I’m not gonna lie, the list of small business marketing best practices is a long one. And ask ten business owners, and they probably will all have their favorite way of attracting new customers. But. Out of all those opinions and all those possibilities, I’m going to draw a line in the sand.
If you, as a small business, can only do one marketing-related thing, there’s no doubt in my mind what that one thing is: you must put up a well-thought-out, mobile-friendly, and useful website.
Why? Well, we live in a digital world, folks. It doesn’t matter if you are a 100% brick and mortar boutique, a world-of-mouth only service company, or a side of the road coffee hut. People do their research online. People expect—and will look for—your website.
And here’s the thing. If done well, your website is your business brochure. It is the chance to tell people what is so amazing about your business without ever meeting them in person. It can drive them to through your door with special offers, entice them to submit inquiries, and express to them what makes your business unique. It’s also the one expression of your brand, the one environment, that you completely control. It should not be an afterthought.
Convinced? Good. Now that we’ve got you this far, here are a few dos and don’t on website design (stay tuned for a full how-to-build-your-website blog in the near future):
Do:
Don’t:
Got all that? Here’s one last thought: building a great website doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking. There are a lot of website platform companies out there (such as Wix and Weebly) that make it really easy to put up a professional-looking website quite quickly. You don’t need to write a lot. You know your business. Relax, and have fun highlighting what makes your business so great!
Happy small business marketing!
Katie & Theron
At Urban Sherpa Marketing Co. we offer marketing advisory, strategic planning, and services for small businesses and startups, including content marketing. Our goal is to make high-quality marketing possible for every business, no matter the size. Think of us as your outsourced marketing department, strategic marketing adviser, or even your phone-a-friend marketing lifeline. We specialize in building efficient marketing programs to grow your business without blowing the bank.
Ready to learn more? Our initial consulations are always free.