A2X Consulting

One of the most common issues small business owners confront is how to effectively use their small marketing and advertising dollars to increase revenue and grow their business in a sustainable manner. Most businesses require, at least, a basic marketing and advertising plan to remain competitive.

For a small business owner it is important to realize the target market for the product or service the company offers and market to that group.

It is less expensive for a business to retain a current customer than sell to a new one. Therefore, a small business would be well advised to employ various methods to retain their existing or old customers.

This blog posted recently about some eMarketing ideas that are relevant, innovative, and cost efficient for small businesses.

Other ideas that small businesses could employ are:

1. Use smaller ads instead of larger ones: many times a well placed small ad is just as effective as its larger cousin and costs much less.

2. When you answer the phone insert the daily specials or sales: Think of answering the phone like, ‘Thanks for calling Brown Bean Coffee where small lattes are half-priced this week. How can I help you?’

3. Try to engage your customers right after a sale: Send your customers an email with a special promotion or send them a postcard to thank them for their business or remind them of a future event to keep your business fresh in their minds.

4. Consider a newsletter: Many businesses have started to send quarterly, biannually, or every-other-month newsletters that talk about current events in the business, highlight stellar employees, and discuss future events, sales, and promotions.

5. Partner with another small business: Offer to showcase another non-competing business’s services for a short period of time in exchange for the same from them. This is a good, cost efficient way to find new customers.

6. Create deals for new customers: If a customer has never before done business, perhaps you can offer him a slight discount or even a free item.

7. Create deals for existing customers: Your existing customers already know your business. You can send them special mail out or email offers to entice them to return to your business.

 There are many ways a small business can get creative with the marketing process. Marketing should be fun and does not have to be expensive. Good luck!

By Sara Beck. Sara is an MBA student and loves to travel. She blogs at www.sarabeck.wordpress.com.