Did you know that 1 in 5 small businesses don’t utilize digital marketing?
“Even worse? A fifth of small businesses aren’t utilizing digital marketing at all. That means 20% of small businesses aren’t taking advantage of search engine, email, or social media marketing. Even more, 20% of small businesses don’t have a website.
Maddie Shepherd – Fundera Nerdwallet
As a marketing professional, I’ve witnessed multiple business owners struggle to grasp the value of a digital marketing strategy for their small business. But can we blame them? No. Digital marketing is an ever-changing industry that leaves everyone, even professionals, exhausted from having to keep up with new industry trends, algorithm changes, new tools, and technologies. Digital marketing is a fast-paced industry that involves continuous learning.
Yes, even marketing professionals at fortune 500 companies find themselves thinking from time to time. What now? How do we make this work? Is there value in this new tool or channel? Should we jump on the bandwagon?
You are not alone. As a small business owner, time is money and money is time. You might not have the luxury to spend endless hours creating a marketing campaign given that you already wear multiple hats. You might act as your business’s accountant, cashier, delivery driver, stock supplier, customer service rep, etc? Does that sound familiar?
Fear no more. Digital marketing does not have to be as daunting as it seems. All you need is focus, willingness to experiment, and understanding what works for your prospects, customers, and target audience.
Here are 5 tips to help you kick off your business’s digital marketing plan.
1. Know your customer.
The success of every marketing campaign boils down to how well you understand your customer. If you don’t have valuable information about your ideal clients then your marketing efforts will not yield major results. But, how do I gather information on my customers, you may ask? Talk to your ideal customers when they come to visit your shop or when they pick up an order. Have genuine and casual conversations with them but also try to understand their motives, why they prefer your products/ services, what questions or problems they might be experiencing, and so forth. This is extremely valuable information and will become a major asset to your business in the future.
2. Set goals and track performance.
When you decide to run a campaign or a promotion be sure to set SMART goals so you can accurately measure and understand the success of your campaign. Set SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Frame.
For Example: In the next 3 months (Time Frame), I want to increase my Instagram followers (Specific) by 15% (Measurable) to be able to have a deeper reach in my social media messaging. (Relevant)
Always ensure your goals are attainable but not too ambitious that they become unrealistic.
3. Practice makes perfect.
Don’t get discouraged if your content, campaign, or promotion is not an immediate success. Marketing takes time, patience, and practice. You will make mistakes but learn from them, improve every day and continue to evolve your brand and your business.
4. Don’t try to do it all.
Just because other companies are doing something it doesn’t mean that you should as well. In a small business, resources can be scarce. Don’t waste your time and energy trying to compete in every digital arena. Pick your channels strategically by knowing where your customers are. Do your customers frequent Instagram more than TikTok? Then maybe TikTok is not the right platform for you. Focus on a few avenues and become an expert. It’s best to be proficient in a handful of disciplines rather than a novice in all. In other words, don’t be a jack of all trades and a master at none. You can always expand into other channels & platforms when it’s the right time for your business.
5. Be a thought leader & do so genuinely.
Remember that customer information we covered earlier? Become religiously devoted at answering your customers’ most frequently asked questions. You can share this information via blogs, social posts, stories, polls, etc. The point is to provide helpful resources and information for your prospects as they research for solutions online. Even if they don’t purchase from you right away, surely they will remember your insightful content and eventually trickle back to your store or profile. You are a subject matter expert in your field – show your customers why!
See you are already doing it! This is the start of your business’s digital marketing strategy. Please follow this blog series if you want to learn other helpful tips & tricks about small business digital marketing.
References
Shepherd, M. (2021) Small Business Marketing Statistics and Trends 2021. Fundera by Nerdwallet. https://www.fundera.com/resources/small-business-marketing-statistics
