Short answer
- Good marketing strategies for small businesses fall into four jobs: get found, win trust, convert, and bring customers back.
- Pick the job where you lose the most customers today, then choose one or two strategies for it. Doing everything at once is a strategy too, just a bad one.
- Different marketing strategies suit different businesses: a plumber lives on search, a café on repeat visits, a salon on rebooking.
- Give each strategy 2–3 months and one number to judge it by.
Strategies to get found
1. Own the map
For anyone serving a local area, a complete Google Business Profile with the right categories, services, photos and reviews is often the cheapest customer source there is. See Google Business Profile.
2. One page per service
Instead of one "services" page, give each main service its own page that answers price, process and area. Each page can rank for its own searches.
3. Pay for speed while organic grows
Search ads for urgent, high-value services; Facebook and Instagram ads for visual businesses and offers. Treat ads as a tap you can turn up or down.
Strategies to win trust
4. Review habit
Ask every happy customer, every time, with a direct link. A steady stream of recent reviews beats a burst of old ones. Never trade discounts for Google reviews.
5. Show the work
Before/after photos, short videos of the team, a real "about" section. Real beats polished.
6. Price transparency
Publish prices or ranges. It filters out poor-fit enquiries and reassures the good ones.
Strategies to convert
7. One-tap contact
Click-to-call, booking and a short form on every page. Every extra step loses people.
8. A reason to act now
A seasonal check, a limited number of first-visit slots, a free estimate within 48 hours. Honest urgency, not fake countdown timers.
9. Fast follow-up
Reply to every enquiry quickly, and follow up quotes after a few days. Many jobs are lost simply because nobody called back.
Strategies to bring customers back
10. Reminders
Service reminders by text or email to customers who opted in: annual checks, rebooking cycles, seasonal prep.
11. Loyalty and referrals
A simple perk for regulars and an easy way to refer a friend.
12. Win-back
A friendly message to customers you haven't seen in a while. It's often the cheapest sale you'll make.
How to choose your two
| If this sounds like you | Where you're losing customers | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| "People don't know we exist" | Getting found | Strategies 1 and 2 |
| "They visit, then call someone else" | Trust | Strategies 4 and 6 |
| "Lots of interest, few bookings" | Converting | Strategies 7 and 9 |
| "One-time customers, never return" | Retention | Strategies 10 and 12 |
| "We need jobs this month" | Speed | Strategy 3 with strategy 7 |
Creative marketing strategy on a small budget
Creativity matters more when money is tight. A few low-cost ideas that fit most local businesses:
- Partner with a non-competing business nearby and swap offers.
- Turn common customer questions into short videos or posts.
- Run a monthly receipt raffle (check local rules for prize draws).
- Make your vehicle, uniform and yard signs carry your website and phone number.
More ideas with examples from recent campaigns: Marketing campaign examples. When you're ready to write it all down, use Marketing plan template.
If you'd like help putting the first two strategies in place, my Small business marketing page shows the order I use, and you can get a free website preview to start.