Why Marketing Feels So Hard (And What You Can Do About It)

If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably felt the pain of trying to figure out marketing. Between juggling your daily operations and staying within a tight budget, marketing often feels like one more thing on an endless to-do list. At Lange Digital Solutions, we’ve been making a point to network and speak to other local businesses, and we’re here to tell you that you’re not alone.

But that’s not really comforting without some direction, SO we wanted to dive into some of the biggest marketing headaches small businesses face—and, more importantly, how to begin to tackle them without losing your sanity!

The Budget Struggle Is Real

This is a big one… Let’s face it: money doesn’t grow on trees, especially when you’re running a small business. Competing with big companies and their fancy ad campaigns can feel impossible when you’ve got a fraction of their budget.

Don’t worry, you don’t need a big budget to make a big impact. Focus on affordable strategies like posting consistently on social media or starting a blog. These are great ways to connect with your audience without spending a ton. Tools like ChatGPT (for content ideas), Canva (for graphics), and Mailchimp (for email campaigns) can help you look professional without breaking the bank.

Who Has the Time for it?

When you’re wearing a million hats—owner, customer service rep, accountant—marketing often slips through the cracks. And when you do find time, it feels overwhelming. The best advice we can offer is to start small and keep it simple. Create a basic marketing plan with just one or two goals, like posting on social media a few times a week. You can also save tons of time by scheduling out your social media posts in advance. Better yet, consider outsourcing to someone who can help (hint: we’re here if you need us).

Your Brand Is All Over the Place

Have you ever looked at your website, social media, and print materials and thought, “None of this really matches”? You’re not alone. Inconsistent branding can confuse customers and make your business look less polished.

So, what can you do about it? Start by defining what your brand is all about—your values, your voice, your look. Then, create a simple style guide to keep everything consistent. This will make your business look more professional, even if you’re still a one-person show. Remember a key to branding is brand recognition, so consistency is important!

How Do You Even Know If It’s Working?

You’ve posted on Instagram, sent out a few emails, and maybe even boosted a Facebook post. But now what? If you’re not tracking your results, it’s hard to know if you’re wasting time or actually getting somewhere. And nobody likes wasting time or money!

So start by setting clear, measurable goals. Want more website visits? More email sign-ups? Tools like Google Analytics and the built-in stats on social media platforms can help you see what’s working and what’s not. We can build landing pages with built-in sales funnels that will track information from specific campaigns so you will know exactly how that plan is performing! Just remember, tracking information doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be consistent.

Keeping Up with Marketing Trends Is Exhausting

Marketing trends seem to change every five minutes. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on social media, some new platform or algorithm update throws you off track. Don’t even get us started on Artificial Intelligence… The good news is, you don’t have to be on top of every trend. Focus on the basics, like creating good content and building relationships with your audience. If you’re feeling adventurous, experiment with new tools and platforms when you have time. And if you don’t? That’s okay, too. This is also where a marketing partner like Lange Digital Solutions comes in. We love this stuff, and we tend to get nerdy about it! Dr. Lange went as far as to get a literal PhD in Marketing! So, if it seems overwhelming, or marketing just isn’t your thing, IT IS OUR THING and we would love to help!

Finding Your People

You’ve got great products or services, but getting them in front of the right people can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. How do you get people in the door?

Well, we have a couple of ideas on the subject, but to start, take some time to really think about your ideal customer. Who are they? What do they care about?

Once you’ve got that figured out, you can use platforms like Facebook and Google Ads to target those specific people. It’s like sending your message directly to the folks who are most likely to care. Another plan is to become a local champion in your community! Go to networking events, join organizations, and become as visible as possible! Customers can’t walk in your door if they don’t know that it is there!

Final Thoughts

Marketing doesn’t have to be so overwhelming. By focusing on the right things—like clear goals, consistent branding, and connecting with your audience—you can start seeing results without driving yourself crazy. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone. At Lange Digital Solutions, we’re here to help you navigate the chaos and make marketing work for your small business. In fact, it's our favorite thing to do! If you want to talk about how we could get started, send us an email at [email protected] or give us a call at 920-255-8997. We have service packages that can be customized for all size budgets, and we even like to just talk shop sometimes too!

Best wishes,

Dr. Travis Lange