8 Big Agency Marketing Ideas That Small Businesses Can Copy

Is your small business struggling to achieve the marketing traction that it deserves? After a few months of dwindling sales, you're left scratching your head...

Why isn't our marketing working and what do we need to do to right this ship?

The fact is, many small business owners and marketers face this exact challenge. In our experience as an industry-leading text marketing provider for agencies, we've heard from thousands of small business owners and marketers just like you. This experience has given us insight into some of the most effective and results-driven marketing ideas.

That's right... we know what works and what doesn't work when it comes to small business marketing and we're going to share that insider intelligence with you.

8 Small Business Marketing Ideas That Actually Work

Here are the top eight small business marketing ideas that actually work.

1. Sponsor a Local Sports Events

Try sponsoring a local sports event. This is a great way to meet other business owners and potential customers. Most recreational and professional sports leagues offer advertising opportunities in exchange for sponsorship.

Example: Haller Enterprises, a heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, and water conditioning company based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania sponsors The Lancaster Barnstormers, a local baseball team. In exchange, Haller Enterprises' logo is featured in print advertisements and stadium signage.

2. Host a Contest Online

Try hosting a contest on social media. A simple giveaway is a great way to generate some quick buzz about your small business. Facebook makes it simple and easy to share contest updates and engage followers. You can even put some paid promotion behind your contest and target specific groups.

Example: Wolfsburg West, an automotive parts supplier, recently hosted a photo contest on social media. Participants were encouraged to share a photo of their Wolfsburg West flag for a chance to win a $500 gift card.

3. Create Exclusive Text Promotions

Try sending exclusive offers via mass text messaging. Sending targeted offers to prospects and customers is a great way to drive immediate success. According to recent data, most text messages are opened within three minutes of receipt. You'd be hard-pressed to find this kind of engagement in other marketing channels.

Example: Let's Eat! is a meal assembly store based in Atlanta. Every day, Let's Eat! sends five daily specials to customers. This text blast is a great way to promote the business, and it keeps customers coming through the door.

4. Develop a Customer Referral Program

Try building a customer referral program. This kind of marketing tactic rewards existing customers for talking about your business. In most cases, satisfied customers are already willing to talk about your business. Why not incentivize them to share? Some systems even automate the payout of referral rewards.

Example: A woman's spa referral program encourages members to refer a friend or family member. In exchange for the referral, members receive $25 in Total Woman Rewards to be used for Personal Training and Spa services.

5. Create Awesome Business Cards

Try creating some great business cards. We've seen a ton of awesome business card examples. You can even add your keyword and short code to your business card to encourage prospects to opt-in to your text marketing activities.

Example: Garage Culture created business cards using cotton paper stock. It's an interesting choice of paper that makes it irresistible to put down.

6. Send a Customer Satisfaction Survey

Try sending out a customer satisfaction survey. This is a great way to gauge customers' interest in your product or service. You might even try rewarding customers for their participation. It's a tactic that incentivizes customers to share praises or concerns about your business. Use this information to strategize and create more compelling customer experiences or marketing activities.

Example: Taco Bell prints survey codes on all business receipts. After customers fill out the survey, they are automatically entered for a chance to win up to $500.

7. Host a Special Event for Loyal Customers

Try hosting a special event for your most loyal customers. Use this event as an opportunity to connect with your customers in a more personal and authentic way. It's a great way to make your loyal customers feel welcome, valued, and heard.

Example: Wilbur Chocolates hosted an exclusive customer appreciation event. The event featured special sales, face painting, food trucks, and a guest appearance from the company's mascot, Bud E. Bear.

8. Kickstart Local Marketing With Text Messaging

Try deploying a text message marketing campaign. The savviest small business owners and marketers know that text messaging is one of the most proven and cost-effective marketing tactics for building brand awareness. In just minutes, you can upload your contacts and send your very first text campaign – it's that easy!

Example: Brian's Place launched a text campaign encouraging customers to take advantage of a $5 coupon. This coupon requires a minimum purchase, so the company doesn't lose out on transactions. This coupon is only available through the company's exclusive VIP text program.

Invest in the Right Small Business Marketing Tactics

With some certainty, investing in these small business marketing ideas will position you and your business for sustained success. Just because you don't see immediate growth doesn't mean the marketing tactic is ineffective. Try sticking with it for a few months, measuring your return on investment, and pivot when necessary.

Of course, we might be a little biased when we say that mass text messaging is one of the easiest tactics to adopt and manage. There's a reason why more than 210,000 businesses have partnered with us. Our clients have sent more than 4 billion texts... and counting! EZ Texting makes it simple and easy to get started:

1. Send a message in three easy steps.
2. Store your contacts in one easy place.
3. Track your progress on a simple dashboard.
4. Check your campaigns on-the-go with our mobile-friendly site.

To take your text marketing activities into the stratosphere, we recommend downloading our free guide. In this guide, we'll teach you how to effectively promote your goods and services, increase engagement with customers, send alerts to customers, automate appointment reminders, and more.

Photo: Getty/Rawpixel