Your service business needs its own marketing strategy

You can borrow ideas from a big brand, but I wouldn't copy its marketing strategy without looking at what your business needs. A company people already recognize can spend money reminding them it exists. An independent service business may still need to explain what it does, who it's a good fit for, and why someone should call.

By Eric Yim, Protocol Text, a marketing services business based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Big brands start with recognition you may still need to earn

Large tech companies market themselves a certain way because they're large tech companies. Subway markets itself a certain way because it's Subway. People already know those brands. Their advertising can leave things unsaid because the audience fills in the blanks.

That's part of why they can run awareness campaigns: marketing meant to keep a business familiar, even when someone isn't ready to buy. An unfamiliar service provider copying that approach might get noticed without helping anyone understand when to hire them.

There are just different strategies for different companies at different stages. Most of the companies we work with are usually under a million dollars in revenue. They're pretty small. Their marketing needs to account for what people know about them and what the owner can realistically support.

Choose the work you want before choosing the campaign

I'd start with the business decision, before picking a platform or designing an ad. What work do you want more of? If you need calls about a specific service, a broad message about your company may leave that service buried.

As a planning exercise, write down the service you want to grow, the customer situation it fits, and what someone needs to understand before contacting you. Then choose the next action you want them to take, such as calling to discuss that service.

Also ask whether you can handle the response. If nobody has time to answer inquiries, or you can't take on the work being promoted, address that before increasing promotion. A campaign should fit the business you're able to run.

Explain what an unfamiliar customer needs to know

When people don't know your company, a logo and a broad promise give them little to work with. Your message should help them recognize their situation and understand how your service relates to it.

Explain what you offer in familiar words. Be specific about the work you're seeking and where you provide it. Where you have permission and relevant evidence, use actual project details or photos to show what the work involves. Don't substitute claims you can't support for information someone could use.

I believe some providers have solutions that are a better fit for particular customers, but those customers simply don't know they exist. A bigger marketing budget can buy attention. It doesn't establish that the most visible company is the best fit for every person.

A worked example: turning a broad goal into a useful message

Here's an illustrative example, not a client result. Suppose an independent painting business wants more cabinet-painting inquiries. It sees a national brand's polished ad and considers running its own logo with a line about quality.

That leaves the audience guessing. Someone might assume the company only paints walls. For this goal, I'd suggest a message that names cabinet painting, explains the service area, and tells people how to ask about their project.

The page behind the promotion could explain what information to provide when contacting the business and show relevant work, if the business has it. The message and destination should agree, so someone doesn't have to search a general homepage for the service they just saw.

The owner could then track cabinet-painting inquiries and whether they concern work the business can take. That gives the owner something more useful to evaluate than attention alone.

Choose a plan you can keep doing

A strategy can make sense on paper and still ask too much of the owner. Before committing, list the recurring work: supplying details, reviewing content, handling inquiries, and checking what happened. Decide who will do it and when.

Small service providers can get stuck between high-touch agencies they can't afford and tools that require them to become marketers themselves. That's the gap we're trying to address at Protocol Text: helping owners tell their story and amplify their message without expecting them to learn every part of marketing.

Whatever help you choose, ask what remains your responsibility. Start with a scope you can maintain, and set a review point. Don't expect results right away, but don't leave the plan running without checking whether it brings the kind of inquiries you wanted.

Frequently asked questions

Can I borrow anything from a big company's ads?

Yes. You can borrow clear wording, an easy-to-read layout, or a simple next step. Separate those choices from the strategy behind them. Before copying an idea, ask what the audience must already know for it to make sense. Add the explanation your audience still needs, and use your own facts and evidence.

When does an awareness campaign make sense for a small service business?

It can make sense when becoming familiar to a defined audience is the goal and you can support promotion without expecting every impression to produce an immediate inquiry. First, make sure people who look you up can understand your services and contact you. If you urgently need a particular kind of work, I would prioritize a message that directly explains that service.

What should I check if a campaign gets attention but few useful calls?

Check whether the message names the service you want to sell and reaches people you can serve. Then check the destination page, contact instructions, and inquiry handling. Record what callers actually ask for. Those details can help you distinguish unclear messaging from a contact problem or an audience mismatch before you decide to spend more.