Marketing Insights for Small Business

Guides and tactics from running hundreds of marketing launches.

What Marketing Actually Works for a Small Business With No Time

60% of small business owners spend 10 hours a week or less on marketing, and 73% aren't confident it's working. Here's what's actually worth the limited time you have.

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HubSpot's Hidden Onboarding Fee (and Why It Doesn't Fit a Solo Local Business)

HubSpot's free plan feels like a gift. The real number shows up one tier later: close to $890 a month plus a mandatory $3,000 onboarding fee - and that number buys you a platform, not a finished marketing system.

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The Real Cost of a Missed Call

62% of calls to small businesses go unanswered, and 85% of those callers never call back. The businesses that respond within 2 minutes win the job 78% of the time -- real data on what a slow response is actually costing you.

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Why 4.2 Stars Isn't Good Enough Anymore

68% of consumers now require at least 4 stars before considering a local business -- up from 55% a year ago. What the rising bar means for businesses still sitting at a rating that used to be safely competitive.

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Why Local Service Businesses Are Leaving Thumbtack and Angi

Everyone quotes cost-per-lead when they talk about Thumbtack and Angi. The number that actually matters is cost per booked job - and it tells a much less flattering story.

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Your Next Customer Might Ask ChatGPT to Find You

Ask ChatGPT to find you a plumber right now. It will give you a name - maybe two. Is one of them yours? Most local service businesses are invisible to AI search, and the gap between where customers are looking and where businesses show up has never been wider.

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