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Whether you’ve owned a small company or worked for one, you know that coming up with advertising that makes a difference in the life of a small business is hard…for so many reasons.

Most small businesses are (wisely) careful with their funds, and the advertising bucket is usually the last to get filled from the budget. And most small businesses lack the broad audience garnered by larger Nike-esque companies. In short, it’s hard to get people to pay attention.

But here’s the good news—there are quite a few advertising and marketing trends worth noting, many of which can be used with relatively little cost to a small business owner. Today, we’re going to discuss the trends that have caught our attention and may be worth implementing this year.

Craft a Community

You may not have the budget for a massive advertising campaign, but odds are your business has a presence on a social media platform or two. Taking the time to cultivate relationships there and building a sense of community amongst your followers is a 2022 trend that shows no sign of slowing.

Call it a product of the pandemic, but people are hungry for relationships…and that includes the businesses they interact with. And from a business perspective, it just makes sense to invest your time in strengthening your relationship with the customers you already have. In fact, according to research conducted by the consulting conglomerate, Invesp, it costs companies 5x more to hunt down new customers than it does to keep the ones they already have. Yet 44% of businesses focus on new clients compared to the 18% that focus on retention.

Building a supportive community is a low-cost trend that can have as much impact on your brand as a large-scale marketing campaign. Start by nurturing the relationships you already have. Do you send out a monthly newsletter? If not, a quick google search will bring up an endless list of low-cost ways to send one out. And you might consider starting an ambassador program. Enlisting the help of happy customers who are eager to share your mission and products can boost brand visibility at local markets and online.

Sustainability Reigns Supreme

If your business hasn’t taken an eco-conscious stance, 2022 is the year to do so. And if you think sustainability doesn’t matter to your customers, consider this—nearly 80% of consumers think it’s important for products to be environmentally responsible, and 72% of those same consumers say they would pay premium prices for brands that are eco-conscious.

If the term “sustainable” has dollar signs flashing in front of your eyes, we have good news—there are plenty of ways your business can improve sustainability, then advertise those changes, without breaking the bank. Doing something small like reducing disposable plastic use or switching to recyclable paper packaging can make a difference. And getting word of your changes out to your customers—through email campaigns, newsletters, and social media posts—serves to advertise your business while making your base aware of what really matters to you.

Start Making Videos…

We’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating—if you aren’t creating video content about your business, products, and/or services you are losing money. Period.

The popularity of video content on social media has skyrocketed in recent years, due, in part, to the pandemic and the stratospheric rise in popularity of video-centric social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

And if you’re wondering whether video advertising can really make a difference to your business, consider the success story of Andrea Norquay who decided to start marketing her jewelry business on TikTok one week before the company launched. On opening day, she sold out of all products thanks to the interest she drummed up on the platform. Norquay currently has nearly 96 thousand followers and notes that she has yet to spend a penny on advertising.

If you’re reading this thinking, what sort of videos would I make? What would my customers want to see?…you’re already ahead of the curve. You can’t throw anything out hoping something sticks, so take some time to think about the kind of content your audience will want from you. It could be something like:

• Educational videos about what exactly your company does and how your products and/or services will help customers solve a problem.
• Videos highlighting your sustainability. Did you decide to reduce plastic packaging or start using compostable mailer bags? Create a video and tell your audience why such changes are important to you.
• Don’t forget about fun, entertaining videos to help build your brand voice.
• Testimonials are a great way to provide social proof that your products/services are loved by people outside of your company and really do what they claim to do.

There’s no doubt that advertising your business is going to help you stay relevant and competitive. But that doesn’t mean you should go into debt to make it happen. Try out one of these trends for little to no cost…you might be surprised at just how much attention they drive to your business.

Thanks for reading,
Digital Canteen Team
02-9025-4304