101 Small Business Marketing Ideas

Let’s face it, starting a business and marketing takes time, money, and know how. We found a great post on The Balance SMB that lists 101 Small Business Marketing Ideas. We listed our favorites below. For the full list of 101 Small Business Marketing Ideas please visit The Balance SMB.

One universal small business goal is to sell the business’s products and services. We’ve compiled a list of small business marketing ideas to help you do just that. This is usually best accomplished by positioning the business in front of the target audience and offering something that solves a problem or that they can’t refuse or find elsewhere.

To this end, one of the smartest things a small business owner can do for his or her business is taking the time to develop a small business marketing plan that will set them apart from the competition. A marketing plan clearly outlines how you will reach your ideal customers by effectively implementing your marketing strategy.

There are thousands of ways you can promote your small business. With the right mix of activities, you can identify and focus on the most effective marketing tactics for your small 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.

Marketing Materials

7. Update your business cards.

8. Make your business card stand out from the rest.

9. Create or update your brochure.

10. Create a digital version of your brochure for your website.

11. Explore a website redesign.

12. Get creative with promotional products and give them away at the next networking event you attend.

In-Person Networking

13. Write an elevator pitch.

14. Register for a conference.

15. Introduce yourself to other local business owners.

16. Plan a local business workshop.

17. Join your local chamber of commerce.

18. Rent a booth at a trade show.

Advertising

24. Advertise on the radio.

25. Advertise in the Yellow Pages.

26. Advertise on a billboard.

27. Use stickers or magnets to advertise on your car.

28. Take out an ad in your local newspaper.

29. Advertise on a local cable TV station.

30. Advertise on Facebook.

31. Advertise on LinkedIn.

32. Buy ad space on a relevant website.

33. Use a sidewalk sign to promote your specials.

Social Media Marketing

34. Get started with social media for business.

35. Create a Facebook page.

36. Get a vanity URL or username for your Facebook page.

37. Create a Twitter account.

38. Reply or retweet someone else on Twitter.

39. Set up a Foursquare account for your business.

40. List your business on Google Places.

41. Start a business blog.

42. Write blog posts on a regular basis.

43. Create an Instagram account.

44. Create a Groupon.

Internet Marketing

45. Start a Google Adwords pay-per-click campaign.

46. Start a Microsoft adCenter pay-per-click campaign.

47. Comment on a blog post.

48. Record a video blog post.

49. Upload a video to YouTube.

50. Check your online directory listings and get listed in desirable directories.

51. Set up Google Analytics on your website and blog.

52. Review and measure your Google Analytics statistics.

53. Register a new domain name for a marketing campaign or a new product or service.

54. Learn more about local search marketing.

55. Track your online reputation.

56. Sign up for the Help a Reporter Out (HARO) email list.

Email Marketing

57. Create an email opt-in on your website or blog.

58. Offer a free download or free gift to make people willing to add their email address to your list.

59. Send regular emails to your list.

60. Start a free monthly email newsletter.

61. Use A/B testing to measure the effectiveness of your email campaigns.

62. Perfect your email signature.

63. Add audio, video, and social sharing functionality to your emails.

Marketing Help

90. Hire a marketing consultant.

91. Hire a public relations professional.

92. Hire a professional copywriter.

93. Hire a search engine marketing firm.

94. Hire an intern to help with daily marketing tasks.

95. Hire a sales coach or salesperson.

We found this great post on The Balance SMB that lists 101 Small Business Marketing Ideas. We listed our favorites below. For the full list of 101 Small Business Marketing Ideas please visit The Balance SMB.