Small Business Marketing Checklist

From content strategy and social media marketing to analytics and retargeting, it's hard to stay up to date on everything that falls under the digital marketing umbrella. This handy list will draw your attention to 8 things that you can do each week to make sure your brand is represented well online. If you need help with any of these items, just give us a call.

• Think about your current customers and competitors. Focus on answering questions or solving problems your customers have. What are your competitors offering that you do not? What are you doing better? Does your marketing reflect these things? Focus on the items you can answer. Making consistent small improvements can lead to sales increases.
• Most small companies get the lion’s share of their business from other local companies. Participating in or sponsoring local events can be a great way to remind your customers of your value. Sharing your expertise as a speaker can also bring much needed recognition and rewards (for our Whatcom County businesses, WPN and WWIB both have upcoming events that give great exposure in exchange for sponsorship).
• Promote your business everywhere. Business cards, billing statements, letterhead, vehicle signage, storefront signs are obvious but don’t forget your website, social media and email marketing as high-value, low-cost avenues.
• Check your businesses online listings for correct Name, Address, Phone and Website addresses. Businesses with incorrect listings or hours can lose out to a competitor with accurate information (need help with this? Check out our Real Time Presence Enhancement Service).
• Review your website. Is it still doing what it was intended to do? Is it doing what your customer expects? The web is evolving constantly, your strategy must keep pace.
• Connect with customers on social media. Don’t have a Facebook or LinkedIn page? Set one up and make it a priority to post relevant information frequently. Use precision ads to target your customers.
• Make sure you show up where your customers are looking for you. 75% of clicks go to the first page results in Google searches. Use Pay-Per-Click ads and optimize your website for terms that are used to find products and services you provide. Use display ads that re-target your customers while they are surfing.
• Monitor your online reputation and what is being said about your company. 84% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Devise and implement a plan to help promote more customer reviews. Respond to all negative reviews and try to take discussion offline whenever possible. Responses to negative reviews shows people you care and do your best to resolve any conflicts.