• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Big Ideas for Small Business logo

Barbara Weltman

Big Ideas for Small Business, Inc.

Whitepaper download

Subscribe and download our eBook, "150+ Tax Deductions for Small Business A to Z."

This field is hidden when viewing the form
Get the:

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Big Ideas For Your Business
    • Idea Of The Day ®
    • SMB Legal
    • SMB Taxes
    • SMB Financial
    • Small Business
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Services
  • Books
  • Blog
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Radio Shows/Podcasts
  • Be a Guest Blogger

Key Elements of a Winning SME Marketing Strategy

January 20, 2023 / By Annie Button

Key Elements of a Winning Marketing StrategyA marketing strategy is essential for any small business or start-up, but it’s more than just writing out a few targets and hoping for the best. To market your business successfully, you need to plan and carefully consider who you’re targeting and how to really build brand awareness effectively. Here are a few of the essential elements your SME marketing strategy should include.

What is a marketing strategy?

Firstly, let’s establish what a marketing strategy is. A marketing strategy is your business’ long-term plan for how you’ll reach your target customers and encourage them to use your business. While it may seem like a straightforward strategy to create, the reality is that there needs to be a lot of in-depth customer analysis, industry trends and budget planning, plus so much more included for your marketing strategy to be successful.

A marketing strategy differs from a marketing campaign in several ways. A strategy is the company’s overall plan while a campaign is a more specific process that furthers the brand towards its overall goal, but focuses on one area, such as a specific product or service.

Defined target audience

You can’t successfully market to an audience if you don’t know who you’re speaking to. Once you’ve outlined what it is you want to achieve, you need to establish the audiences you’re targeting and those which don’t fit with your brand messaging or align with your values. This way, you won’t waste time pushing marketing towards people who aren’t likely to buy from you. Be clear about the motivations of your target group of customers and how your brand can assist them so that you can convey that in your marketing campaigns.

A clear story

One of the most effective ways to develop a strong marketing strategy is to understand the story you’re trying to tell. An irresistible story brings together the challenges and motivations of your target audience, who serve as the characters in your storyline, and the result or value that your solution provides. With these elements, you can build a strong, clear message that shows your potential customers why they should use your products or services over a competitor in the industry.

Consistent messaging for all content

A coherent message is essential in your marketing so that customers know what to expect from your style and tone, but that extends beyond just the words you use. Many cast visuals aside and focus solely on their brand voice, but pairing impactful photos with carefully curated copy can really elevate your message and get your point across more effectively. Photos don’t distract from your message but actually enhance them, and they’re an ideal way to attract attention from your audience, working like a magnet to draw people in so you can convey your messaging. Just make sure that the style you use, just as with your tone of voice, is consistent and recognizable.

Authenticity and trust

Your marketing strategy should be centered around your brand’s unique voice, but it needs to be genuine to create trust. No one will engage with a brand that they don’t feel is authentic or trustworthy, especially small businesses that they may not be familiar with yet. A great way to build trust is to utilize your team as brand advocates and incorporate employee voices into campaigns or on socials. Not only does this empower your staff and make them feel valued but it also provides authentic voices that your customers can relate to more so than a faceless brand.

Impactful assets

Marketing assets are tools and resources you can use in your marketing to attract leads, encourage sales and nurture relationships with your audience. It may be anything from blog content and case studies to eBooks, whitepapers and brochures, but also images and videos. The more impactful and useful you can make these assets, the more effective your marketing will be to yield the results you’re striving for.

A great call to action

Make sure that any content you put out offers the opportunity for people to learn more or get in touch. A clear, inviting call to action identifies those prospects who want to get involved with your business and while not everyone who lands on your website or clicks through on an email newsletter will purchase from you, some will and a call to action encourages that behavior. Give people a reason to ask for more information, whether it’s a video, a downloadable freebie or webinar.

Whatever the nature of your business, a well-defined marketing strategy is vital to ensure that the right people know about your brand and what you’re offering. There’s no shortcut to developing a marketing strategy, but these core elements will ensure that your efforts are effective and easier to implement.

Tags brand awareness defined target audience marketing marketing strategy small businesses

Guest blogger, Annie Button

Annie Button

An English Literature graduate, I have contributed to various online and print publications with topics related to marketing and business. A self-acclaimed branding aficionado, my interests include studying the ways in which successful (and less so!) advertising campaigns have changed the faces of brands forever; and, more recently, the ways in which businesses have rebranded themselves during the coronavirus pandemic.

Even when I’m not writing I’m never too far away from the world of literature, you’ll often find me visiting my local theatre, or with my head buried in a book!

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • General Business (498)
  • Guest Blog (109)
  • Homepage (20)
  • Small Business (989)
  • SMB Financial (322)
  • SMB Legal (65)
  • SMB Taxes (324)

Barbara’s Recent Posts

  • Disasters Happen: It’s Important to Be Prepared Now May 27, 2025
  • How Work Order Software Transforms Small Business Operations May 26, 2025
  • The Numbers Are Up for Sole Proprietorships May 22, 2025
  • New Business or Project Crowdfunding: What To Know May 20, 2025
  • Old-School Estimating vs. Smart Solutions: What’s Really Holding You Back? May 19, 2025
  • Employees Getting Called to Public Service: What to Know May 15, 2025
  • Not Too Late to Prep for Summer Now May 13, 2025
  • How Will the Next Generation of Learners Affect the Workplace May 12, 2025
  • Moms Know Best: Lessons for Entrepreneurs May 8, 2025
  • Mental Health Challenges in the Workplace May 6, 2025
  • Let’s Celebrate Small Business! May 1, 2025
  • Scaling Your Business: Adding a New State Location April 29, 2025
Awarded Top 100 Small Business Blog medal (link will open in a new window or tab)
Marquis Who's Who 2023 Badge
Top Small Business Blogs (Link will open in a new window or tab.)
8 Financial blogs small business Owners Need to Read. Invoice home.  (link will open in a new window or tab)
Best Small Business Blog, Expertido.org
Top 50 Small Business Blogs 2018
Best Small Business Blogs
BizHumm Top 100 Business Blog Award to Barbara Weltman
FitsSmallBusiness.com: Award for Best Small Business Blog 2017 (link will open in a new window or tab)
FitsSmallBusiness.com: Award for Best Small Business Blog 2016 (link will open in a new window or tab)

Footer

Big Ideas for Small Business logo

Small business ideas, business tax news and small business consulting from Barbara Weltman to provide business owners with the information they need to succeed. Visit our small business blog, Idea of The Day®, small business books and articles on small business taxes, small business finance and small business legal advice.

Contact Us

[email protected]

(772) 492-9593

gacor maxwin situs slot thailand terpercaya situs slot gacor situs gacor akun pro thailand slot bandar togel terpercaya

Latest Tweets

bigideas4sb Big Ideas for Small Business® @bigideas4sb ·
May 27

Do I Have to Tell External Candidates I’m Considering Someone Internal? — Improve Your HR https://bit.ly/43dscoO #smallbusiness #hiring #workplace

Reply on Twitter 1927477539204710619 Retweet on Twitter 1927477539204710619 Like on Twitter 1927477539204710619 Twitter 1927477539204710619
bigideas4sb Big Ideas for Small Business® @bigideas4sb ·
May 27

A Good Time to Review Your Company’s Driving Policy - https://bit.ly/4lVXNUC #smallbusiness #drivingpolicy #driving

Reply on Twitter 1927462491241562410 Retweet on Twitter 1927462491241562410 Like on Twitter 1927462491241562410 Twitter 1927462491241562410
bigideas4sb Big Ideas for Small Business® @bigideas4sb ·
May 27

Mental Health Challenges in the Workplace - It’s been estimated that nearly 1 in 5 people in the U.S. have a mental health issue https://bit.ly/4jT70LG #workplace #wellness #smallbusiness #wellbeing

Reply on Twitter 1927426874210222315 Retweet on Twitter 1927426874210222315 1 Like on Twitter 1927426874210222315 1 Twitter 1927426874210222315
Load More

Copyright © 2008–2025 Big Ideas for Small Business, Inc  |  Designed by Hudson Fusion

  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap