Many small business owners get stuck in a marketing rut—same tactics, same media outlets, same budget. This could be the year for a big shake-up.
To really expand your marketing horizons, consider strategies you’ve never used before. Review the success (or lack of) regarding marketing strategies you used this year. Look back and identify ways to improve your marketing so you can bring in new clients, referrals and repeat business.
The checklist below includes tactics that have worked well for many small businesses. For each tactic, we’ve identified one of the three main roles it plays in the marketing continuum:
- Drive web traffic
- Create brand preference
- Generate leads.
As you complete the checklist:
- Make sure you use at least one tactic for each of the three marketing roles.
- Honestly assess if you are seeing a real return on investment. Don’t continue to use tactics just out of habit.
- Think of the tactics your competitors used. This can help your company spot both gaps and opportunities in your own marketing.
Note: Some of these new buzzwords—such as pay-per-click advertising (PPC) and search engine optimization (SEO)—can be daunting if you aren’t tech savvy. Don’t panic, but don’t ignore the trend because you don’t understand it. Get some help to explore your need for this tactic and its potential.
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Marketing Tactics |
You used this tactic |
This tactic worked for you |
You’d try the tactic |
Competitors used this tactic |
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PAID PPC/Google AdWords, local search listing, etc. |
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WORD-OF-MOUTH Create brand preference Ratings and reviews (e.g., Yelp), informal referrals |
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REFERRAL PROGRAM Generate leads Actively asking clients and contacts for referrals |
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NEWSLETTER Create brand preference Print or e-mail newsletter to clients and prospects |
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CONTENT MARKETING Generate leads Articles, white papers, etc. |
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SOCIAL MEDIA Create brand preference Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, etc. |
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DIRECT RESPONSE Generate leads Mailings and e-mail blasts |
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SEMINARS/SPEAKING Generate leads Presentation, workshop, etc. |
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PUBLIC RELATIONS Create brand preference Press releases, articles/news |
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Optimizing for search terms |
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