10 Small-Business Marketing Trends to Follow in 2020

It’s the beginning of a new decade, and with it comes a chance for small businesses to make a resolution to bolster their marketing efforts in the 2020s.

If you’re a small business owner, but you aren’t exactly sure where to start with your marketing strategy, don’t sweat it. At Loopy Loyalty, we’ve been working alongside small businesses since we’ve launched and have tremendous insights into what they must do to succeed.

So, grab yourself a coffee or a cup of tea and read on for the following small business marketing trends for 2020:

1. Social Media Isn’t Going Anywhere

With 77% of Americans possessing social media profiles, any business failing to leverage these platforms is only getting in their own way.

We live in a world that virtually runs through social media. It’s how people get all their information. If you’re late to the party or put forth minimal effort when it comes to your presence, it’s time to amp up your focus.

Though, be aware of one hard-fast rule. You must follow a consistent posting schedule to appease algorithms and reach your target audience.

Since you’re a small business, we suggest utilizing your account to reach out to your audience and establish goodwill for your brand. Don’t use it to hock products, because it’s your relationships within the community that set you apart from big chains.

2. Harnessing the Power of Personalized Emails

Did you know that personalized emails deliver 6x higher transactional rates?

Of course, this necessitates the collection of an email list.

Let customers know that being part of your email list means they’ll be informed of specials and discounts. Loopy Loyalty makes it easy to collect the email addresses of your customers when they enroll for your digital rewards program or stamp card.

Furthermore, it’s possible to segment your emails and personalize them with affordable tools such as Mailchimp.

3. YouTube is Waiting for Your Presence

Videos get 1,200% more shares than text and images combined.

And guess what, all you need to record a video and to post it online is a cellphone camera, a flair for the aesthetic, and a free YouTube account.

Then you can share your video content across your social media channels. Don’t stress about not being able to compete with bigger chains online. You have an audience who already follows your social media posts, videos are a way to engage them further and encourage them to share your content.

In fact, experts believe that YouTube is ideal for small businesses.

4. Rewarding Customers with Digital Stamps and Loyalty Programs

According to studies, 77% of consumers participate in a retail loyalty program. Other research shows that loyalty members generate 12% to 18% more revenue than non-members.

As such, there should be no reason for failing to implement a loyalty program — except for one sticking point.

Many customers are hesitant to join programs because there’s a need to bring physical cards. If your customers were to forget, they can’t capitalize on their rewards.

However, with Loopy Loyalty, the process is entirely digitized — removing wasteful paper and plastic cards from the scenario. The digital stamp cards are saved to the customer's mobile wallet. Also, you can reward customers with digital stamps for more than just purchases.

5. Personalized Push Messages

There’s research citing that 80% of customers are likelier to purchase from a brand that provides personalized experiences.

With Loopy Loyalty, you have the option to reach your customers with personalized push messages.

Messages appear on the lock screen of your customers’ device — appearing as a standard notification that often pops up on lock screens (e.g., email or WhatsApp messages).

You can send messages to specific segments of customers so that the content is relevant. You can even take it a step further and send a message to an individual customer.

6. People Believe Strongly in Google Reviews

Google accounts for 57.5% of all product and service reviews worldwide.

On top of that, 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

Lastly, most consumers read between 1 and 10 reviews before making a purchase.

How can you use this to your advantage? If you notice a customer has had a particularly pleasant experience, encourage them to leave a review for your business with one of these 11 tips.

It’s 100% free marketing, can improve your SEO drastically, and will increase foot traffic in your small business.

7. Offering Weekly Specials

As a small business, you need something into which customers can sink their teeth. Creating some form of weekly trademark special in your store or restaurant is how you can create the kind of buzz that gets people talking.

Plus, if you start using Loopy Loyalty, as mentioned earlier, you can use push notifications or your email mailing list to inform your customers about your specials.

It might be 2020, but one fact that’s timeless is that consumers love a great deal.

8. Let Your Presence Be Known at Professional Events

Speaking of timeless marketing methods, one trend that will never change is the value of networking.

Yes, with the advent of platforms like LinkedIn, it’s possible to network online. However, physical events you attend can help your business make a big splash on the market.

Research upcoming tradeshows, expos, and conferences that are on tap for the upcoming year. If you own a restaurant or cafe, consider pop-up food trucks at festivals.

It’s possible to use technology during these events to present interactive and immersive experiences that potential customers remember for a long time.

In fact, there’s an array of innovative ways to stand out during these networking events.

9. Going the Extra Inch

Again, we’re discussing a tactic that’ll be successful in any era — and really, it can make all the difference in the world for your small business.

Yes, “going the extra mile” with services is somewhat expected these days. But it’s a blanket statement. What does it really mean? Is it really worth breaking your back to appease every customer and hope they leave you a 5-star review on Google or Yelp?

That’s not sustainable.

Doesn’t it make more sense merely to be thoughtful towards your customer base?

The idea is that you’re not doing anything crazy that will expand your budget. The extra inch is something simple — and it doesn’t require much effort. It’s the tasty cherry on top of the customer experience.

Try to brainstorm marketing efforts that add value to a customer’s life in a memorable way.

For instance, if you own a restaurant, think about adding an extra eye-catching garnish on your entrees. How about offering weekly recipes on your social media channels?

10. Don’t Forget About Print

Combining marketing strategies to cover as much ground as humanly possible — even as a small business — will generate the most optimal results, generally.

Just do the math. If you’re combining a web page, social media accounts, and traditional print media, you’re covering all bases and reaching more eyes.

No, we’re not suggesting paying for an expensive billboard or to drain your budget with a Newspaper Ad.

A more affordable option would be a direct mail campaign targeted to your current clientele. Consider holiday cards or a seasonal newsletter to touch base with your network to remain permanently top-of-mind.

Of course, this necessitates a strategy centered around obtaining addresses. However, even pounding the pavement and targeting specific neighborhoods without a list might be sufficient.

Hit the Ground Running in 2020 With Your Marketing

As a small business, it’s possible to put together insightful, effective marketing strategies without breaking the bank. Follow the above tips, and you’ll be blown away at the difference it can make to your bottom line.