Every kind of small business is unique, from the industry they are in to their specific goals and values. Accordingly, their needs are just as varied – especially when it comes to marketing. Some will need multiple signage options while others need branded business forms for their daily operations; you may need a whole marketing team to meet your goals or just one dedicated person.
Regardless of what your specific industry or marketing ideas may be, there are a few things that your business absolutely needs.
A solid web presence: It should go without saying that every business needs a good website – but there are still some people out there that are operating without an online presence, and their bottom line is suffering as a result. Your customers need to be able to find you, and they’re going to use the internet to search for you first. Without an attractive, functional website, your business will lose out to competitors that can be found online.
An identity system: It’s critical that your brand has a strong identity system. What this means is that you have brand standards set for colors, fonts, taglines and so on, so that when both new and returning customers see your marketing materials, they get a consistent impression of your business. The best brand identity systems help your customers recognize you from just a set of colors, even before seeing your business’s name!
Business cards: Believe it or not, traditional business cards aren’t going out of style anytime soon. You can still tell a lot about a person or a business by the information presented on a business card. Consider including a QR code on yours to direct them right to your website for more information!
Core print materials: Whether a brochure, a pamphlet, a flyer or something else, you want to have a piece of marketing material that simply explains who you are and what you do. Despite the increased use of digital tools, not everyone wants to go online to find out more information – so having something accessible that you can easily carry around and distribute is always helpful.
Promotional products: You don’t need to invest a lot of money into branded promotional products, especially when you’re just getting your business off the ground. However, you’ll want to consider adding a small branded item to your marketing lineup. Promo items stick around in the homes of your customers for quite a long time, and something as simple as a branded pen or notepad can keep your business at the top of their minds.
Branded apparel: When you only have one chance to make a first impression, don’t you want to make it a good one? Branded apparel can raise your level of professionalism, especially when you’re meeting with customers or clients face-to-face.
