Common Marketing Mistakes for Small Businesses and How To Avoid Them

As the owner of a small business startup, it can be tough getting your ideas off the ground. There are so many fine details to consider, and it requires significant effort to make sure all of your ducks are in a row. One of the main stumbling blocks when it comes to small business owners is marketing.

Marketing is essential to the success of any business, large or small. If no one knows about your brand and what you’re selling, then it will be impossible to turn a profit. But marketing done wrong can actually cost you more money than you’re gaining. Let’s dive into some of the most common startup marketing mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Abandoned Website. Creating a website for your brand is a fantastic investment. It gives customers a better idea of your business, and it provides you with a built-in landing page. You can funnel links from social media, blogs, newsletters, and other websites directly to your website homepage. But a website that is unorganized or outdated is a bad look. Keep it clean and simple, and be sure to stay on top of website copy, images, and blog posts.
2. Unoptimized Targeting. Researching your audience is the single most important thing you can do before beginning your marketing campaign. Without a target audience, your marketing efforts are likely to fall on deaf ears. Research should include age, gender, residence, hobbies, interests, and preferred social media platforms. This will help you build an accurate profile to which you can tailor any marketing strategies.
3. Unprofessional Copy. Plenty of small businesses begin by writing website copy on their own. While this may save money, it’s better to invest in a professional writer. Not only can you expect the copy to be grammatically correct and free of errors, but you can also expect an increase in traffic due to search engine optimization (SEO) techniques built into the text.
4. Budget Inconsistencies. Small business owners often wildly miscalculate their marketing budget. Some set aside far too little, and others spend much more than necessary. Do some research to find the perfect starting amount, and scale that amount as needed.

Sumner Group has over 30 years of experience in helping small businesses get off the ground. From brand creation to marketing to promotional product design, we’re prepared to help you succeed. Contact us today for more information on our services!