Glossary of Terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Marketing Budget | The portion of overall business funds allocated to marketing efforts. |
Fixed Budget Approach | A marketing budget strategy based on a set dollar amount, not tied to revenue. |
Revenue Percentage | A budget strategy that ties marketing spend to a percentage of sales revenue. |
KPI (Key Performance Indicator) | Metrics used to evaluate the success of marketing activities. |
Multi-Channel Marketing | Using more than one channel (email, ads, SEO, etc.) simultaneously. |
Sales Attribution | The process of identifying which marketing channel or campaign led to a sale. |
Table of contents
The Complete Marketing Strategy Guide for Small Businesses (Online & Offline)
Marketing isn’t just a department—it’s the engine of your business. Whether you’re a Shopify startup or a brick-and-mortar boutique, you need a strategy rooted in data, intention, and profitability.
Let’s build you a strategy that scales—without wasting a single dollar.
Step 1: Set a Realistic Marketing Budget
Your budget isn’t just a number—it’s a signal of your priorities. Here are the two most effective models:
1. Fixed Budget Approach
Perfect for early-stage brands or bootstrapped businesses:
- Set aside a dollar amount (e.g., $500–$2,000/month)
- Spend primarily on brand awareness and audience growth
- Prioritize ROI-positive channels like email and organic social
2. Revenue Percentage Approach
Used by scaling or stable businesses:
- Allocate 7%–12% of gross revenue to marketing
- If you made $500k last year, spend ~$35k–$60k
- Works best with margins over 10% (or you’ll lose money on each sale)
Pro Tip: Use a spreadsheet to forecast ROI per channel before you commit spend.
Step 2: Set Clear Marketing Goals

Without clear goals, you’ll spend endlessly without direction. Use these three core goal categories:
1. Awareness Goals
- Grow Instagram following from 1K to 10K
- Increase site traffic by 50% in 3 months
2. Conversion Goals
- Turn 5% of traffic into email subscribers
- Reach 3% site conversion rate
3. Retention Goals
- Increase repeat purchase rate by 20%
- Boost email open rates by 10%
Keep each goal tied to a time frame and a numeric target.
Step 3: Choose the Right Channels for Your Business
No brand wins everywhere—so don’t try to be everywhere. Prioritize channels based on:
- Your audience
- Your offer
- Your content resources
- Your budget
Young Businesses
- Focus on 1–2 channels
- Recommended: Email, organic Instagram, paid Meta ads
Established Brands
- Run full-funnel campaigns across:
- Paid social (FB/IG, TikTok)
- Email marketing
- SEO
- Influencer partnerships
- SMS
How to Choose Channels:
Audience | Best Channels |
---|---|
Gen Z | TikTok, Instagram, SMS |
Millennials | Instagram, Email, YouTube |
Professionals | LinkedIn, Email, Google Ads |
Step 4: Track Success with Smart KPIs
You can’t scale what you can’t measure. Set up dashboards (Klaviyo, GA4, Meta Ads Manager) and measure:
Awareness Metrics
- Followers
- Email list growth
- Traffic sources
Conversion Metrics
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
- Cost per acquisition (CPA)
- Add-to-cart and checkout rates
Engagement Metrics
- Email open and click rates
- Social comments, DMs, shares
Tools to Use:
- Google Analytics
- Hotjar (behavioral insights)
- Klaviyo (email/SMS tracking)
- Meta Pixel (for ads)
Step 5: Iterate, Test, and Grow
Don’t “set it and forget it.” Great marketing is 50% strategy, 50% optimization.
How to Test:
- A/B test subject lines, creative, and offers
- Test channels against each other (FB vs TikTok vs YouTube Shorts)
- Adjust copy based on data—not opinions
Weekly Metrics to Review:
- Campaign ROAS
- Website conversion rate
- Email CTR and open rate
- Organic vs paid performance
Monthly Planning:
- Review top-performing content
- Reallocate budget to top channels
- Plan 2–3 test campaigns per month
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How much should a small business spend on marketing?
Between 7%–12% of gross revenue is typical, depending on your margins and growth goals.
2. What’s the most cost-effective marketing channel?
Email marketing. It has the highest ROI and lowest barrier to entry.
3. How do I know which marketing channel is best for my business?
Follow your audience—where they spend time, you should too. Start with one channel and scale.
4. What KPIs should I track weekly?
Start with CTR, ROI, CPA, email open rates, and traffic by channel.
5. Should I hire an agency or keep marketing in-house?
Early on, learn it in-house. Once you can afford $5k+/month, consider experts to scale faster.
6. How often should I review my marketing plan?
At least monthly. Quarterly reviews are essential for pivots and big campaigns.
Final Thoughts
Marketing isn’t an expense—it’s an investment. Your job as a founder or marketer isn’t to “be on every channel.” It’s to make every dollar work harder than the last.
Start lean. Move fast. Measure everything. And always—always—build for the long game.
Need help building a full-funnel strategy that converts? We’ve got your back.
Need help implementing this?
Let us take the hassle of managing your email marketing channel off your hands. Book a strategy call with our team today and see how we can scale your revenue, customer retention, and lifetime value with tailored strategies. Click here to get started.
Curious about how your Klaviyo is performing?
We’ll audit your account for free. Discover hidden opportunities to boost your revenue, and find out what you’re doing right and what could be done better. Click here to claim your free Klaviyo audit.
Want to see how we’ve helped brands just like yours scale?
Check out our case studies and see the impact for yourself. Click here to explore.
Tactic | Strategy |
✅ Front-load urgency | Use action words like “Today only,” “Limited,” “Your order is waiting” |
✅ Subject line clarity | Be specific. Skip vague copy like “Here’s something for you…” |
✅ Content relevance | Only send what the subscriber actually cares about. Personalize. |
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