These days it can be a real challenge to know which marketing tools and tactics can actually make a difference to your bottom line. Finding the time and the resources to devote to creating and implementing those marketing strategies can be equally challenging. The good news is that even if you have big dreams and a small budget, there are some effective tools you can use to set yourself apart from the crowd.

Storytelling

While you may not be able to produce a Hollywood-quality short film, there are still a lot of options for you. The stories that you tell can then become the “hub” in what’s known as the “Hub and Spoke” marketing tactic. The idea behind this is that you get the biggest bang for your content buck. You publish your “hub” story first then re-work that content and publish it from different channels and platforms, continually driving traffic to your website.

The first thing you need to do is find your company’s stories…you have more at your fingertips than you may think. How did your company get started? What hurdles has your company overcome? What are decorating techniques might you want to show off? Real-world stories and examples show potential clients what you could do for them and inspire them to reach out and connect.

Next, find the best way to tell your story. Video is king these days, but other options include a blog, case study, webinar, infographic, tweets, facebook posts, etc. Keep it relaxed and authentic and make sure it matches your company’s voice. All of these types of storytelling can be “spokes” in your wheel. Re-format and re-purpose the stories and share them over time. The longer you can share out and consistently produce content, the more your customers will view you as a subject matter expert.

Use Social Media as a Business Tool

Nearly 70% of consumers use social media for customer support and 33% prefer to use social media to communicate rather than use the telephone. Your social presence is often the first impression a potential customer has.

Meet your customers where they are. If your resources are limited, focus your energy on the social platform where most of your customers are. As you create more awareness through social media, you’ll build interest and then generate sales.

A few pro tips:

• Make sure your business information is up-to-date on your profiles
• Use engaging imagery to spark interest in your content
• Keep an eye on your analytics to know what works and what doesn’t
• Consider using targeted ads/promoted posts
• Sign up for social tools like Hootsuite or Buffer to link your social accounts to make posting more efficient and organized

Try Google My Business

Ranking your Google My Business listing is an incredibly powerful and relatively simple thing to do. It is even more helpful if you run a local business and work with local clients. Here’s how it works. If someone searches for “Seattle screenprinter,” this is what they’ll see:

Your goal is to get your company’s name in those top three business listings. It will help you pull in new leads without spending a dime on ads. Google My Business combines all of your Google information into one place, making it easier for customers to see your contact information, reviews, website and even directions to your location.

How to optimize your Google My Business listing:

• Claim your business listing by creating a Google My Business Account
• Update all of your details, including hours, contact information and website
• Freshen up the images used to represent your business
• Be specific about the category that relates to your business
• Create business listings on sites like Yelp, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
• Encourage customers to post local reviews and check-ins

When it comes to marketing, there’s no one-size-fits-all fix. Take it one step at a time, measure and track your success, be consistent and have fun with it!