This document provides guidance on essential marketing strategies for small businesses. It discusses the importance of branding, developing a marketing plan with goals and tactics, using email marketing, social media, blogging to tell your business story, online directories and reviews for SEO, and focusing on customer retention. Specific tactics recommended include compelling subject lines and segmenting email lists, engaging customers on top social media platforms, using blogs to share expertise, listing the business on directories and review sites, and considering text message marketing to engage mobile customers.

1. Why
Marketing?
Helping Small Business
Overcome Big Marketing
DGM Solutions, LLC
Drew
Giffin
Marketing Solutions
www.dgm.solutions

2. Why is Marketing Important?
It is the strategy,
value proposition,
and brand story that
drives sales for your business
It’s why people choose to do business with YOU
It is the lifeblood of your business!

4. 6 essential must haves for
Small Business Marketing
1. Branding
2. Marketing Plan
3. Email Marketing
4. Social Media
5. Your Compelling and Engaging Story (Blog)
6. Directory Listings, Reviews for SEO
Customer Retention (Okay…seven)

5. 1. Branding Strategy
Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you
make, but about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin
• What is the personality of your business
• What is the story that makes your business unique
• Does your ideal customer get your Business Identity
Design Experience Expectations
Promise Perception Personality

6. 2. The Right Marketing Plan
When it comes to a small business,
you’ll need more than just passion to drive success.
What are the goals for your marketing?
What are your long and short term goals?
Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely
Assess your budget and does it fit with your goals
What percentage should you be spending on marketing

7. The tactics to carry out your vision
If you don’t know where to sail your ship,
you could be going in the wrong direction.

8. 3. Email Marketing
Dollar for Dollar Email Marketing is the single most effective digital
marketing channel for customer retention in the United States.
- emarketer, 2015
• Compelling Subject Line
• Segment your Contact List
• Relevant Consistent Content
• Keep It Simple
• Mobile Responsive
• Drive them to your website and build your list with a sign up form
72.4 % of the U.S. Population uses email
vs. 69% for Social Media

9. 4. Social Media
25% of all website traffic comes from Facebook
– Shareaholic 2015
Social Media is a Branding Device – Your business uniqueness
Do people want to share your content?
Where are your customers?
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Snapchat
Dashboards: Hootsuite and Sprout Social manage multiple Platforms

10. How do you do share your story?
5. Your Engaging Story
Businesses who blog get
126% more leads than businesses that don’t.
Share your knowledge and your story!
Engage with your customers
You’re an expert in your industry –
use that knowledge and expertise to your advantage!

11. 6. Directory Listings,Reviews
and SEO Analytics
Establish yourself and get your name out there!
Directory Listings are usually free
Google My Business Listing, Bing, Yahoo, Google+
Community Listings: BBB, Newspapers, Radio, Event Listings
Yellow Pages / White Pages, City Search, FourSquare
Review Sites – Google and Yelp
Analytics and SEO – Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing
A word about Google Rankings

12. Are you
Customer
Focused?
Not just good customer service – Everyone says that!
A loyal customer spreads great word of mouth about your business
Less expensive to keep a returning customer than try and gain a new one
How do you emphasize Customer Retention?

13. Text
Message
Marketing
98% of SMS messages sent are opened
90% of all text messages are read in under 3 minutes
SMS Marketing is one of the most personal and effective methods of Direct
Marketing.
Your Customers are mobile…Are you?