Small businesses who see real results aren’t doing everything in their marketing. They’re doing a few simple things consistently, with purpose. Marketing doesn’t need to be flashy. We believe one focused project can have way more impact than ten things you’re churning out. Here’s some tried and tested ways to cut distractions and track progress.
Stop the marketing chaos
Email is dead! SEO is dead! If those sweeping statements sound familiar, you’ll know there’s always noise in the marketing space. Whether on LinkedIn or the latest marketing report, there’s always someone telling you to pivot immediately or get left behind.
Remember that you know your customers better than any general trend report. A long-term approach keeps you calm, builds trust, and actually works when algorithms change. This is marketing for small businesses where time is precious and priorities matter.
Start with what’s already working
Before adding anything new, pause. Look at what’s showing results, even if it’s small. One particular social post that got a few likes? A customer mentioning they found you on Google? A repeat order from a happy client?
ANY intel – no matter how big or small – is data. That’s your starting point. Build on it. Everything else can eventually connect back to that small success. If it doesn’t, move it to an ‘ideas’ list for later.
Focus on one goal at a time
Instead of trying to do everything, focus on one goal and one method.
Quick sales or footfall
Send a short SMS with a flash offer or restock alert, or post a quick social update.
Customer loyalty
Send friendly SMS messages, a simple monthly email, or run a basic loyalty scheme like ’10th coffee free’.
Local visibility
Keep your Google Business Profile active, post short updates, or collaborate with neighbouring businesses.
Online presence
Find niches in your industry to optimise blog content for. Think about the customer’s intent at different stages of their journey. For example, someone typing ‘specialty coffee UK’ is likely ready to buy. Whereas someone searching for ‘what is organic specialty coffee?’ is still researching.
Find opportunities to ask happy customers for reviews to help boost your online presence – both reputationally and to strengthen visibility for SEO and AI searches.
Pick one method and do it consistently. Track results, learn, and then build from there.
Sneak marketing into what you already do
This is where every moment counts. Take a look at all your existing touchpoints with customers and embed your marketing into the work you already do. Ask for phone numbers or email marketing opt-ins at checkout, send a short ‘thank you’ message after a purchase, combine an order confirmation with a complimentary blog, encourage happy customers to leave a review.
These small, simple actions are effective without being time-consuming. They also allow different functions in the business to work together.
Launch it, then improve it
At FireText, we’re fans of the ‘launch and learn’ approach. Get your optimised webpage or help guide out there. Then use real data to tweak it. It’ll feel good to get something out there and see what happens. That’s progress in itself.
When marketing feels overwhelming
Some weeks, you’ll get busy, forget a message, or wonder if anything is working. That’s normal. Focus on forgiving gaps in time, sticking to basics with repeated simple actions versus one-off campaigns, and remembering your purpose. Marketing isn’t about being everywhere, it’s about reaching people who care and reminding them you’re there.
Your next step
So when you’re looking at you’re marketing and you want to create something flashy and new, don’t forget to look at everything you’re already doing so well – and there will be plenty of opportunities.
Pick one goal. Choose one method. Do it this week. Track results. When marketing has a purpose – not just a presence – it works without taking all your time. And for most small businesses, this is the calmest, sanest way to make the most of your time.
Ready to get started with SMS marketing?
We might be biased, but it’s one of the simplest, most effective marketing methods for small businesses. Get in touch to see how FireText can help.