8 Small Business Marketing Tactics That Can Double Your Sales

Marketing can feel like a constant battle for attention, especially when you’re competing with larger companies that have bigger budgets and more resources.

As a small business, you need to be strategic with every dollar you spend. Even a strong social media strategy can fall flat if it’s not backed by a well-rounded marketing campaign.

But if you’re struggling to see results, it’s because you may be using the wrong marketing channels or failing to engage potential customers. The good news? You don’t need a massive budget to implement powerful, results-driven marketing tactics.

In this article, we will explore high-impact marketing tactics that can help you grow your business and convert leads into loyal customers.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of which small business marketing tactics work and why integrating SMS marketing can give you a competitive edge.

Why Most Small Business Marketing Tactics Fail

A common struggle for most small businesses is seeing results from marketing initiatives.

You might be trying different strategies, such as running ads, posting on social media platforms, or working on search engine optimization.

But if they’re not executed correctly, they won’t bring in the customers you need.

If you’ve ever felt like your small business marketing strategy isn’t working, the issue isn’t always the strategy itself but how consistently and effectively it’s applied. Let’s look at the biggest reasons why marketing efforts fail and what you can do to fix them.

Not Consistent With Marketing Efforts

Marketing requires consistent effort to build brand awareness, trust, and engagement over time.

Many small businesses make the mistake of starting strong by posting on social media, sending a few emails, and running ads. But then stop when they don’t see immediate results.

The problem with stopping and starting is that it confuses your target audience.

Without regular engagement, you lose their attention, and when they’re ready to buy, they go to a competitor who has been consistently showing up.

Marketing also takes time to work. If you’re expecting instant results and give up after a few attempts, you’re not giving your efforts a real chance.

Marketing builds momentum. Familiarity leads to trust, and trust leads to sales. The more people see your brand, the more familiar they become with it.

Not Following Up With Leads

Most potential customers don’t make a decision the first time they hear about your business. They need time to compare options and feel confident before committing.

But if you’re not following up, they might forget about your brand entirely. When that happens, they either lose interest or end up buying from a competitor who stays in touch.

One of the biggest reasons small businesses fail at follow-ups is time. You’re busy handling daily operations, managing customers, and dealing with unexpected issues.

There’s also the fear of being too pushy. You don’t want to send multiple follow-ups because you don’t want to annoy potential customers.

But there’s a difference between being persistent and being aggressive. A well-timed reminder is often the nudge a customer needs to make a decision.

The longer you wait to follow up, the colder the lead gets. Every day that passes without a follow-up reduces the chances of closing the sale.

Relying Only on Social Media

Depending too much on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok leaves you at the mercy of algorithm changes.

Social media companies control who sees your content, and their priority is keeping users on their platform and not sending them to your business.

Another issue is that you don’t own your audience. Your followers may engage with your posts today, but if your account gets suspended or deleted, you lose access to those people instantly.

Social media also lacks direct communication. A post might get likes or comments, but that doesn’t mean it leads to sales. You need a way to follow up with potential customers and remind them about your business.

If all your marketing efforts are tied to social media, you’re missing opportunities to build deeper connections.

Ignoring Local Marketing Strategies

If you’re a local business, you have a major advantage: customers near you are actively searching for what you offer.

One of the biggest missed opportunities in local marketing is Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). Many businesses either don’t claim their listing or don’t optimize it with updated information, photos, and reviews.

When someone searches for a service near them, Google prioritizes businesses that have complete and active profiles.

Another common mistake is not collecting and taking advantage of customer reviews. Online reviews build trust and influence purchasing decisions.

If you’re not actively asking happy customers to leave reviews, you’re missing an easy way to attract new clients.

Poor Use of Marketing Budget

Running Facebook, Google, or Instagram ads might seem like a quick way to get leads. But if you’re not targeting the right audience or optimizing your campaigns, you’re likely just burning through your budget.

An ad campaign without follow-ups, retargeting, or a clear offer won’t convert well, no matter how much you spend.

Spending too much on broad marketing efforts, such as general brand awareness campaigns, without a way to track conversions is another issue.

Some businesses also sign up for premium marketing software with features they don’t need or invest in complicated website redesigns that don’t improve conversions. Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s valuable for your specific business.

Email and SMS marketing, for example, are two of the most affordable and highest-converting channels, yet many businesses overlook them in favor of expensive ad campaigns.

A simple text message reminder to existing customers can bring in more revenue than an ad campaign costing thousands of dollars.

8 Effective Marketing Tactics You Can Implement Right Now

If you’ve been struggling to see results from your marketing, you don’t need to overhaul everything at once.

As a small business owner, you need marketing tactics that are fast, effective, and scalable. Whether you’re running a brick-and-mortar store or an e-commerce brand, the right approach can help you drive long-term growth.

Below are eight powerful ways to improve your marketing efforts and drive more sales.

1. Use SMS Marketing to Increase Engagement and Sales

SMS marketing is an instant and direct way to connect with customers, with text messages having a 98% open rate, compared to only 20% for emails.

Many businesses overlook texting because they assume it’s only for appointment reminders. However, when used correctly, SMS marketing can help you generate more engagement than any other channel.

With a platform like Textellent, you can send personalized messages to customers based on their interactions with your business. You can also automate follow-ups to keep conversations going and set up drip campaigns to nurture leads and encourage repeat purchases.

SMS marketing is one of the fastest ways to increase engagement and boost revenue, making it a must-have tool in your online marketing strategy.

2. Optimize Your Website for Lead Generation

If your website isn’t built to capture leads, you’re losing potential customers every day.

While a professional-looking website is important, what matters more is how easy it is for visitors to take action. Every page should guide potential customers toward something meaningful, whether that’s signing up for a free consultation, requesting more information, or making a purchase.

Textellent offers a much more effective and responsive way to capture leads and engage them in real time. Instead of waiting for an email reply, visitors can text a keyword to a dedicated number and receive an instant, automated response.

This approach increases engagement because texting feels more personal and requires less effort than filling out a lengthy form.

Another major advantage of Textellent’s SMS tools is that they give your customers more control over how they communicate with you.

Many customers prefer to browse and gather information before speaking to a salesperson. They may not be ready for a call, but they’re open to learning more via text.

Offering a “Text Us” option directly on your website allows visitors to engage with your business on their terms. They can ask quick questions, get details on pricing or availability, and decide when they’re ready to move forward.

3. Automate Follow-Ups to Convert More Leads

If you don’t follow up, you lose opportunities that could have been converted with just a little extra effort. However, manually reaching out to every lead takes too much time, which is why SMS automation is the solution.

With Textellent’s automated SMS follow-ups, you can stay in front of leads without adding more work to your day. When a prospect submits a form on your website, engages with an ad, or responds to an initial message, it can send an automated text within seconds so they don’t lose interest.

Beyond the first reply, Textellent’s automation allows you to set up a sequence of follow-up messages. If a prospect doesn’t respond to the first text, a second message can be sent a day later, reminding them about their interest.

If they still haven’t responded, another message can go out later in the week, offering more information or a limited-time incentive. This process keeps your business top of mind and encourages more leads to take action.

Not every lead is ready to buy right away, which is why drip campaigns are so effective. With a pre-set sequence of messages, you can gradually educate prospects, provide additional details, and build trust over time.

4. Use SMS for Customer Loyalty and Referral Programs

Are you acquiring new customers but not retaining the ones you already have? You might be missing out on repeat business and referrals, which are two of the most powerful ways to grow.

Text messaging offers immediate and direct engagement. Customers are far more likely to read and respond to texts than emails, making SMS an ideal tool for encouraging referrals.

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most effective ways to grow a business, but most businesses don’t have a structured referral program in place. Even when businesses do offer referral incentives, they often depend on email, which has low engagement rates.

Positive online reviews build trust and influence buying decisions. However, most customers won’t leave a review unless you ask them. Sending a request via email often gets ignored, and asking in person can feel awkward.

With Textellent’s business-texting application, you can automate review requests and make leaving feedback as easy as tapping a link.

You can send an automated “thank-you” text immediately after a service is completed, linking directly to your Google, Yelp, or Facebook review page. You may even include a 5-star image in the text to encourage the highest ratings.

Sign up for a free trial or request a demo consultation to see how easy it is to boost your online reputation!

5. Use Google Business Profile for Local Visibility

When potential customers search for your services in their area, Google prioritizes businesses with optimized and active profiles. It displays them at the top of search results and Google Maps.

If your profile is incomplete or inactive, you’re losing visibility to competitors and missing out on new customers.

A well-optimized GBP increases your chances of appearing in the “Local Pack”—the top three business listings that show up in Google search results. Businesses in the Local Pack get the majority of clicks and phone calls from local searches.

To improve your ranking, make sure your profile includes:

• Keep your business information updated (address, hours, phone number)
• Add high-quality photos that showcase your products, services, or location
• Get customer reviews as more reviews rank higher in searches
• Post updates and promotions to keep your profile active

Many businesses ignore this simple but highly effective marketing tool, even though it directly impacts how often they appear in Google’s local search rankings.

6. Offer Exclusive Promotions Through SMS and Email

If you want to increase customer engagement and boost sales, offering exclusive promotions is one of the most effective tactics you can use. However, the way you deliver those promotions determines whether they get noticed or ignored.

On average, only 20% of marketing emails are ever opened, which means the majority of your customers never see your promotions.

To get the most out of your promotions, you need to use both SMS and email marketing. SMS ensures your message is seen right away, while email provides space for more details, images, and links.

If you’re running a flash sale, early-bird offer, or last-minute promotion, a text message ensures that your customers see the offer immediately and act fast.

If your promotion requires additional information, visuals, or a coupon code, email allows you to explain the details clearly while keeping the SMS message short and direct.

Using a multi-channel approach ensures consistent customer reach and reduces the risk of relying too much on any one method.

7. Engage Customers with Interactive Content

It’s easy for potential customers to scroll past without a second thought if your content isn’t interactive or engaging.

Interactive content encourages customers to take action, which makes them more likely to remember your brand, share your content, and ultimately make a purchase.

If you want to boost customer engagement, here are some of the best ways to do it:

Online Quizzes and Product Finders

People love quizzes, especially when they help them make a buying decision. If you sell products or services, a quiz can guide potential customers to the right choice based on their needs.

Live Q&A Sessions and Webinars

Customers often have questions before making a purchase. Hosting a live Q&A session or webinar allows you to address their concerns in real time, which builds trust, and increases conversion rates.

Live content is effective when used on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, as these platforms prioritize live video in their algorithms.

Contests and Giveaways

Running a contest or giveaway is a great way to increase engagement and attract new customers. When done correctly, giveaways encourage people to share your brand with their network, expanding your reach.

SMS Polls and Surveys

Want to know what your customers think? Instead of relying solely on online surveys or emails, use SMS marketing to send quick polls that encourage immediate responses.

Customers can vote on new product ideas, give feedback on services, or share their preferences to help you make informed business decisions. Because text messages have higher open and response rates than emails, SMS surveys are an excellent way to gather insights faster.

8. Encourage Customers to Opt In

Getting customers to join for exclusive discounts is one of the easiest ways to grow your subscriber list while boosting engagement. When customers subscribe, you can offer exclusive promotions, early access to deals, or VIP-only perks as an incentive to sign up.

You can make your advertising campaigns work even harder by using keyword-based opt-ins. Rather than asking customers to manually enter their phone numbers on a form, allow them to text a specific keyword to sign up.

For example, instead of saying: “Join our SMS list for discounts!”

Use something more engaging: “Text ‘SAVE10’ to 555-1234 for an instant 10% discount!”

With Textellent’s shared short codes and long codes, businesses can set up unique keyword opt-ins for different promotions, products, or services. This allows you to track which campaigns are driving the most engagement

Many customers don’t realize the benefits of SMS marketing unless you tell them. You can promote the exclusive benefits of signing up through email marketing campaigns or QR codes on in-store signage.

Key Marketing Metrics That You Should Track

One of the first steps in understanding your marketing performance is knowing where your customers are coming from. Are they finding you through Google searches, social media, online ads, referrals, or SMS campaigns?

If you’re focusing on social media followers, email open rates, or website traffic without tying them to actual revenue, you’re measuring the wrong things.

The only metrics that matter are the ones that tell you if your marketing is generating customers and sales.

Conversion Rate

Your conversion rate measures how many of your leads actually turn into paying customers. To calculate your conversion rate:

(Number of customers / Total leads) x 100 = Conversion Rate (%)

If you generate 1,000 leads but only 20 convert into sales, your conversion rate is 2%, which means you may need to improve your follow-ups, your sales process, or your messaging.

If you use Textellent’s automated follow-ups, you see an increase in lead-to-customer conversions. Prospects receive immediate, personalized messages rather than being left waiting for a response.

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

Acquiring new customers is expensive, so keeping existing ones engaged is critical. Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) measures how much a customer is worth to your business over time, not just from a single purchase.

To calculate LTV:

(Average purchase value) x (Number of repeat purchases per year) x (Average customer lifespan in years) = Customer Lifetime Value

If your business gets one-time customers but struggles with retention, it means you aren’t staying engaged with them after their initial purchase. Loyalty programs, automated SMS reminders, and targeted promotions can increase LTV by encouraging repeat purchases.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

If you’re spending more on marketing than you’re making from new customers, your strategy isn’t sustainable. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) tells you how much you’re spending to get a new customer.

To calculate CPA:

(Total marketing spend) / (Total new customers) = Cost Per Acquisition

If you spend $5,000 per month on ads and acquire 100 customers, your CPA is $50 per customer. The goal is to lower CPA while maintaining or increasing conversions.

How to Know If Your Marketing Is Working

When you know where your customers are coming from, you can identify the marketing strategies that bring in high-quality leads and stop spending on those that don’t.

If you’re spending thousands of dollars on online ads, but most of your customers are coming from word-of-mouth referrals or text message campaigns, you’re investing in the wrong areas.

A successful small business owner doesn’t just focus on getting more visibility; they focus on turning that visibility into sales.

To understand whether your marketing efforts are actually working, you need to analyze the right SMS metrics, track where customers are coming from, and use tools that provide real-time insights.

Start by asking:

• How do new customers typically contact you? Are they calling your business, sending an email, or messaging you through social media?
• What do customers say when they reach out for the first time? Do they mention seeing an ad, a text message, or a Google search result?
• Which marketing activities are you investing in, and are you tracking conversions from each channel?

With Textellent’s SMS tracking tools, you can see which text campaigns are driving responses and conversions. Assigning different keywords or phone numbers to various campaigns allows you to measure which sources bring in the highest-quality leads.

Textellent Can Fix Marketing Challenges for Small Businesses

Many marketing platforms focus on just one part of the customer journey, which is running promotions, sending appointment reminders, or handling customer support.

But that’s not enough to turn leads into paying customers and keep them coming back.

Textellent does it all, which helps you engage customers at every stage, from the first inquiry to repeat purchases and referrals.

Automate SMS Marketing at Any Scale

You don’t have time to manually send messages to every customer, and that’s where Textellent’s advanced SMS automation helps.

With automated responses, you don’t have to worry about missing a lead outside of business hours. SMS autoresponder can be scheduled in advance or set to recur to keep your marketing consistent and effective without adding to your workload.

Rather than chasing leads or waiting on customers to remember their appointments, you can stay top of mind with strategic, automated messaging.

Make Every Message Feel Personal

Customers don’t want to feel like they’re just another name on a mass marketing list. That’s why Textellent makes SMS campaigns feel like real, one-on-one conversations.

You can customize messages using text templates that appear to come directly from your store manager, service provider, or business owner. When customers feel like they’re talking to a real person rather than receiving a generic blast, they’re more likely to respond and engage.

Beyond personalization, Textellent’s advanced tagging system lets you segment customers based on past purchases, interests, location, or language preferences. You can send targeted offers and follow-ups so each message is relevant and more likely to convert.

Re-engage customers and Drive Repeat Business

Bringing in new customers is great, but keeping them coming back is what builds long-term success.

With Textellent’s automated engagement tools, you can bring back inactive customers using “We’ve Missed You” campaigns, exclusive discounts, and service reminders.

Whether you’re a salon reminding clients to book their next appointment or a retail store offering a loyalty discount, you can re-engage customers with minimal effort. Keeping communication open and offering personalized incentives can turn one-time buyers into loyal, repeat customers.

Turn More Leads into Sales with Instant Follow-Ups

If a potential customer reaches out, response time is everything. Leads go cold fast if they don’t get a quick reply.

Textellent’s “Speed-to-Lead” feature ensures every inquiry gets an automated, personalized response within seconds, keeping customers engaged while their interest is still high.

With two-way texting, you can answer questions, schedule appointments, and guide customers through the buying process in real time. No more waiting for email responses or missing calls. Instant conversations mean more conversions!

Your Small Business Needs Faster Engagement—Try SMS Marketing!

Most small business marketing tactics focus on getting noticed, but attention alone doesn’t drive sales. The real challenge is turning interest into action, and that’s where many businesses struggle.

With Textellent, you can automate customer engagement, send targeted promotions, and follow up with leads effortlessly.

Instead of waiting for an email response or hoping an ad gets clicked, a simple text puts you in direct conversation with customers for higher conversions and repeat business. With real-time tracking, it’s easy to see what’s working and fine-tune marketing efforts for even greater success.

If you’re serious about turning marketing into sales, it’s time to switch to smart, automated SMS marketing. Textellent gives you the power to connect with customers instantly and build stronger relationships.

Sign up for a free trial or request a demo today!

FAQs About Small Business Marketing Tactics

What is the best marketing strategy for small businesses?

The best strategy depends on your business. But a mix of SMS marketing, digital advertising, and customer engagement should work well.

Text messaging is one of the most effective ways to reach customers quickly and keep them engaged.

With Textellent, you can send promotions and reminders and follow up automatically to convert leads. You can also build customer loyalty with rewards and referral programs.

Other great strategies include optimizing your Google Business Profile, running social media ads, and building an email list for long-term engagement.

What are the 7 C’s of marketing?

The 7 C’s of marketing focus on understanding and serving customers:

1. Customer – Know what they need
2. Convenience – Make it easy to buy
3. Cost – Price it right
4. Communication – Use SMS, email, and social media
5. Content – Share useful info
6. Community – Build customer loyalty
7. Consistency – Keep your message clear across all channels

Textellent helps with communication and community by keeping customers engaged through automated text messages.

What is the 5 5 5 marketing strategy?

This is a simple way to stay consistent with marketing:

• 5 social media posts per week
• 5 emails per month
• 5 networking activities per month

It keeps your brand visible without overwhelming your team. Adding SMS marketing makes it even more effective because texts get faster responses than emails or social media posts.

What are the 4 types of marketing strategies?

1. Product strategy – Focus on what makes your product/service stand out.
2. Price strategy – Compete with affordability or premium pricing.
3. Place strategy – Make it easy to access your products (online, in-store, or locally).
4. Promotion strategy – Use print advertising, SMS, and email to attract customers.

Textellent helps with promotion by making it easy to send targeted offers, automate follow-ups, and increase customer engagement through text messaging.