Fundamentals first
Know your customer and your offer before choosing tactics.
Read an intro to small business marketing and the four Ps of marketing. Use market research to confirm who you are talking to.
Choosing channels
Pick two or three channels you can run well rather than ten you cannot sustain.
The guide to marketing channels compares them. For wider planning see the marketing strategy collection and the digital marketing collection.
Materials, PR and events
Offline tools still work for local and relationship-based businesses.
See marketing materials, PR for small business and event marketing.
A basic one-page plan
Put the plan on one page so you will use it.
- Who is the customer?
- What do we offer and why is it better?
- Which two channels will we use?
- What is the monthly budget and target number of leads?
Review the page monthly and change one variable at a time so you can see what caused any shift.
Budget and return
Set a marketing budget from margins and expected returns.
Use the marketing budget guide. When a proven campaign needs cash to scale, working capital may help, but only after you check that each dollar spent returns more than it costs.
If you reach the point where outside money makes sense, the process is short. You complete an online application in a few minutes with a soft credit pull, so applying does not affect your credit score, and you are under no obligation to accept an offer. Send three months of business bank statements and approved, complete files can be funded the same business day. Amounts run from $5,000 to $5,000,000 for businesses with 500+ FICO, 6+ months in business and $20,000+ in monthly revenue.
Guides in this collection
- 8 Sample Emails for Every Invoicing Situation
- An Instagram Marketing Strategy a Small Team Can Actually Run
- Brand Elements Every Small Business Needs
- Customer Marketing: How to Grow Revenue From the Customers You Already Have
- Digital Marketing for Small Business: What to Do First and What to Skip
- Email Design for Small Business: Layouts That Get Read and Clicked
- Email Marketing Strategy: A Simple Plan Small Businesses Can Run
- Event Marketing for Small Businesses: From Plan to Follow-Up
- Facebook Marketing for Small Businesses: What Works in Practice
- How to Build Customer Loyalty in a Small Business
- How to Build a Brand Messaging Framework
- How to Build a Simple Customer Loyalty Program
- How to Choose an Email Marketing Platform for a Small Business
- How to Create Invoices Customers Do Not Ignore
- How to Create a Brand Style Guide
- How to Create a Business Facebook Page and Set It Up to Get Customers
- How to Create a Customer Story That Helps You Win New Customers
- How to Create a Small Business Marketing Budget That Pays Back
- How to Handle an Invoice Dispute Without Losing the Customer or the Cash
- How to Launch a Brand: A Step-by-Step Plan for Small Businesses
- How to Run an Instagram Giveaway That Brings In Real Customers
- How to Send a Customer to Collections
- How to Set Up a Business Instagram Account That Brings Customers
- How to Start an Email Newsletter for Your Small Business
- How to Write Ad Copy That Gets Clicks and Real Customers
- How to Write a Marketing Plan for a Small Business
- How to Write a Value Proposition Customers Actually Remember
- How to cut business costs without hurting sales
- How to handle a sales tax audit
- How to measure marketing ROI
- How to raise prices without losing customers
- How to survive losing a big customer
- Marketing Channels for Small Business: How to Choose the Right Mix
- Marketing Materials Every Small Business Needs (and What to Skip)
- Marketing Tools for Small Business: Pick by Job, Not by Hype
- SEO Keyword Research: A Simple Method for Small Businesses
- SEO Tools for Small Business: What to Use and What to Skip
- Small Business Branding: Build a Brand That Customers Remember
- Small Business Email Marketing: A Plan You Can Start This Week
- Small Business Marketing Strategy: A Step-by-Step Plan
- Small Business Marketing for Beginners: Where to Start
- Small Business SEO: How to Get Found on Google
- Social Media Marketing for Small Business: A Focused Plan
- Text Message Marketing for Small Business
- The Four Ps of Marketing: A Practical Guide for Small Businesses
- Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How Small Businesses Earn Referrals
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on marketing?
It depends on margins, goals and stage. Many owners start with a fixed monthly amount and adjust as results come in.
What is the cheapest effective marketing?
Referrals, email to existing customers and a well-maintained local profile are low-cost starting points.
How do I know it is working?
Track leads, sales and cost per sale by channel, not just visits or likes.