Marketing Goals: What Are You Actually Trying to Accomplish? "Get more customers" is a great business goal. But it's not specific enough to build a marketing plan around. Your marketing goals should be clear enough that you can determine whether you're making progress. Examples of Marketing Goals Instead of: "Improve social media." Try: "Increase qualified website inquiries by 20% over the next 90 days." Instead of: "Get more website traffic." Try: "Increase organic website t

How Much Should a Small Business Spend on Marketing? One of the hardest marketing questions for a small-business owner is: "How much should I spend?" There's no universal number that works for every business. Your marketing budget should consider: Revenue Business stage Growth goals Industry Competition Customer acquisition costs Available resources Marketing channels Don't Start With a Number Start with your goal. Ask: What are we trying to accomplish? Then determine what re

Who Are You Marketing To? Why Your Target Audience Matters One of the biggest marketing mistakes small businesses make is trying to reach everyone. It sounds logical. More people = more customers, right? Not necessarily. When your message is designed for everyone, it can become so general that nobody feels like you're talking directly to them. Your Target Audience Your target audience is the group of people most likely to need, want, and purchase your product or service. Know

Marketing Strategy: Stop Marketing Randomly and Start With a Plan You don't need to be everywhere. You don't need to post every day. You don't need to try every new marketing platform. And you definitely don't need to spend money on every marketing idea someone recommends. What you need is a marketing strategy. A marketing strategy gives your business a clear direction for how you'll attract, engage, and convert customers. What Is a Marketing Strategy? A marketing strategy co