Small business marketing strategies for every industry

Running a small business goes far beyond the restaurant industry, a local hair salon, or digital marketing agencies like One Nine Design. One of the reasons I love writing about small business stories is that no matter what type of business you have, some of the best strategies are consistent among even the most different industries.

This collaborative post takes a look at homesteading — a far cry from digital businesses but important, nonetheless.

“Homesteading” is a term that is being used more and more with each day that passes, and for many practitioners, it’s simply a process that allows them to become more self-sufficient and follow a more bucolic life.

For an increasing number, however, it’s becoming a way to experience many of the positive benefits of farming without becoming a full-time farmer. Many people are even turning their homestead lives into homestead businesses which is both inspiring and creative thinking.

A homestead business doesn’t require a vast number of acres, making it an attractive option for many. While a farm will offer you the chance to raise livestock, plant vast swathes of crops, and even offer tourist attractions, it does involve a higher cost level thanks to the cost of land. However, you can run a homestead business from any property that has a garden attached, and it’s a much better choice than simply maintaining a lawn, for many reasons. If you have designs on running a homestead business, the following tips are essential knowledge.

Know your local laws

There is nothing legally actionable about running a business from your home per se, but you may need to at least seek some legal advice before starting a homestead business. It’s possible that a neighborhood association or local organization may have by-laws that control what can be grown or sold from houses in the area. If you’re planning to grow medicinal herbs, wait for the okay from your advisor before picking up the Twister t4 and getting things moving. In some other cases, there may be specific licenses you need to apply for or amendments you need to make in order to satisfy legal niceties.

Make it social

Like all businesses, growing brand awareness is one of the required digital marketing strategies. Once you have a solid understanding of your target audience, determine which social media sites are the best fit to showcase your talents. Rows of colorful fruit or vegetables growing will look fantastic on Instagram. Pictures of your pets engaging with the garden make great Facebook or Twitter content. Or, go with the growing trends of Instagram Reels or TikTok where you can cut together clips of you planting, harvesting, and cooking your own homegrown produce.

Use content marketing strategies to grow your online presence

There is no better way to expand the knowledge of those around you on all things “homesteading” than content marketing.

“Content marketing is more than just producing content. It's a strategy that puts your ideal client or customer at the center of everything you publish. I spend a great deal of time creating valuable resources for my ideal clients and giving them away for free.” —One Nine Design

Create a business blog that showcases your work or focus on educating the DIYers out there to use a small piece of land for farming. If you’ve acquired some regular customers, plan to send them a weekly email letting them know about new products available, send them links to learn more about sustainable farming, or simply keep them updated on how the business is going.

When you involve the customers with the work and place them at the center of your marketing, growing your small business will feel less like work and more like a community!