Small businesses were surveyed again in a study on eMarketer.
This time the focus was on marketing budget.
It should be obvious that small business marketing budgets differ from medium size businesses and even more from large size businesses. The study was interesting because it highlighted the most effective marketing strategies implemented by companies large and small and in the B2C and B2B areas.
The results are interesting because that which is most effective is often not where the most money is invested.
From SMBs Hold Marketing Budgets Steady:
The research found that email, website and in-person interactions were considered the most effective marketing techniques by SMBs. B2C and B2B businesses found email and website marketing to be effective in about equal numbers.
It’s interesting that two of the oldest marketing methods are the most effective.
Social Media was seen as less effective although there is some investment in that area. B2C companies reported the best return from Facebook while small businesses in the B2B world reported the best return from LinkedIn.
What interests me the most about the study is that email and website marketing are still the most effective ways for small businesses to get new business.
The question becomes – what are you doing with these two areas to grow your company?
Fresh Content: Something businesses tend to forget is that websites need fresh content. Even one article or news item per month is enough to make your website look like something is actually happening. When new visitors come to your website they want to know that you’re around and not just putting up a static billboard.
A blog is a great way to add fresh content to your website. You can do a post each month or maybe a post each week. The more you can handle the better. You’ll gain subscribers and new visitors that are all potential customers.
Email Program: One of the best things a small business can do is run an email program. Your website should attract new email subscribers. A blog is a great way to attract these new subscribers. You can also add your existing clients to the list. Market to them. They are ready for upselling opportunities. It’s a great way to grow your business and that’s why the respondents in the survey above said that email marketing is one of the most effective forms of marketing.
Guest Blogging: One last point about website marketing is the fact that traffic just doesn’t appear. You can build content on your blog and traffic might trickle in from referrals like search and social, but it’s better to supplement the growth with guest blogging. You can provide content to website owners in exchange for access to their audience. Save your best content for the guest blogging opportunities.
What are you doing to use your website and email programs effectively?
Image Credit: dlofink