New Survey: SMBs Using Direct Mail, Facebook, and Multichannel Campaigns to Boost Sales

Taradel’s 2022 Small Business Marketing Survey provides valuable insights into SMB marketing practices, channel efficacy, and campaign management preferences.

Taradel LLC, a 12-time Inc. 5000 martech company, released a new survey that reveals small business advertisers have embraced data-driven, multichannel marketing strategies — with direct mail and Facebook cited as the top (non-referral) channels driving return on investment.

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The survey, conducted in August 2021 through an online SurveyMonkey questionnaire, polled 166 small business owners and advertisers with twenty-two questions related to marketing practices, channel efficacy, and campaign management preferences. Notably, 68% percent of all respondents self-identified as business owners with an additional 26% holding management or senior level roles. When asked how much say they have in purchasing decisions, 88% percent responded “primary decision-maker” or as having “a lot of say.”

After more than a year of pandemic-related headlines, the report indicates that a small business recovery may be underway. Just 13% of respondents list COVID-19 disruption as their biggest challenge, and the majority (56%) of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which are highly-susceptible to economic shockwaves, say “increasing sales” is the primary marketing goal heading into 2022.

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To achieve sales goals, respondents will embrace strategic, multichannel campaigns and martech solutions providing insights into key performance metrics. Over 75% of respondents say they use two or more media channels and 73% say access to performance reporting is “extremely” important.

“We’re seeing the shift to multichannel happen very quickly,” said Jim Fitzgerald, founder and CEO of Taradel. “Small businesses are still running traditional direct mail campaigns, but now they want matching Facebook and Google ads, too. They want to simultaneously reach audiences at home and on mobile devices. This allows them to track every impression, click, and phone call and make informed marketing decisions going forward.”

Other key results:

• 76% use 2 or more channels to reach prospects
• 82% of direct mail advertisers plan to increase or maintain usage
• 95% plan to increase or maintain digital marketing investment
• Facebook and direct mail are the top revenue drivers (excluding referrals)
• 72% of SMBs spend less than $2,500 per month on marketing

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