Many small business owners have tried leaflets through doors, adverts in the local paper or a slot on local radio, and been left wondering whether any of it worked. Traditional advertising still has its place, but when every pound counts, it pays to put your small business marketing budget where you can see results.
The problem with marketing you can't measure
With a leaflet drop or a newspaper advert, it's hard to know who saw it, who acted on it and who would have called anyway. Without that, you can't tell whether to do more, change the message or stop. Online marketing isn't perfect, but it can show you clicks, calls and enquiries from each channel.
Start with the things people check before they call
Whatever prompts someone to think of you, whether that's a leaflet, a recommendation or a van on the road, most people look you up before they get in touch. That makes three things your foundations:
- Your website. Clear services, real photos, reviews and an easy way to call or send an enquiry, all working well on a phone.
- Your Google Business Profile. Accurate details, photos, services, regular posts and plenty of reviews. It's free, and it's often the first thing customers see.
- Your reviews. A steady flow of genuine reviews builds trust and helps you show in local map results. Our guide to getting more Google reviews explains a simple system.
If these aren't right, any advertising you do leaks: people hear about you, look you up and then don't get in touch.
Then choose channels you can track
Once the foundations are in place, spend where you can measure the return:
- Local SEO builds visibility for the searches your customers make every day, and keeps working month after month. Our SEO packages start from £199 a month with a plain-English report.
- Facebook and Instagram ads can target people by area and interest, and show your cost per lead. Many businesses start with a small daily budget and build up from what works. See our paid social advertising service.
- Regular social media keeps you front of mind with local customers and gives people a reason to recommend you.
Make traditional advertising measurable too
If you still use leaflets or print ads, give them their own tracking: a special offer code, a dedicated web address or a QR code that leads to a specific page. Even simply asking every new customer "how did you hear about us?" and noting the answer will tell you a lot within a few months.
Video and photos make every channel work harder
Good photos and short videos of your work, your team and your premises improve your website, Google profile, social media and ads at the same time. Even a single afternoon of photography, or some drone footage of finished projects, gives you months of content.
A simple plan for a small budget
- Get your website and Google Business Profile right.
- Set up tracking so you can see enquiries, calls and where they came from.
- Ask every happy customer for a review.
- Add one paid or ongoing channel, measure it for three months, then decide.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small business spend on marketing?
There's no single right figure, and it depends on your margins and how fast you want to grow. What matters most is knowing which spending brings enquiries, so you can do more of it.
Are leaflets still worth it?
They can be, especially for very local services. They work best when they point people to a strong website and Google profile, and when you track the response.
Want your marketing budget to work harder?
Start with a free website health check to make sure your website is ready to turn interest into enquiries, or talk to us about a plan that fits your budget.
