Marketing Resource Guide for Solo and Small Business Owners

Solo & Small Business Marketing StratgeySmall Business Marketing Resource Guide
Written By Karen Lunde

Keep it simple with free and low-cost marketing tools

Navigating the world of marketing tools can be overwhelming, especially when you're managing everything solo or with a small team. This guide categorizes essential tools by function and cost, helping you make informed decisions without stretching your budget.

Website Builders

1. Squarespace

  • Cost: Starts at $16/month (Personal plan).

  • Features: Drag-and-drop builder, responsive templates, blogging, e-commerce capabilities.

  • Ideal for: Users seeking an all-in-one solution with an easy-to-use interface.

2. Wix

  • Cost: Free plan available; premium plans start at $16/month.

  • Features: Extensive template library, app integrations, SEO tools.

  • Ideal for: Beginners wanting easy customization.​

3. WordPress.com

  • Cost: Free basic plan; paid plans start at $4/month.

  • Features: Customizable themes, plugins, blogging platform.

  • Ideal for: Bloggers and content-heavy websites.​ Websites that require specialized plug-ins.

  • Note: WordPress is the gold standard powering about one-third of the content on the internet. But it’s also much more difficult to navigate from a tech standpoint. I recommend it only if you absolutely need certain plug-ins or you’re planning a blog-first website strategy (particularly one that relies on third-party ads for revenue.)

Email Marketing Platforms

1. MailerLite

  • Cost: Free for up to 1,000 subscribers; paid plans start at $10/month.

  • Features: Drag-and-drop editor, automation, landing pages.

  • Ideal for: Small businesses starting with email marketing.​

2. Mailchimp

  • Cost: Free for up to 500 subscribers; paid plans start at $13/month.

  • Features: Email templates, automation, audience segmentation.

  • Ideal for: Users seeking a robust platform with various integrations.​

3. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

  • Cost: Free for up to 300 emails/day; paid plans start at $25/month.

  • Features: Email campaigns, SMS marketing, CRM tools.

  • Ideal for: Businesses looking to combine email and SMS marketing.​

Scheduling and Calendar Tools

1. Calendly

  • Cost: Free basic plan; premium plans start at $8/month.

  • Features: Automated scheduling, calendar integrations, reminders.

  • Ideal for: Professionals needing to streamline appointment bookings.​

2. Acuity Scheduling

  • Cost: Free trial available; plans start at $16/month.

  • Features: Client self-scheduling, payment processing, intake forms.

  • Ideal for: Service-based businesses requiring detailed scheduling options.​

Design and Branding Tools

1. Canva

  • Cost: Free basic plan; Pro version at $12.99/month.

  • Features: Templates for social media, presentations, branding kits.

  • Ideal for: Non-designers needing quick, professional visuals.​

2. Adobe Express

  • Cost: Free basic plan; premium at $9.99/month.

  • Features: AI-powered design tools, templates, branding assets.

  • Ideal for: Users seeking advanced design capabilities with AI assistance.​

3. Looka

  • Cost: Free to design; one-time payment for logo files starting at $20.

  • Features: Logo maker, brand kits, business card designs.

  • Ideal for: Startups needing quick branding solutions.​

Social Media Management

1. Buffer

  • Cost: Free for up to 3 channels; paid plans start at $6/month per channel.

  • Features: Post scheduling, analytics, engagement tools.

  • Ideal for: Businesses managing multiple social media accounts.​

2. Hootsuite

  • Cost: Free trial available; plans start at $19/month.

  • Features: Social media scheduling, monitoring, analytics.

  • Ideal for: Companies needing comprehensive social media management.​

Project Management and Collaboration

1. Trello

  • Cost: Free basic plan; Business Class at $10/month per user.

  • Features: Kanban boards, task assignments, integrations.

  • Ideal for: Visual task management and team collaboration.​

2. Asana

  • Cost: Free for up to 15 users; premium plans start at $10.99/month per user.

  • Features: Project timelines, task dependencies, reporting.

  • Ideal for: Teams requiring structured project workflows.​

Analytics and SEO Tools

1. Google Analytics

  • Cost: Free.

  • Features: Website traffic analysis, user behavior insights, conversion tracking.

  • Note: Can be challenging for beginners, but Google offers free training courses.

2. Ubersuggest

  • Cost: Free limited plan available; Individual plan at $12/month or $120 lifetime.​

  • Features: Keyword research, site audits, backlink analysis, rank tracking, content ideas, and AI writing tools.​

  • Ideal for: Solo entrepreneurs and small businesses seeking an affordable, user-friendly SEO tool.

Karen Lunde

Karen Lunde is a career writer and editor who drifted into marketing, which turned out to be creative storytelling in business-casual clothes. She has led multi-million dollar marketing strategies at Grammarly, Macmillan Publishers, and ID.me. Now, she helps solo service business owners and organizations reach the people who need them through real, unfiltered marketing strategies that go beyond earning clicks to building relationships.

https://chanterellemarketingstudio.com
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