Top 5 SMB Marketing Mistakes (and How to Fix Them!)
It’s not easy being a small to medium business (SMB). Being on the smaller side means you don’t exactly have a bottomless checkbook and lots of extra workers you can throw at a problem – so that means that every marketing move you make really counts. One wrong move could cost you valuable time and money. However, on the bright side, many marketing mistakes are far from mysterious – they’re common enough that they can be easily identified and addressed. Let’s explore the top 5 marketing mistakes SMBs make and, more importantly, how to fix them!
SMB Marketing Mistake #1: Not having a plan
Whether you’ve been around for years or you’re just getting started out, marketing your business can feel like a daunting prospect. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running your business and forget that you need to spread the word about that business. But daunting though it may be, almost any plan is better than no plan! Imagine throwing darts blindfolded – what are the chances you’ll hit a bullseye, let alone hit the board?
How to fix it – Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If you have a plan – even if it’s less than perfect – you have something to measure your success against, and something to build on for the future. So, take the time to write down things such as your marketing goals, your audience, and your budget, at least as a starting point. If it still feels intimidating to go further than that, consider partnering with a trusted marketing agency.
SMB Marketing Mistake #2: Neglecting local SEO
If your business is tied to your location in any way, local customers are likely your bread and butter. For example, a business selling custom dog sweaters over e-commerce doesn’t have to concern themselves with local SEO – whereas a business offering dog grooming services should focus heavily on local SEO. Failing to optimize for local search means you’re missing out on potential customers actively searching for your products or services in your area.
How to fix it: For starters, make sure you’ve claimed your Google Business Profile. That in itself will go a long way to building trust with local customers! Once you’ve claimed it, you’ll want to make sure everything is up to date – you can check out our essential guide to Google Business Profile if you’d like more tips. Then, make sure you are using relevant local keywords and location information in your website and social media profiles. If you want people to find you, do everything you can to make it as easy as possible!
SMB Marketing Mistake #3: Inconsistent branding
Few things kill trust quite so quickly as inconsistent branding. If your website displays a fresh, modern look and logo, but your Facebook profile has an ancient logo done in clip art – even if you don’t update your Facebook often – users will trust you less. If you make them wonder if they’re in the right place, there’s a good chance you’ve already lost.
How to fix it: Of course, the solution here is to keep it consistent! Take an hour or so and go through your website, social profiles, and any marketing materials you use, making a list as you go. Is everything cohesive? Does anything you use still have outdated branding? Once you’ve gone through everything, consider planning a quarterly or yearly review of all of your marketing materials. This will ensure that nothing old or out of date slips through the cracks.
SMB Marketing Mistake #4: Not tracking results
Plenty of decisions can be made on vibes alone. What’s your favorite color? What do you want to have for dinner tonight? Your marketing decisions, however, definitely need more than vibes to back them up. If you’re not tracking the results of your marketing efforts, how can you trust that your future decisions will be the right ones?
How to fix it: Use analytics tools to track key metrics, such as website traffic, social media engagement, and lead generation. Analyze the data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your marketing strategies accordingly. As always, this is an area where a trusted marketing partner can be very helpful. There’s plenty you can learn on your own from the data, but people who live and breathe marketing will be able to give you valuable insights.
SMB Marketing Mistake #5: Ignoring content marketing
There are few things more impactful for your business than content marketing. The more quality content you put out there, the more you signal to Google and other search engines that you have the information that people are searching for – and your search engine ranking will improve accordingly.
How to fix it: Make content marketing part of your outreach strategy. This doesn’t mean that you need to be posting two blog posts a day and hire a full-time writer, necessarily (though there are certainly businesses that could benefit from such a setup). What it does mean is that you should make a plan and be consistent, even if that means you’re just posting once a month.
