You finally started that business you’ve dreamed about—congratulations! You’ve built a foundation, but how do you get the word out?
Starting a new business is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. Before diving in, take a moment to pause and think strategically. Early decisions can set the tone for your future, so focus on the big picture and make intentional choices. Here’s where to begin.
1. Start With Strategy and Branding
Branding often gets overlooked. Though creative and fun, it deserves the same thoughtfulness and expertise as any other part of your business.
Allie Hornseth, founder of Kit & Co Studio, has helped businesses shape their brands for more than 15 years. “Know your audience and define your values,” Hornseth says. “If you don’t know how to do that or where to start, find a designer who will ask the right questions so you have a strategic plan going into branding your identity.”
“A well-crafted logo and visual identity that includes storytelling will grow stronger with time,” Hornseth adds. Your mark should be “strong from the beginning... memorable, easy to recognize, consistent and evoke emotion.” Avoid cheap shortcuts or chasing trends.
2. Market With Purpose, Not Panic
Jackie Yakowicz, AdShark Marketing’s director of operations, shares that a common marketing mistake is “doing too much too soon.”
Like Hornseth, Yakowicz agrees that establishing your brand and purpose is the No. 1 priority before exploring other methods.
“Take marketing in stride. Develop your brand first.... Then, take care of some of your organic efforts—get a website... local listings... social pages... maybe even some collateral or sales decks to show leads. Once you’ve had some organic sales success, then consider paid ads to amplify your efforts.”
3. Organic Marketing Versus Paid Advertising
Organic and paid marketing work together. However, when choosing where to begin, Yakowicz explains it’s essential to consider the competitiveness of your market.
In local, less competitive markets, “you probably have some opportunity to gain organic search visibility more rapidly,” says Yakowicz, recommending exhausting organic efforts before spending on paid.
Organic efforts can include everything from content marketing via social media, website SEO and email to partnership-based approaches like user-generated content and public relations. The key to these methods is to “produce content that feels like it belongs,” says Yakowicz. “Talk to them like you know them—and share content (tips, discounts, stories) that make them happy to hear from you. Sometimes that means less is more.”
Conversely, if you’re entering a highly competitive market where ranking organically is going to be an uphill battle,” Yakowicz says, then “paid ad routes (or influencer/affiliate marketing)” might be the best way to gain meaningful traction.
4. Don’t Get Caught Up in Digital-Only
While digital tools are paramount today, traditional methods still have a place.
Tactics like print ads, flyers, direct mail or radio can be especially effective for service-based businesses with strong community roots and local audiences. Know your industry, explore what your competitors are doing and pinpoint your demographic. Then, use that information to decide if traditional marketing makes sense.
5. Be Personal, Engage and Stand Out
Don’t underestimate word-of-mouth marketing and showing up authentically. Not only is this your most cost-effective strategy, but it also has the power to be your most impactful. Prioritizing personal engagement helps build relationships and, over time, creates brand advocates who spread the word for you.
Matthew Schimke, founding account executive at French startup Meilisearch, believes personalized communication is the most impactful move for small startups.
Whether engaging with your audience through social media or attending in-person events, Schimke urges new companies, “to make a name for yourself and to be out there.”
Small actions. Larger results—without breaking the bank.
6. Show, Don’t Tell
You’ve got their attention; it’s time to leave a lasting impression.
Reflecting on the most effective lead-generation methods from his startup experience, Schimke found that the underlying theme “comes down to being able to add value.... in today’s hyper-saturated world.”
“We all see a million... ads every day; it’s important to be in those places for visibility. But for actually driving effective leads, you have to have something that’s going to make you stand apart.”
This could mean offering free audits and personalized reports to showcase your value or highlighting pain points and demonstrating how your solution can improve their lives.
“Providing a little bit of added value can go a really long way.... Maybe that’s not an unexpected method. Maybe it makes sense, right? But it’s unexpected how many people aren’t doing that at the moment.”
7. Final Takeaways
Listen to experts when building a buzz you want to last.
Lead with strategy and a strong brand.
Remember: Less is more. Don’t rush into tactics without purpose.
Know the value of digital, but use traditional methods where they fit.
Invest time in organic growth.
Show up authentically, personalize communication, engage often and consistently demonstrate value.
Whether you’re a team of one or 10, clear messaging and personal touches create lasting impressions and scalable opportunities—even on a tight budget.
Image courtesy of Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock
This article was first published in the September 2025 issue of SUCCESS Digital Edition. Get your FREE copy here.
