Small Business Marketing Costs

by | Nov 19, 2024 | Marketing

The Dollars and Sense of Small Business Marketing

What’s the Story with All This Online Marketing Stuff?
Oh, wow. This is going to be a blog post. Put on your accountant hat, because we’re about to talk cash-money, folks. There are tons of reasons why marketing is essential for your small business, so let’s cover the basics up front—and then get to the green.

First, marketing builds your brand identity. Alongside that is brand awareness; they go hand-in-hand. The third piece, once your brand is strong and recognized, is sales growth. When your identity is established, awareness is up, and sales are growing, your small business thrives. Cool beans, right?

But between those three milestones, there are tons of steps. Each brings its own unique challenges (and costs) to your business. So, keep that accountant hat on, because here are a few hard truths about marketing:

  • Everyone wants your money.
  • Everyone will take your money.
  • You need to know how to spend your money wisely.
  • You need to know how to measure how effectively your money is being used.
  • If you’re not wise or effective, you’ll simply be out of money.

With those in mind, let’s move forward. But keep that hat on!

Who Wants My Marketing Money?

In short, who doesn’t? Everyone wants a share of your hard-earned dollars. In another blog post (First Website for Your Small Business or Job Search), I broke down website costs. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. You might want to hold on to that hat, though—this is where it gets wild.

They Are Going to Take Your Whole Wallet
I own a marketing business, and let me tell you, marketing isn’t cheap. Successful online marketing covers several essentials:

  1. Social media accounts
  2. Email marketing
  3. Websites
  4. Pay-per-click advertising
  5. Marketing automation
  6. AI tools
  7. Graphic design
  8. Video editing
  9. Affiliate marketing
  10. Partnerships
  11. Content creation
  12. Stock assets
  13. Software subscriptions

Breaking Down the Costs

Here’s a breakdown of the essential items and typical costs associated with them. These are ballpark figures for a basic marketing setup:

Item Description Cost $USD Grand Total Per Year
Social Media Account Verification Monthly subscription for verification (e.g., on X) Starts at $32/year $32
Social Media Ads Priced per click, typically monthly budget for a small campaign $500 - $3,000/month $6,032
Content Creation Software Software like Canva Pro or Adobe, based on annual subscription Starts at $120/year $6,152
Website Hosting & Domain Basic account and domain cost per year $144/year $6,296
SEO Tools Basic subscription to tools like SEMrush $140/month $7,976
Email Marketing Mailchimp basic package (cost increases with contacts) $20/month $8,216
Google Ads Monthly budget, depending on ad clicks Starts at $500/month $14,216
Marketing Automation Basic automation tools like Salesforce $25/month $14,516
CRM Platform Basic package on Zoho $20/month $14,756
Graphic Design & Video Editing Monthly Adobe Creative Cloud subscription $60/month $15,476
Affiliate Programs Basic tracking setup and monthly cost for software like ShareASale $625 one-time; $35/month $16,521

That puts your business on the hook for around $16,521 per year. And that’s a low estimate! I haven’t even factored in the time to learn these tools, create content, or manage these activities. If you plan to hire an in-house marketing coordinator, you’re looking at an average salary of $63,245 per year (according to BuiltIn 2024). That brings your total annual spend up to $79,766. Need a paper bag?

How to Save Money on Marketing Your Small Business

Now, let’s talk about how I can save you some serious cash. You can Scrooge McDuck this part! I’ve written a blog about DIY marketing (How to Do Your Own Marketing for Free or Low Cost), which can help you get started.

But DIY doesn’t get you around setup fees, software subscriptions, or the time it takes to learn these tools. The learning curve is real.

So, here’s where a third-party marketing agency (like Atomic Dumpling!) comes in. An agency offers tiered marketing services, and our basic package starts at $500 per month—that’s a massive $10,000 cheaper than doing it all yourself! Plus, we offer à la carte services, so you only pay for what you need.

Let’s Keep It Simple and Cost-Effective

When you hire Atomic Dumpling or another agency, you’re not just saving money—you’re gaining access to a team of specialists, valuable tools, and a streamlined approach without the hassle. With a predictable budget and expert execution, you’re free to focus on growing your business.

 

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot... in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

First Website for Your Small Business or Job Search

by | Nov 15, 2022 | Marketing

desktop with oversized graphic of a web design ux/ui

What to think about for your very first website for small business or as a job seeker.

Never had a website before? Start here.

Let’s first address who this entire article is for. I’m not talking to people who’ve had websites in the past or run a massive corporation. I’m talking to people that are just getting started with a small business, in independent contracting, or even as a job seeker. Here's what you're goign to need for a first website for small business or as a job seeker.

I’m pretty sure if someone like my dad was starting up his own business, he’d be asking for help with everything from logo design to website help. Which got me thinking. People don’t necessarily know what to ask for or where to start if they’re just starting up their own small business or for contracting or looking for a job.

In fact, based on past calls i received, they don’t know how web designers may charge them for help with website development. Having knowledge on where to get started, is important when you’re figuring out how much money you’ll need to have in your cost analysis for the business plan and understanding your initial budget.

The delicate balance of a website’s needs & budget - Website domains & hosting

First off, what’s in your wallet?

Anytime you look for tech to help you with a problem, you’ll have to create a budget. This isn’t a willy-nilly process since there are realistic costs upfront to even having a website to begin with. Best thing to do, is to start with a list of basic costs and create a realistic understanding of how to create your initial budget. This means you’re looking at initial costs of (at a minimum) of $154usd just to have a website plan that works online.

Description Cost Notes
Ip address $10.00 Annual - base minimum
WordPress $8.00 Personal - per month
WordPress business $12.00 Business - per month
Shopify $29.99 Base plan - per month
Wix $16.00 Personal - per month
Squarespace $16.00 Personal - per month

Investigate the costs further, what i didn’t mention is that the ip address can cost up to a few thousand dollars depending on what you’re looking for. The ballpark is around $10 to $20 dollars per year. Finding a domain and purchasing one can be done in a number of places (here are a few of your options).

If you’re a job seeker (or a contractor) you can use a personal plan without a hitch for the basic price of about $154 per year. They’re simple to set up on your own, or with a professional’s help. Most places offer guided instructions to help you, so you can do this without spending extra cash.

For business owners, a basic business plan is a great way to get started. In this case, you’re looking at around a base of $310usd (minimum) per year to have a domain and website hosting. You’ll need the extra options as a business for integrations and themes that you’ll want to have.

Content is LIT!

Content is a mixed bag of items. Typically, when you hear or read the word “content” you should be thinking about, text, graphics, photography, and video. It’s what’s contained in a website and on the web. So, it should go without saying that you’ll either be handing over your content to a having it created for you, giving it to a web designer, or posting it yourself.

Copywriters are required

If you need content written or edited by a professional, there’s going to be a charge for it. Rates for good writing will vary, but there’s a typical range you will see that’s asked for in the industry. And there are a couple of ways a writer will charge you for their work, either per word or by the hour. Both usually work out to about roughly the same price. If you aren’t writing your own content, you’ll need to budget on a copywriter.

Copywriter rates
Min Max
Per word $0.10 $0.50
Per hour $40 $100

Graphic art for description and clear understanding

Art is important as part of the content of your brand, and it isn’t free. This can include your logo, typography, and digital art. The things that make up your brand should be included, even on a bare-bones website. A digital graphic artist can range from $50-$150 per hour based on their skills sets.

Photographers for products, teams, or yourself!

Professional photography makes a significant difference in content & sales. If you’re business or personal website needs either you or products to look good, you’ll probably want to consider a photographer. Photographers my offer a package for their work, but the standard rate is around $100-$125 per hour.

Web designers are your builders

Depending on the type of website you’re in need of, your price range for a web developer will range from $100-$180usd. I’ll point out here, the more complex the work, the more expensive it becomes. A ui/ux designer might charge a little less than a back-end software developer, but overall, you’ll still need to consider that you’ll spend on average $125 per individual per hour.

Ready to get your website up & running?

It’s pen and paper time.

When you call your friendly web designer (you can read this as: me), we’re going to ask you some basic questions. When i get calls it’s always “how much do you charge?” Well, that answer, as you probably guessed by now, varies. There’s a better way to get started to save yourself some time and energy when you make that call.

In fact, here’s a list of questions you’ll need to be able to answer for any web designer:

  1. What is your website for?
  2. Who are you targeting?
  3. Can you show me 3 to 5 websites that you like from your competitors?
  4. Can you provide examples on those websites of things you do not like?
  5. What features do you want to include on your website?
  6. What is the timeline to start and when would you like to launch?
  7. What’s the overall style of your website that you are imagining?

Therefore, you’re first question should not be “how much do you charge?” It should be, “can we discuss the different types of websites you create?” This will get you pointed in the right direction of getting help you need to create a website that works on your budget.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot... in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

How to Write an Effective Job Advertisement

by | Aug 31, 2022 | Marketing, Writing

image of newspaper clip for a job advertisement

Why Are Job Advertisements Not Written Effectively?

Writing a job advertisement seems like it should be a straightforward project. If your business needs extra help, you know what you want them to do, so you write a job advertisement for a job board. This means - your business should know how to write an effective job advertisement. Viola! You’d interviewing in no time! Uh, right? Right?!

It turns out - the answer is no. 

Apply Logic To Your Writing

While those seem like logical steps, clicking through Indeed and LinkedIn is telling me otherwise. We need to talk, folks. Your job adverts kind of stink like two-day-old fish.  So we need to have a serious conversation about how to write an effective job advertisement and why.

A job ad should be hyper-focused on explaining what the role encompasses and be directly written for the individual you are looking to hire. Again, this seems straightforward, but it isn’t. Most of the jobs that I review are written from a boilerplate template (straight from the job board) and give very little information about the company, role, or who you’re looking for.

How to Write an Effective Job Advertisement

The Basics of Good Adverts

What we need is a solid list of information that your business needs to advertise. This is marketing after all, and you want to put your best foot forward. It’s also an exercise in sales. You are selling your company to potential employees to attract their talent. Their talent adds to your business capabilities.

The list first needs basic outlined, think of it as what, why, and where of your business. Then we discuss the who and how.

  1. What does your business do as a whole?
  2. Why does your business need help?
  3. Where will the employee be working?

3 Points for Job Advertisement Writing  

First, you need to explain in a paragraph the business section you’re hiring for. This provides context to potential employees and hopefully will spark their interest to apply. It also provides a bit more background about the job role that we’ll be getting to. Nothing in this section should be found on your website, the point is to outline the department and the function of that space.

Second, why does your business need the help? Providing a little bit of information helps a potential candidate weigh the role further while rounding out the context for the hire. This is the part where you’re discussing the longevity of the role. Will you be hiring a permanent employee, a contract, or a temporary? It’s also good to discuss if you’re open to independent contractors.

Third, you’ll need to discuss where a person will be working. Is the role a remote position or in an office?

While almost every job posting lists What, why, and with a single-word bullet point, you can strive to write better descriptions. Remember, this is an advertisement, the entire point is to market your business and advertise it! Providing a little more detail, in the beginning, is going to save you time down the road.

Yes, You Need To List The Compensation - Not Some Weird Pay Range

This brings me to the next part. This is where you lead with how you plan to compensate someone for the role. Compensation is imperative to a job advertisement. I’m not sure why people don’t put details on the ads. And don’t give me “because anyone will apply”. People will apply for jobs if they think they have a shot at getting them. You’re missing the mark if you are not spelling out compensation, including the base payment of salary information. I can tell you that I skipped these job listings routinely because I knew companies that did not list their salaries were out to lowball people.  

Everyone expects the basic compensation package to include medical, dental, and vision. If you’re looking to hire, you need to step up your game and provide a base salary, how much PTO/Sick Time, and the extras you plan to give people. Lay it all out on the line and explain it.  

Totally as a side note, I’ll just tell you to know, that if you give a salary range, everyone will ask for the top of the range. Here’s another freebie for you too, if the compensation you provided is too low, you’d better reevaluate the role.  

The Meat and Potatoes of Job Advertisements

Crack your knuckles cause we’re about to dig into the good stuff. Next, we need to discuss the how what, and who of the job advertising. 

This is the heavily detailed section of information that explains what the job is and who you want doing it.

I guess I need to talk about something that is continuously overlooked in job advertisements. When you write a blanket explanation that anyone can do, then expect anyone to apply. This means you are not advertising to your target audience. Which is a giant waste of time and money.

What The Point Of The Ad?

Breaking this down to basics:

  1. What responsibilities and authorities does the role encompass?
  2. How will a person be completing the role?  
  3. What tools does a person need to know to complete the job functions?
  4. How competent must they be to correctly do the job?
  5. Who is the ideal candidate that you are writing to?

I’d like to point out that while number five on the list is last, this is the theme for the entire job advertisement. “Who is your ideal candidate?” is the reason you’re advertising and that is your target audience. 

Throughout this blog post, I’ve asked you to consider this advertising and sales. This means that the writing you are doing is both technical in nature and persuasive.  

Who you are writing to needs to be considered. Moving forward, you need to provide a detailed outline of their responsibilities and the authority they’ll have in carrying out the role. This means that there’s an expectation for an experience level as a guide with additional competencies that also need to be examined.  

Lastly, how a person is expected to complete the work must be explained. What tools does your company possess? This means providing details for software, hardware, equipment, etc. 

Bringing this information to the forefront narrows the pool of individuals who will feel competent to apply.

To Advertise Or To Hope, That Is The Question

Ideally, you are looking for a single person in a sea of candidates. How do you want to spend your time? 

Do you want to write a detailed job advertisement and candidate description? Or do you prefer interviewing the applicants to a generic job ad that might get you the right fit? Which is more valuable to you? Should you spend time fleshing out the ideal candidate on paper? Or bringing in multiple candidates for interviews? I know which I’d pick.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot... in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

Quiet Quitting in the Workplace

by | Aug 26, 2022 | Writing

desk with notepad saying "I quit"

Um, What's Quiet Quitting?

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've now heard about quiet quitting. Quiet quitting in the workplace has come about because people (READ: who aren't Gen X) have figured out that killing themselves by overworking themselves isn't cool. This sweet term started on TikTok (because, of course, it did) as people realized that they just don't get paid enough to make work their life. Then they decided to post about it on social media.  

I think all of us (hi again from Gen X) are already tired, and the younger generations are just catching on. However, we're handling it differently. So, as I sit here and drink my coffee at 3 am, let me show you how.

LinkedIn is in total meltdown and having full-sized tantrums, and so is the Wall Street Journal. I bet if we wander over to Fortune Magazine, yes, there it is. 

So, what's the big deal with this new term?

It's not a new concept (I'm coming in hot from Generation X since we have a bit of a reputation for being the forgotten slacker generation). Most of us figured out that life requires balance and that dying for a job isn't exactly fun. Generation Z is starting to figure it out while being super vocal about it. Looking at the pandemic, they've figured out that life’s a bit short to live to work. All major media has picked up on this and let the cat out of the bag. You can find articles from news sources here: The Guardian, NPR, Market Watch, and Fast Company, you get the point.  

Reading these news sources is like listening to my chief back in the Navy. It's both eyeball roll-inducing and exasperated sigh levels of bad business.

QUOTE FROM WSJ 

“It’s not about the quiet quitters. It’s about everybody else and the unfairness that occurs there,” said Amy Mosher, chief people officer at human resources software company isolved. If quiet quitting leads to performance issues, she said, those workers should be let go to find jobs that truly engage them.

QUOTE FROM FAST COMPANY

One thing not to do is jump on the bandwagon of a four-day workweek, which some organizations seem to be hoping will serve as a one-size-fits-all Band-Aid to address every concern they have regarding employee engagement and morale. I love the intention and I understand the surface-level appeal of this idea, but I disagree with its utility. 

QUOTE FROM TIME MAGAZINE

Taylor, who, as a CEO himself leads a team of over 500 associates, advocates for his employees taking time off when they’re feeling overworked, but he doesn’t see how embracing quiet quitting will be helpful to employees in the long term. “I understand the concept, but the words are off-putting,” he says. “Anyone who tells their business leader they are a quiet quitter is likely not to have a job for very long.” 

How do I protect my small business from quiet quitting?

Here's some perspective about quiet quitting, People don't see a point to the hustle. Each of these articles that are pro-business is forgetting that people drive a business and a business relies on its people. They are your greatest asset. Let's look at what to do as a small business owner. Here’s the super short list:

  1. Anything in those articles places blame on your worker unless you want them to leave altogether. 
  2. Listen to your employees.
  3. Compensate them correctly.
  4. Stop creating toxic work environments and expecting people to love them.

Ok, that’s it. You’re welcome. Now get back to work.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot... in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!

Do I need a website for my small business?

by | Aug 16, 2022 | Design tips, Marketing

woman holding ipad with images of various website media flowing from ipad onto the table and all around her

Ermahgawd, I Need a Website?

There seems to be a disconnect about whether you need a website as a micro entity small business.  The short answer is YES, dammit, you need a website!  The long answer is the reason why you need a website.

Alright, I used a magic word combo there, huh?  What’s a micro entity small business?  I’m so glad you asked (even though I know you didn’t.). A micro entity small business is defined as a small business with fewer than 500 people.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about you brand new website.

Ok, I need a website, what for?

A website is like your own personal intergalactic space station.  It is the hub that all information will rotate around, it’s the platform that launches your brand, and it a place to land to give people a connection point to you.  Even if your work is simply through social media, you want to give people more…  MORE!

You can do that with a website.  Brand ambassadors can expand their earnings 2x times simply by adding a website.  Besides, let’s say you’re a streamer on Twitch, you’ll want to give people as much information as possible including emails, specialty codes for merch, a merch platform, and so much more.

I’m Freelance, Do I Need a Website?

Yes.

Remember when I said that a website is a hub?  A website is a portal to your work and to you.  While you can be on LinkedIn, Fiverr, Upwork, etc. you still need to create a brand.  A website allows you to tie your social media, portfolio, resume, and more together.

What Kind of Website Do I Need?

This is the part that must fit what you’re doing.  If you’re business focus is on products, you’ll want to look at ecommerce platforms.  If you’re focus is services, you can use several platforms to get started like WordPress.  What you choose is entirely up to your purpose.  You will need to think about content, media, and other information as well.  But your first step is finding a platform for your brand before getting everything together.

Anna Pilette

Anna Pilette

Owner @ Atomic Dumpling LLC.

Once upon a time—okay, maybe not a million years ago, but it feels like it—I served in the Navy. After my sea adventures, I found myself working for a variety of companies, only to realize that their business practices often felt like they were running on autopilot... in the wrong direction. Fast forward to today, and I’m channeling that experience into helping small businesses and freelancers navigate their own brand journeys, minus the common pitfalls. Need a guide for your branding adventure?

Visit Atomic Dumpling at this link.

Or drop me a line anna@atomicdumpling.com!