Most small businesses, particularly in less-populated markets, rely on a few standbys: a yellow pages listing, word-of-mouth, and maybe a website.  Some advertise in the local paper.  But that's the extent of it, and in smaller markets, small businesses should look at other tools that can drive sales.

Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing, or SEM, is also known as search engine optimization (SEO).  If you do not have a website, get one now.  Hire a designer who can build either a simple, static website or a WordPress-based site that can be updated regularly.  Then, start thinking about your keywords.  How are your customers searching for you? "Landscaper in West Springfield" or "personal trainer in Longmeadow"?  Google AdSense can list keywords and key phrases that customers will use.

Email
Email newsletters sent no more than every month, with maybe a quick supplementary message in between newsletters (you don't want to be known as an annoying spammer!), can also drive sales.  Be creative with your newsletter; don't just include your sales or specials.  What useful information could you send to your clients? A contractor could send seasonal tips for household maintenance; a gift shop or florist could include ideas for wedding gifts in June or back-to-school gifts in September.  Collect email addresses via simple sign-up sheets in your shop or by asking for them when you bid on a job.

Social Media
It's not just for the kids.  If you don't have a Facebook page for your business, get one.  They're very easy to set up, although if you want a more robust environment, hire a marketing agency.  Post your specials, ask for customer feedback, and encourage your customers to post as well.  If you have a mobile business, such as a catering truck, consider setting up a Twitter feed that links to your Facebook page and broadcasts your location.  Include pictures: the inside of your restaurant, signature dishes, popular products, samples of your work.

Who says direct email campaigns don’t lead to sales?  For Marc Ducey, President of GolfEtail, direct email campaigns have been the best sales tool for his company.  At the Springfield Young Professional Society Entrepreneurial Lunch, Ducey cited statistics that prove direct email campaigns work.  GolfEtail has a mailing list of 160,000 customers, and the company sends 1.6 million emails each month, approximately two or three per week to subscribers.  These 1.6 million emails generate $50,000 to $60,000 in sales, Ducey said.  GolfEtail notes a ten percent open rate, two percent click rate, and 1.5 percent conversion rate to get these sales.

GolfEtail’s success with direct email campaigns can extend to any company willing to put in the time to develop their own campaign.  Well-written emails, a catchy subject line, and offers that are geared toward the customers will all lead to higher open rates, higher click-through rates, and most importantly, higher conversion rates.  On the flip side, a poorly written email without a specific benefit to the customer and a ho-hum subject line almost guarantees that the email will be disregarded or deleted without being opened.

Writing a direct email campaign can take some skill and thought, especially if this is the first one for your company.  Before you embark on a direct email campaign, consider hiring a freelance copywriter to write the copy for the email.  You will save yourself some time, and in the long run, make more money if your email is clear, enticing, and gets customers clicking over to your site to buy.