Last Updated on November 22, 2021
If you have a large business, you are doing a lot of things with and for your company that you would have never considered when your business was small. No two-person business needs an enterprise phone system. That would be beyond wasteful. Your 50-member church does not need a server closet. Your podcast with 100 listeners does not need a $1M studio. Once you grow to 50 employees, a lot of things radically change. You are suddenly into software, systems, and services that you probably have no experience using.
There is a huge gap between a micro-business and a mega business. That said, sometimes, the micro-business can take advantage of the same tool or strategy usually employed by much larger companies. It is very important that you carefully assess your needs so that you don’t end up being sold a bill of goods that you can’t actually use. The last thing you want to do is pay what the big companies pay when your needs are much less. But if you are willing to think outside the box to get your small business off the ground, consider these strategies typically employed by larger companies.
Billboard Advertising
You might think that billboards are only for big, national brands. That couldn’t be further from the truth. They are perfect for local businesses that can use a boost from people passing through town. Billboards are surprisingly affordable. They also come in a variety of sizes and styles. You might find it useful for advertising your beauty salon, bakery, or tax preparation services. The key is to do a little billboard 101 and get up to speed on important design elements like the following:
- Only have one call to action
- Customer URL
- The right fonts
- Simple and effective visuals
One of the mistakes people make with billboards is to treat them like other print advertising. People are driving by and getting an impression of a display ad. You can’t overload it with information. Learning to say a lot with a little is the key to making it work.
Include Treats
You know those bulletproof coffee drops everyone raves about when they visit? Why not bring in a batch of those into the salon for your weekend customers. It can be the little mint under the pillow that turns a mediocre hotel into one that feels like a 4-star affair. Larger companies might cater their snacks for their special clientele but you have something even better. You have that personal touch that makes it special. It can be that little thing that sets you apart from all the rest. Everybody loves a treat.
Pay-Per-Click
You need to work with a specialist for this one because it can get hairy in a hurry. Big companies can afford to have elaborate pay-per-click campaigns. Even they can get into trouble if they don’t know what they’re doing. That said, if you are a small business that needs your phone to ring, this is one of the quickest ways of doing it. As the name implies, you literally pay every time someone clicks on your special link in a search engine. That said, your business can be put in front of thousands of locals who are searching and ready to buy right now.
Direct Mail
In the mind of the consumer, direct mail is synonymous with junk mail. It works at the rate of about 3%. That is to say about 3 out of 100 pieces get a response with about half of those turning into a purchase. One purchase out of 100 pieces is pretty good depending on the profitability of the item or service. This is a time-honored marketing method used by businesses of all sizes and types. Thanks to the internet, there are even more effective ways to reach people. But direct mail is one of the least expensive. It also has the benefit of being simple to understand and highly localized. With direct mail, you know exactly what you’re getting.
You don’t have to be an enterprise-level business to take advantage of the same tools they use. If your small business needs a boost, look to billboards, treats, pay-per-click, and direct mail for a little extra boost.
