Alyssa Gregory
A Marketing Guide for Small Businesses
Marketing is one of the most important parts of any small business, and it’s especially important for new startups. An effective marketing plan — one that helps you identify the marketing activities that have the highest return on investment — can often be the difference between a small business that thrives and one that dwindles.
If you are in the process of starting a new small business and are ready to get your feet wet with marketing, this collection of articles will help you plan, implement, and develop effective marketing techniques.
1. A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Marketing Plan
A marketing plan is an essential marketing tool for every small business. This step-by-step tutorial streamlines the process by walking you through 10 questions. Your answers will create a functional and streamlined marketing plan that you can use as a blueprint in your small business.
2. How to Conduct a SWOT Analysis
A SWOT analysis is one of the best strategic planning tools for a small business owner who is interested in ramping up his or her marketing activities. It’s fairly easy to do, yet the information gathered can help you make better decisions in your business and, specifically marketing. This tutorial will walk you through the process, and provide an example SWOT matrix you can use.
3. How to Write a Unique Selling Proposition
A unique selling proposition (USP), is a statement that succinctly outlines how your business, product or service is different from that of your competition. It’s extremely important for startups because it identifies why your target clients should choose you over the competition. This four-step exercise will help you write a unique selling proposition for your small business.
4. 101 Small Business Marketing Ideas
There are thousands of ways you can promote your small business, and it often takes trying many of them to identify the marketing activities that are most effective for your business. Here is a list of 101 small business marketing ideas to get you thinking about all of the different ways you can promote your business.
5. Focus Groups 101
A focus group can be an effective way for small businesses to conduct market research, an important part of creating a marketing plan. But focus groups aren’t right for every small business. Learn when you should consider conducting a focus group, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.
6. 4 Steps to Using Email Marketing in Your Small Business
Email marketing requires a dedicated system and consistent effort so it’s considered a long-term marketing activity. But just because you won’t see results overnight doesn’t make this marketing tool any less powerful for small businesses. This article outlines four basic steps you need to take in order to get started with email marketing.
7. 7 Tips for Getting Started with Social Media
Social media may still be relatively new, but it’s clear that it isn’t going anywhere. Small businesses that put the power of social media marketing to work for them have the potential to expand their reach and ramp up business on a entirely new level. Here are seven tips to help you navigate the social media waters in a manageable and effective way.
8. Top 5 Reasons You Should Start a Business Blog
Starting a business blog doesn’t have to be an intimidating or overwhelming experience. Once you get started, the benefits of a business blog can make the effort worthwhile. Explore five of the biggest reasons you should start a blog for your business.
9. 12 Tips for Making Your Business Blog a Success
The idea of starting a business blog may seem a bit overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. There are no set rules for creating a successful business blog, but these 12 tips will help you get your business blogging experience off to a successful start.
10. 5 Bootstrap Marketing Techniques Every Small Business Owner Should Use
Bootstrapping takes a lot of creativity, which makes it the perfect fit for marketing. There are so many ways you can get the word out about your business without a big investment. Here are five bootstrap marketing techniques you can integrate into your marketing plan. More »
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