you build a close relationship with them. Since most do not sell retail quantities, they can refer inquiries to your shop, therefore, increasing both your customer base and your revenues without spending on marketing. In business, relationships are crucial for survival and business growth.

 

 

67. Include flyers, brochures, etc in your packaging

Include flyers, brochuresIn your packages to sell more products and also gives the client something to give to a friend. As you pack orders, you can include some gift or marketing material like a brochure that the customer can read once they arrive home. It also expands your audience to those at home or at the client’s business place who will see the material. Spread your marketing message using every available opportunity and be consistent.

 

 

 

68. Offer discounts, coupons, free extras

Offer discounts, couponsAll over the world, people love free and discounted products. Occasionally offer discounted products to reward your customers and gain more. The social media are increasingly becoming the best place to promote your offers to reach the widest audience within the shortest time. Consider using blogs and direct posting to communicate the offer. You will get an increased coverage when customers get wind of your offer for reduced prices. Making this a regular thing can keep customers alert for the next offer and helps them prepare to take advantage of your discounts.

 

 

69. Find niche platforms

Find niche platformsLike speciality websites and magazines that target specific clients apart from the general internet sites, social media, and magazines, you can market your business in niche sites and magazines serving your industry. This way, you are certain of reaching the right audience and receiving only relevant inquiries.

 

 

 

Answer questions on Quora, google+ and forums70. Answer questions on Quora, google+ and forums

Be active and ready to help others in your area of expertise. When you answer a question and make contributions, users will gain an interest in you and will check out your profile from where they are bound to get your website address or business location.

 

 

 

71. Rebrand your business

Rebrand your businessFresh look brings back old customers who have forgotten or left you. After a few years, you can spend a little money rebranding to reignite awareness about your business. You will create a new excitement among old customers and gain new customers who will want to experience the new brand.

 

 

Try wholesaling72. Try wholesaling

You may take a smaller cut, but you can create hundreds of sales people with recurring income. Being a wholesaler means you deal with a wider retail clientele spread afar. When you manage the business as desired, your customers will help market your business at no cost.

 

 

73. Respond and engage with your blog, social media content, reviews on Google and Yelp

Respond and engage with your blog

 

Be active on all your social media and internet sites. When a customer or visitor asks a question, be prompt in responding and if someone complains about your services or product, handle it professionally.

 

 

 

74. Sign up to get free media opportunity

Sign up to get free media opportunityAlerts from HARO (Help Out a Reporter), which will connect you with reporters who need expert insights for their stories. Many reporters around the world will be happy to get your expert input on stories they are working on. With technological improvement, it is even easier to share your thoughts on topics that are relevant to your business. It opens your business to a wider audience when the stories are published. These small media opportunities can lead to bigger opportunities that will help market the small business at almost no cost except for your time.

 

75. Create viral content

Create viral contentSomething like this article, top 100 things about your business. Something extreme that may intrigue people. Take your time to produce quality content that can help your audience, but with a pint of controversy. Include some research that will excite the minds of your audience and make them want to share the links. Within no time, your content will have gone viral therefore creating more interest in your small business. Small business marketing with viral content has proven to be so effective at creating awareness of a little-known business. Using infographics, text, and videos meant to excite the appetite of consumers will earn you the publicity your business needs.

 

Expand selling avenues 76. Expand selling avenues if you sell products

Sell on sites like Amazon, eBay, Etsy. You may pay more in fees, but it will brand your business outside of areas you may never reach. You are certain to increase your turnover over a short period. Gain access to customers all over the world and position your product to be competitive on a global scale with other competing products. Even with smaller margins, you will see a growth in your business due to increased volumes that come with economies of scale.

 

 

77. Reach out to influential people

Reach out to influential peopleIn your industry who can help promote your business. There are many influencers in the various social media platforms with an adequate following to help market your small business. An influencer will be a great resource whether you pay them or convince them to be a supporter of your business at no cost.

 

 

 

78. Partner with other companies

Partner with other companiesTo cross-promote each other that are noncompetitive possibly with a webinar. When you team up with related, but no competitive business in your industry, you will be setting up your business to benefit from joint projects or cross promotion of your businesses in each other’s network. You can work together on a webinar or a special event to increase awareness of both businesses. Your expenses will be reduced, and the exposure will be twice as high in a partnership due to the synergies of joining forces.

 

79. Encourage people

Encourage peopleTo take pictures and post them on social media and reprint your products. Prospective customers prefer to see confirmation from past clients before they spend their money. Enticing past customers to share photos and videos of their purchases and how they are using them will significantly give confidence to new customers.

 

 

 

80. Add a newsletter signup to your website
newsletter signup to your website

Other than the regular posts to your website’s blog, give your visitors the option to sign up to receive periodic newsletters to update them on what you are doing and where the business is headed. Newsletters are usually detailed and large giving you enough space to say more, give offers and educate your customers. This small business marketing tactic is viable and will only cost you in the time it takes to craft the newsletter or the cost of paying someone to write it professionally.

 

81. Use programs like constant contact to manage your emails

Use programs like constant contact to manage your emails
With email management programs like constant contact, you can collect, categorize and manage thousands of emails efficiently. You can schedule weekly or monthly emails targeting various customer groups with offers, discounts, new trends and many other types of information to help grow your business. With such a program, you can see how many subscribers are added per week and how many have left. Keeping them updated is much easier than when you do it manually.

 

 

82. Create free tips

Create free tipsHave a section of your website dedicated to free tips to solve various problems that your customers may encounter. You can offer these as articles or compile an eBook that users can download for free to help them solve their problems related to what your business sells. Be an expert with a solution to common and uncommon problems, and more people will learn about your business this way. Regularly post these tips and customers will come back for more making you their source of information concerning an individual topic.

 

 

83. Offer live chat on your website
Offer live chat on your website

When you integrate chat features into your site, customers and prospective clients will find it easy to talk with you and ask questions related to your business. It is an instant communication medium that gives the visitor real time information and can mean the difference between a conversion into a buying customer or just a site visitor. Chat features are not expensive; in fact, there are free options you can integrate with your site to make it easy for users to reach you anytime.

 

 

Create landing pages that say specific targeted message84. Create landing pages that say the specific targeted message

Your site can be well optimized for search engines, but without a proper landing page, your efforts will be all for nothing. Create an attractive landing page with all the relevant information that will convince the visitor to be a customer. Make it so convincing and easy to read that they will not turn back but will want more. Include videos, pictures, and short descriptive texts to make it easy and interesting to consume in the shortest time possible. No customer wants to spend much time on any website.

 

 

85. Add a simple thing

Add a simple thingAs table covers and banner stands for your next tradeshow to give a better image. Make use of every opportunity to market your small business and be visible amidst the competition. A colorful table cover branded with your business colors and logo in addition to the informative banner will attract visitors to your booth. Other than explaining what you do to visitors, you have a chance to share your business cards, get the visitors’ contacts so as to continue the conversation later when the tradeshow is over, and everything has settled down.

 

 

Find local community86. Find local community locations to put flyers, brochures, business cards                                                                                                                                                                                  Places like mom and pop restaurants, bakeries often have a place for this. This is a free option to spread the word about your small business to the target population. Most local places will gladly accept to carry your flyers, so their customers will find more about you without the hassle on your part. This method has worked for so many small businesses out to market their services. The new businesses can benefit from this technique since they are low in cash and are not known.

 

 

87. Add autoresponders to your emails

autoresponders to your emailsA simple way to push new products or concepts. Customers feel happy when they get some response immediately they email you. To make this possible, work with autoresponders to deliver your standard message for each email address in your company. Even if you take long to respond to specific inquiries, the customer will be relaxed knowing that someone is doing something about his email. You can program a specific message that will help your customer even before you actively respond to their emails, use this opportunity to market your business passively at no extra cost.

 

 

Thank customers with imprinted products88. Thank customers with imprinted products                                                                                                                        It will keep your brand in front of them for years. This may seem costly, but it isn’t. You can brand simple products like keychains and pens, so the customer will always see your brand every day. It is a free form of marketing where the customer spreads the brand wherever he goes.

 

89. Radio advertising

Radio advertising
Almost everyone listens to the radio, whether it is FM radio or internet radio. It is an affordable form of advertising for many small businesses. It presents a wide reach and can be placed at specific times during the day to align with when the target audience listens to the radio.

 

 

 

Audio advertising90. Adio advertising on places like Pandora and podcast  
As long as you have a voice or can hire someone with a great voice, you can create wonderful audio adverts. All you require is a simple audio editor, and your advert is ready to air.

 

 

91. Offer a deal on Groupon
Offer a deal on Groupon

Groupon is a network of merchants where you can offer deals, market your products and focus your online small business marketing to certain targets without breaking the bank. It gives you the opportunity to learn about your customers and closely monitor feedback. It features a vibrant campaign management tool to make your work easy.

 

 

 

Step and Repeat Advertising at Events  92. Step and Repeat Advertising at Events                                                                                                                                                            
Take advantage of events to create a step and repeat banners showing your branding to raise awareness. Since events bring people from diverse regions and backgrounds, you will have a great chance of expanding your reach to areas never marketed to before. The media coverage will also extend your brand awareness in whatever media the event is covered.

 

93. Instagram Photo Props
Instagram Photo Props

This is a fun way to share photos of your products and the services your business offer. You can show lots of photos that create interest among the target market. Make use of every opportunity like when launching a new product, when conducting a sale, promotion or when hosting events to share with your groups.

 

 

Calendar giveaways94. Calendar giveaways: 365 days of promotion  
Calendars are used at home, offices, businesses, and institutions. Giving away branded calendars to customers and their friends expand your reach and ensure you get daily exposure for the next 365 days. Customers and their visitors will all get to know more about your business, therefore creating loyalty only at the cost of the print.

 

 

95. Wall graphics improve the visual appeal

Wall graphics improveThe overall look and appeal of your business, people who feel comfortable and like your brand spend more money. Increase the beauty of your store with wall graphics. You can print and stick attractive designs or paint the wall with desirable graphics. They make your store appear cozy, and customers will want to come back another day.

 

 

 

Bumper Stickers and regular stickers96. Bumper Stickers and regular stickers

If you have that kind of brand people will support you for free. With a good brand, your customers and friends will freely stick your business bumper stickers on their cars at no cost. Make them want to be associated with your business, give free samples or special offers, treat them like family or some other skills and they will pay back by marketing for you.

 

 

97. Sidewalk signs

Sidewalk signs Attract people walking by your location with specials. Do not forget to design attractive sidewalk signs around your business location. Give special offers like Tuesday special or something to grab the attention of those passing by. No small business marketing tactic is irrelevant in today’s competitive market.

 

 

 

98. Arrow spinners

arrow-spinner-signIf you have a retail store get someone on the street, attracting people to come to your location. As you grow with technology, do not forget the offline methods like an arrow spinner at your storefront. It is especially effective in a line of stores selling similar products or services and are competing for the same clients.

 

 


99. Live broadcasts on things like Periscope, Facebook live and YouTube live

Live broadcasts on things like Periscope

 

Take advantage of live broadcast and the availability of fast internet to share your marketing message with a large audience. Lately, there has been a lot of interest in live broadcast and it has been shown that it is more effective than traditional video at reaching target audiences.

 

Follow up on past clients and leads100. Follow up on past clients and leads                                                                                                                                                    They are your free premarketed products.It is much easier to approach a past client than market to a new one. From your customer contact management software or your Excel list, you can make warm calls or, if they are nearby, pay them a visit to present your new products or convince them to buy from you again.

 

 

101. Create and or join Meetups
Create and or join Meetups

With Meetup, you can develop a group of friends or create a group that serves a specific interest. Just like other social media networks, it requires regular updating and actively engaging with your friends brings out your expertise and can be a marketing channel for your small business. You can share your Meetup n other social media networks so that your friends know what you are up top

 

Create ebooks102. Create ebooks

People love free big guides for speciality ideas which create a big email list of leads
As a way to get more sign-ups on your site or additional freebie to your existing mailing list, create a free eBook with helpful tips in your industry. Since people like free stuff, they will not resist downloading this and if you make it a habit of releasing one every few months, your customer list is sure to grow.

 

103. Thank you cards
Thank you cards

Spend some little money designing and producing thank you cards for your clients. You will succeed at keeping them close to think of you whenever they want to purchase. They will feel appreciated and will want to come back for more and even recommend a friend to your business.

 

 

Whether your here in Miami (Doral), Florida or across the country, give us a call or send us an email and we can assist with all your printing and online website marketing services.

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