If you are a time poor small business owner or solopreneur, this is a whistlestop guide to choosing the marketing channels to do less and get more from your marketing.
I know you’re already juggling more roles than a circus performer—accountant, customer service, operations manager, and, of course, marketing department. But let’s be real: Who’s got hours to spend each day figuring out the perfect marketing strategy? You need something quick, effective, and stress-free to get your business in front of the right people. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
Let’s dive into how you can work smarter, not harder when it comes to marketing your business and choosing the best channels to get maximum visibility with minimal time investment. It's time to simplify your marketing.
1. Know Where Your Dream Clients Hang Out (So You Can, Too!)
Before you go diving into every social media platform, stop and ask yourself: Where are my people? Not everyone is hanging out in the same places, so why should you be everywhere at once? Understanding where your audience is spending time will save you hours of aimless posting.
Here’s the deal:
Who are they? Are your ideal customers in the corporate or B2B space? Try LinkedIn. Are they young creatives? Instagram or TikTok are where you need to show up.
What do they need? Are they looking for tips and advice as part of a community? Try Facebook groups or Threads
What’s the competition doing? Scope out where your competitors are showing up. They’ve likely done some homework, so take a cue from them.
Bottom line: Focus on where your ideal clients already hang out and skip the rest!
2. Play to Your Strengths (And Have Fun Doing It)
Marketing shouldn’t feel like pulling teeth. If you love what you’re doing, it won’t feel like a chore. The good news? There’s a marketing channel for every type of business owner.
Love taking photos or making videos? Instagram, Pinterest, or TikTok could be the perfect stage for you. Share behind-the-scenes, showcase your work, or create entertaining videos that highlight the magic of your service.
Prefer writing and educating? A blog or an email newsletter could be your best friend. Share insights, tips, or how-tos that will help position you as the go-to expert in your field. Add value and offer content that resonates with your ideal customers.
Hate writing but love talking? Try podcasting or quick video tips on YouTube or LinkedIn.
The key is finding what feels natural. When you play to your strengths, marketing becomes a lot more enjoyable (and effective).
3. Pick Your Battles: Test and Tweak
I get it—you want to get as many eyes on your business as possible. But don’t fall into the trap of spreading yourself too thin across too many platforms. Ignore what others are doing - the may have someone helping them and the budget to outsource. (Which is of course an option for you too but first do the work and find out where you should be showing up.)
It’s much better to master one or two channels than to be mediocre on five. Start by testing out a few and see what sticks!
Here’s how:
Pick one or two channels.
For example, maybe it’s Instagram and email marketing. Commit to them for a month or two and track how they perform.
Check the results.
What’s bringing you more engagement? Which one’s driving leads? Use those metrics to decide which to keep, and which to let go. Yep, you read it correctly, bin the ones that don't work!
This way, you’re investing your precious time in the channels that are actually going to get you more customers and grow your business.
4. Let Robots Do the Work (Automation is Your Bestie)
Consistency is the name of the game, but you don’t have to do everything manually. That’s where automation swoops in like a superhero to save the day! Whether it’s social media posts or emails, you can automate a ton of marketing tasks and still show up regularly without hovering over your phone 24/7.
Social Media Scheduling:
Use tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Later to schedule posts in advance. You can spend one afternoon creating content for the week and let the tool do the rest. I use Content Studio which is really easy and quick to use!
Email Marketing:
Platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit let you set up automated emails, so you can send out newsletters, follow-ups, or promotions while you focus on other things. Also if you have a website built on Wix or Squarespace - then you can bolt on their email tools within your website admin area - so all in one place and easy to manage!
With the right automation tools, you can keep the marketing machine running without being chained to your laptop.
5. Go Local with SEO (Get Discovered Without Lifting a Finger)
If you’re running a service-based business, local SEO can be your secret weapon. It’s one of the easiest ways to get visibility without having to actively post every day. It’s like setting up a fishing net that keeps catching clients, even when you’re busy with other tasks.
Google My Business:
Make sure your business is fully listed and optimised. Add your services, location, and contact info. Bonus points for gathering customer reviews!
Local Listings:
Sign up for local directories like Yelp or Yellow Pages to make sure people can find you when they’re searching for services in your area.
Write for Local Searchers:
Include your city or area in your website content. For example, if you’re a hypnotherapist in Winchester, make sure your website says things like “hypnotherapy services in Winchester” so your ideal customers nearby can find you easily.
Local SEO is like having a quiet, reliable marketing assistant that works 24/7, even when you’re not.
6. Focus on Relationships Over Numbers
Marketing isn’t just about reaching the most people; it’s about reaching the right people. Building relationships with potential customers and nurturing those relationships over time can be one of the most effective ways to grow your business—no huge advertising budget required!
Networking:
This is one of my favourites! Whether it’s online or at local events, networking can lead to collaborations and word-of-mouth referrals that don’t need constant marketing effort.
Referral Programs:
Encourage your happy clients to refer new business your way. Offer them a discount, a free service, or another perk for bringing in new customers.
Building relationships takes a little time upfront, but it pays off big time in the long run. This is one of my key marketing channels and does get results.
Wrap-Up: Choose Wisely, Market Smart
When it comes to marketing your service-based business, less really is more. Focus on the channels that align with your ideal customer, your content preferences, automate where you can, and don’t be afraid to test things out. The right strategy will help you get seen by the right people—without driving yourself crazy in the process. And you can avoid the total overwhelm of trying to be everywhere all the time.