Too Busy for DIY Marketing? Consider These Tips for Small Business Owners

Owning a local business can be tough, and marketing can be one of the most challenging aspects. If you’re feeling stuck in the in-between stage of needing marketing help but not yet ready to hire a marketer, don’t worry. It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed at this critical time in your business growth. And even though it may feel impossible now, I assure you, you can navigate this tricky stage.

First, take a deep breath and know that you’re not alone, and most importantly acknowledge how far you’ve come. Take a moment to feel proud before you continue reading. Most small businesses hit this point because they are doing well. Your customer base is likely growing and you’ve likely achieved some great momentum. But, this makes it hard to find the time to do everything. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure the time you spend is spent well.

1. Create a Marketing Plan

It’s important to have a plan in place before diving into your marketing efforts. This will help you set clear goals, identify your target audience, and ensure you stay focused on your goals. Afterall, if you are anything like me, it’s easy to get distracted by new ideas that can take you away from key tasks like keeping your business growing. By creating a plan, you can also prioritize your marketing tasks and budget your time and resources accordingly.

2. Identify Areas for Improvement

As you create the plan, and throughout the implementation, take a closer look at your marketing results. What’s working well, and what could use improvement? Are there any marketing channels you’re neglecting that could be valuable? Anything that you are doing that is just a major time suck with no benefit? By identifying areas for improvement, you’ll be able to focus on what’s most important.

3. Consider Embracing AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a valuable tool for small businesses. AI-powered marketing tools can help you automate tasks, personalize your marketing efforts, and analyze data to make more informed decisions. Chat GPT is an amazing tool to try! Check it out here: https://beta.openai.com/docs/guides/chat-gpt. It’s my new shiny object, but this one is proving to save me time instead of stealing it.

4. Consider Budget-Friendly Outsourcing Options

Outsourcing can be a great option when you’re in the in-between stage of needing marketing help. There are plenty of budget-friendly freelancers that specialize in working with small businesses locally and also on platforms like Fiverr. I often outsource time-consuming takes like formatting proposals because for $70 I can get three hours of my time back!

5. Make Your Marketing Efforts Count

It’s important to make sure your marketing efforts are giving you the best return on investment. This means having a strong brand strategy that emphasizes your strengths and points of difference, sets customer expectations, and resonates with your target audience. By focusing on what makes your business unique, you’ll be able to make the most of the time and resources you do have.

Remember, it’s okay to ask for help. You’re doing great, and you will get through this tough in-between stage. If you need help with any of this, that’s what I’m here for.

Hayley xo