With small business Saturday quickly approaching, now is a good time to talk about the best (and worst) marketing tactics for small businesses. As someone who often works to help small and start-up businesses with their online marketing plans, these are some common things I often find business owners struggle with the most. So, if this is you or someone you know, maybe this article can save you a lot of hassle in the long run.

Let’s jump right into it.

Best- Having a solid budget plan (and sticking to it)

Just like when you are approved for a mortgage and can get a house at the top of your budget, doesn’t necessarily mean you need or want to–marketing is an investment that should be treated no differently. Spending money on marketing for your business can be a tough call because it’s not a “one size fits all” investment, that’s why narrowing down what the maximum amount feasible to comfortably commit to your marketing plan per month is the best way to make sure that 1. you won’t allow yourself to be taken advantage of by industry professionals and 2. you won’t end up going over budget.

Worst- Going overboard (start small and work your way up)

One of the worst things you can do as a small business is overspending. It’s easy to think that the “premium packages” are where it’s at, especially when industry professionals and advertising companies have a good sales pitch. Don’t let yourself get carried away with investing in promises, sometimes “new” (IE. a new logo design) and “more” (IE. “if you spend X amount you could reach an audience of XYZ) isn’t always better–or necessary. Start with a basic plan and work your way up when you see a strategy that’s actually working to bring in solid revenue, then you can choose to invest more in premium plans and upgrades from there.

Best- Having clear direction & expectations 

Your marketing endeavors will go smoother if you have a clear plan of action you’d like to implement. This could be as simple as saying you want to post to your social media X times per week, or as complex as having an entire branding kit full of specific details down to a color scheme and times of day you want things posted. It’s also fair to note that your expectations should reflect the clarity of your direction, and if you aren’t giving clear direction to your marketing team then you can’t expect them to meet your expectations.

Worst- Not setting boundaries 

Things are going to get hectic if you don’t give detailed direction and communication, not only for those who you hired to help with marketing but also for yourself. If you don’t set boundaries of exactly what you expect and by when, you will never know what you’re going to get or when it’ll be delivered. For example, some of my clients are fine with their marketing company creating posts and posting on their behalf a said amount of times a week, whereas others are very specific on every detail down to the color and size of the text in each post.

Best- Do it yourself 

Sometimes the best option of all is to do it yourself. If you can’t afford a marketing pro or you simply just don’t want to outsource the work, then doing it yourself will ensure that you know exactly what you’re getting and when–and that your style will always stay the same.

Worst- Hiring someone for something you could do

Unless your marketing agent is performing tasks beyond your realm of expertise (or couldn’t be easily learned), why pay for something you can do yourself (and perhaps even better)?

Best- Providing the contracts

Contracts should be an industry standard, but surprisingly few marketers use them. If they don’t provide the contract with very detailed information on what they are going to provide, then you need to provide one on what you expect them to. This will save you a lot of hassle in the long run when they say “we never discussed that” and “that’ll cost you more.”

Worst- Not reading the fine print

If your marketing team provides you the contract, make sure you read the fine print before signing – or better yet, have a law professional do it. They will be able to read through the contract and identify any potential clauses that could conflict with your needs.