Do you want to know EXACTLY how to market a new small business? 

You might have already Googled…

• How to set up a business Instagram account

• What is the best website builder? 

• How to implement SEO marketing for small business

But the secret for how to market a new small business isn’t in the execution. It’s in the research behind the strategy.

Let’s pause before you hit the ground running with marketing. First, you need to understand who you’re targeting and how to reach them.

To answer how to market a new small business… you need to know who your ideal client is.

Here are the top questions you need to ask yourself to build a solid marketing strategy. 

1. What are your ideal client’s demographics?

Let’s begin with the basics- who is your ideal client? Give them a name, age, and gender to begin.

Next, where are they physically AND mentally? Do they live in a specific geographic location? And what life stage are they in? Are they married with children, a retired empty nester, or a single college graduate?

Last, what do they do? Are they a powerhouse attorney making millions? Or a middle school science teacher?

2. What are they interested in?

Imagine where your ideal client is spending their free time and energy.

Are health and wellness their thing? Yoga classes, green smoothies… say no more!

Or they’re a travel junkie? They work remotely and jet-set to a new city every week with pals.

3. What is their lifestyle like?

Imagine their day-to-day life.

Are they a boss babe mother of 3 and always on the go?

Are they a retired physician, spending every waking moment at the local country club?

Understanding their lifestyle will give you insight into their everyday. This will help to gauge where your product or service will fit into their lives.

The first three questions are helpful qualifiers to help you get to know your clients. The remaining questions dig deeper to see what drives your ideal clients to take action.

4. What are their personal goals? [product related]

Moving into the juicy details… What are your ideal client’s goals? And how can you tie them to your product or service?

For example, let’s say you’re a functional medical practice looking to serve clients. You offer services like nutritional consulting and supplement recommendations. 

It would be reasonable to assume your ideal client has a personal goal to achieve optimal health. Hint- your marketing should directly address your client’s goal. It is your responsibility to confirm that you are the solution they’ve been searching for!

5. What brands do they use? And why should they pick you over competing brands?

This question is twofold. It starts with understanding the competitive landscape of your industry. What options does your ideal client have? Are they using a competitive product or service? If not, what are they using instead?

And second, why should they choose you? Understanding your unique selling proposition (USP) will distinguish you from similar businesses. It’ll also be the backbone of your marketing content. 

6. What challenges are they likely experiencing? 

Imagine your ideal client’s pain points and relate them to your product or service.

Going back to the functional medicine practice example…

Why would someone focus on optimal health as a personal goal? 

Maybe they are struggling with an autoimmune disease. Perhaps they’re suffering from insomnia. Or ANY number of reasons why someone would strive to achieve optimal health.

There can be several challenges that your ideal client is experiencing. Your marketing content should address these challenges head-on so your client believes in your solution.

7. How will they benefit from your product or service? 

Let’s take the opposite of your pain points.

If you are a functional medicine practitioner, what benefit do you offer your client? 

For example, if your ideal client’s pain point is insomnia resulting in poor sleep and a lack of focus… 

Your functional medicine practice would provide customized nutrition plans to support sleep. And the result of that is… feeling revitalized and ready to tackle the day ahead.

8. What resources do you need to execute your marketing strategy?

Now that you understand who your ideal client is… what do you need to get started? 

Are you ready to invest in digital tools like social planning apps and keyword software? These are game-changers when it comes time to launch content.

Or are you leaning toward hiring a small business marketing consultant to understand your options? A small business marketing consultant can provide recommendations to help you get started.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to market a new small business, I’d love to help!

I offer small business marketing consulting and copywriting for new and seasoned businesses. Please contact me for more information on how to market a new small business.