Digital Marketing News
Small Business Grants in Australia That Can Fund Marketing
How to find and apply for small business grants in Australia, what they can pay for, and when marketing can be part of a funded project.
Good marketing ideas for small business are ones you can afford, keep up and measure. The list below groups 25 small business marketing ideas by channel, from free fixes such as your Google Business Profile and reviews, to low-cost ideas like partnerships, events and email, to paid options when you’re ready to grow faster. Pick two or three that suit your customers, try them properly, and keep what works.
What are good marketing ideas for a small business?
The right ideas for your business depend on who your customers are and how they find you. A café needs foot traffic; a builder needs trust; an online store needs clicks. Use these questions to filter the list:
- Where do my customers look for a business like mine?
- What do they need to see before they choose?
- How much time and money can I put in each week?
- How will I know if it worked?
Free and low-cost marketing ideas for small businesses
Online, free
- Complete your Google Business Profile: categories, services, photos, hours and weekly posts. See our Google Business Profile optimisation service.
- Ask every customer for a review, with a direct link, and reply to every review.
- Answer common questions on your website, with an FAQ page or short articles.
- Post behind-the-scenes content: your team, your process, a day on the job.
- Share before-and-after photos of your work (with the customer’s permission).
- Claim free directory listings such as Apple Maps, Bing Places and your industry association.
- Turn customer emails into content: if three people ask the same question, write the answer once and share it.
In your community
- Sponsor a local sports team or event where your customers go.
- Run a free workshop or demo that shows your expertise.
- Partner with a business that shares your customers but doesn’t compete, and promote each other.
- Join your local business chamber or network and go to the events.
- Offer to speak at a community group, school or industry meeting.
- Send a story to local media when you have real news: a milestone, a new service or a community project.
For more ideas aimed at regional towns, see our local business marketing ideas.
Keeping customers coming back
- Start an email newsletter with tips, news and an occasional offer.
- Send reminders for services people need regularly.
- Run a referral reward, disclosed clearly, for customers who send friends.
- Say thank you with a handwritten note or a small surprise for loyal customers.
- Follow up after every job to check they’re happy and ask what you could do better.
Creative and attention-grabbing
- Try a guerrilla marketing idea, such as a chalk trail or pop-up (with permission). See our guide to guerrilla marketing.
- Make short videos answering questions or showing how something works.
- Run a seasonal promotion tied to a local event or the time of year.
- Create a branded freebie that people actually use, such as a fridge magnet with your number or a useful checklist.
Paid ideas when you’re ready
- Run Google Ads for your main services in your area. Our Google Ads management sets them up and manages them.
- Boost your best social posts to people in your area for events or offers.
- Invest in professional photos for your website, profile and ads.
How do you come up with marketing ideas?
- Listen to customers: the questions they ask and the words they use are ready-made content and ad copy.
- Look at your calendar: seasons, school holidays, local events and your own milestones.
- Look at what others do well, in your industry and outside it, and adapt the idea.
- Ask your team: staff who talk to customers often have useful ideas.
- Review what worked before and do more of it.
What are cheap ways to market your business?
The cheapest ways to market a small business usually cost time rather than money: your Google Business Profile, reviews, social media posts, email to existing customers, partnerships and referrals. They also tend to build trust that lasts. Our guide on how to market a small business explains how to put the basics in order.
Which marketing ideas should you try first?
Don’t try all 25 at once. Score each idea out of 5 for how well it reaches your customers, how easy it is to keep up and how easily you can measure it. Start with the two or three highest scores, run each for a fair trial (a few months for most ongoing ideas), and track enquiries from each one. Then drop what doesn’t work and add the next idea.
How we help
If you’d like help turning ideas into a plan, our small business marketing service works out which ideas suit your business and runs them with you. Our marketing partnerships start from $4,500 + GST a month for 28 hours, and our marketing workshops help your team come up with and plan ideas together.
Frequently asked questions
What are marketing ideas?
Marketing ideas are specific actions you can take to attract customers or keep them coming back, such as asking for reviews, running an event or starting a newsletter.
Which marketing idea works fastest?
Paid ads and promotions to existing customers usually bring the quickest response. Reviews, SEO and content take longer but keep working.
Do I need a big budget for marketing?
No. Many effective ideas are free or low cost. A budget helps you grow faster once you know what works.
How often should I try new marketing ideas?
Keep a steady base of what works, and test one new idea at a time every month or two so you can tell what made the difference.
The short version
The marketing ideas for small business that pay off are the ones that reach your customers, that you can keep doing and that you can measure. Start with free basics like your Google profile and reviews, add community and email ideas, and use paid ads once you know your numbers.
If you’d like help picking the right ideas for your business, book a free 30-minute discovery call.
