Survey results - most popular small business marketing tactics

Source: EnterQuest (11 Feb 2010)

At the end of 2009, EnterQuest carried out a survey of small and micro business owners with the aim of identifying the most popular and least popular marketing methods used by small firms.

Survey participants were trading in a wide range of sectors such as retailing, consultancy and training, finance, tourism, health and complementary therapy, arts, manufacturing, building services and IT.

The survey asked respondents to provide information about ten different types of marketing methods they used regularly, used occasionally or had never used at all.

Headline results are as follows:

There was no standout winner in terms of the marketing method most frequently used across all business sectors, but the results did reveal patterns indicating that small business owners are generally proactive marketers, they experiment and try different tactics, and they analyse and monitor the methods that produce the best results for their own particular market.

Top five tactics used on a regular basis

1. Face-to-face networking (72%)

2. Online networks (52%)

3. E-mail marketing (50%)

4. Ads in sector directories (47%)

5. Direct mailings (44%)

Top five tactics never used

1. Ads in local press (64%)

2. Social media (61%)

3. Yellow Pages ads (53%)

4. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising (53%)

5. Ads in sector trade magazines (49%)

There's no argument that the Internet has dramatically changed the landscape of marketing and business communication in the last ten years. But while the use of online professional networks such as LinkedIn and e-mail marketing tactics have grown, it's significant to note that face-to-face networking emerged as the most popular marketing method.

Survey results in brief

73% of respondents engage in face-to-face networking.
Over half use professional online networks.
Almost two-thirds don't use social media as a marketing tool.
Only 15% of respondents regularly use social media for business purposes.
Over half don't advertise their services in any media.
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