25 Quick Marketing Tips for Non-Marketers

Even if you’ve never thought about marketing, non-marketers can find some quick, easy wins

A digital marketing strategy doesn’t have to be intimidating for non-marketers, says India Lott, founder of Gray Sole Media, a Chicago-based web development and SEO agency.

“It’s simply a plan of action,” she says.

Lott gave a presentation on marketing for non-marketers at the opening session of 2019’s HOW Design Live. Here are nine tips for how non-marketers can still have a good digital marketing strategy, even if they’ve never thought about marketing before.

Understand the Marketing Basics

1. Know the digital marketing trifecta

To get started, it’s important to understand the “Digital Marketing Trifecta”: paid, owned, and earned media. 

Paid media refers to anything you spend money on—like display ads, social media ads, or sponsored posts. 

Owned media is everything you control, such as your website, blog, and social media channels. 

Earned media is the result of your reputation and includes reviews, shares, and customer testimonials—essentially digital word-of-mouth. 

Focus on encouraging earned media by delivering great service, engaging with your customers, and offering incentives for reviews. Over time, earned media will build trust and amplify your brand message without costing you anything extra.

2. Master the marketing funnel

The marketing funnel is your roadmap to understanding how customers discover and engage with your business. 

It starts with awareness, where people first learn about you. Then comes interest, where they begin exploring your products or services. 

Conversion happens when they make a purchase, but the funnel doesn’t stop there. You also need to focus on retention—keeping your customers happy—and referral, where they tell others about their positive experience. 

Make sure your marketing efforts target each stage of the funnel to keep customers moving toward becoming loyal advocates for your brand.

3. Define your target audience

Knowing who you’re marketing to is essential. Start by analyzing your website data and social media insights to understand who’s engaging with your brand. Look at factors like age, interests, and behaviors. 

Once you’ve defined your target audience, tailor your messaging to speak directly to them. For example, if you’re targeting millennials, create content that resonates with their interests—like interactive social media posts or short, engaging videos. 

Don’t forget to regularly review and update your audience profile to keep up with changes in behavior or preferences.

4. Set SMART goals

When planning your marketing strategy, set SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. 

Instead of vague objectives like “get more customers,” set a clear target like “increase email subscribers by 20% in the next three months.” 

This approach helps you focus on what matters and track your progress. Plus, SMART goals keep your efforts grounded and realistic, ensuring you’re working toward something attainable and relevant to your business’s overall success.

Tactics to Build Your Strategy

5. Leverage marketing automation

If you’re juggling multiple marketing tasks, automation can be a game-changer. 

Various tools available help you automate things like email marketing, social media posts, and lead nurturing. 

For example, you can set up automatic email sequences that follow up with customers based on their actions—like sending a discount offer to someone who abandoned their cart. 

Automation tools also give you real-time data on how your efforts are performing, making it easier to adjust your strategy and focus on what works.

6. Be active where your audience is

It’s important to show up where your audience spends time online. Instead of trying to be everywhere, focus on the channels that make sense for your business. 

For instance, if you’re targeting professionals, prioritize LinkedIn. If you’re reaching a younger audience, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube might be more effective. 

Keep track of how your posts perform on each platform, and if one channel consistently brings in better results, allocate more resources there. 

7. Personalize your marketing efforts

Don’t treat all your customers the same—personalization can go a long way. Use data to tailor your marketing messages based on customer behavior.

For example, if someone frequently visits a specific product page on your site, send them a personalized email with more information or a discount offer for that product. 

You can also personalize by segmenting your email lists, addressing customers by name, or recommending products based on their past purchases. 

Personalization makes your marketing feel more relevant and engaging, which leads to better results.

8. Use relevant hashtags

Hashtags are an easy way to increase your content’s visibility on social media. Instead of creating your own from scratch, stick to hashtags that are already popular and relevant to your industry. 

Use a mix of broad and niche hashtags to help your posts reach the right audience. For example, if you run a fitness brand, using hashtags like #FitnessTips or #HealthyLiving can attract people searching for those topics. 

Hashtags make your content more discoverable, allowing new customers to find you organically.

Enhancing Customer Engagement

9. Email marketing: Send the right messages

Email is one of the most effective ways to stay in touch with your audience, but it’s important to send the right types of emails. 

There are three main categories: 

• Newsletters
• Transactional emails
• Behavioral emails. 

Newsletters keep your audience updated with regular content like new blog posts or company news. 

Transactional emails are triggered by customer actions, like order confirmations or cart abandonment reminders. 

Behavioral emails are automated based on how users interact with your site. 

For example, if someone browses a specific product, you can follow up with a tailored email. Make sure your emails are personalized, concise, and relevant to your audience’s needs.

10. Tailor your segmentation throughout the funnel

As customers move through the funnel, their needs change, so it’s important to adapt your messaging accordingly. 

At the top of the funnel, where customers are just becoming aware of your brand, you should focus on educational content that helps them understand what you offer. 

As they move toward the middle of the funnel, they’re more interested in specifics—like how your product solves their problem—so offer comparisons, reviews, or product demos. 

At the bottom of the funnel, focus on retention by offering loyalty programs or incentives for repeat purchases. 

By adjusting your messaging at each stage, you’ll guide customers toward conversion and long-term loyalty.

11. Build an online community

One of the most effective ways to keep your customers engaged is by building a community around your brand. Encourage your customers and even employees to share their experiences with your products. 

This can be through user-generated content, like customers posting photos of your products on social media, or employees giving behind-the-scenes insights into your business. 

Highlight these stories to create a sense of belonging and foster deeper connections with your audience. 

A community not only engages existing customers but also attracts new ones, as it shows you have a loyal and happy customer base.

12. Encourage customer referrals

Happy customers are one of your best marketing assets. Encourage them to spread the word about your business by offering referral programs that reward them for bringing in new customers. 

You can offer discounts, exclusive deals, or even gift cards for successful referrals. Make it easy for customers to share referral codes or links with their friends, and don’t forget to thank them for their loyalty. 

A good referral program can help you bring in high-quality leads at a low cost.

Creating Content that Resonates

13. Produce short-form videos

Short-form videos are one of the most effective ways to engage your audience, especially on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts. 

These videos are quick and to the point, making them perfect for capturing attention. 

You can use short videos to highlight product features, share customer testimonials, or give a behind-the-scenes look at your business. 

Don’t worry about making it perfect—authentic, relatable content often performs better than polished, corporate-style videos. 

Try creating a few short videos to see how your audience responds, and adjust based on their feedback.

14. Experiment with audio content

Podcasts, live audio discussions, and platforms like Twitter Spaces or Clubhouse are great for connecting with your audience in a more personal way. 

Audio content allows you to dive deeper into topics related to your business and share insights, interviews, or industry trends. 

If you’re not ready to start your own podcast, consider being a guest on others or participating in live audio discussions to build your brand’s presence.

15. Answer your audience’s questions

Your customers are searching for answers—make sure you’re the one providing them. Whether through blog posts, videos, or FAQs, create content that addresses common questions your audience has about your products or industry. 

For example, if you sell skincare products, write a blog post on “How to Choose the Right Moisturizer for Your Skin Type” or create a video answering the most frequently asked questions about your products. 

Being a helpful resource builds trust and positions you as an authority in your niche.

16. Create memorable experiences

Customers don’t just want products—they want experiences. Consider how you can create an unforgettable experience around your brand. 

This could be an in-person event, a virtual workshop, or even something as simple as a memorable unboxing experience. 

For example, if you run an e-commerce store, add a personal touch to your packaging with handwritten notes or unique packaging that stands out. 

These small gestures can make a big impact, encouraging customers to share their experience on social media and remember your brand. Creating memorable experiences helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace and keeps customers coming back for more.

Boosting Visibility

17. Launch influencer campaigns

Working with influencers doesn’t require a huge budget. You can start small by partnering with micro-influencers (those with 10,000–100,000 followers) or nano-influencers (fewer than 10,000 followers). 

These influencers often have highly engaged audiences and can offer more authentic endorsements of your product. 

Find influencers whose followers match your target audience, and work with them to create content that aligns with your brand’s message. 

Track the results—look at engagement, followers, and conversions—to see how their endorsement impacts your business.

18. Maximize SEO and content marketing

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential if you want to drive traffic to your website without paying for ads. 

Focus on creating high-quality content that answers your audience’s questions and targets the keywords they’re searching for. 

Use available tools to find relevant keywords, and include them naturally in your blog posts, product descriptions, and web pages. 

Over time, SEO can help your site rank higher on Google, bringing in organic traffic that converts into customers. Don’t forget to update your content regularly to keep it fresh and relevant.

19. Use paid media to amplify your reach

While organic growth is important, sometimes you need a little boost. Paid media—like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram sponsored posts—can help you reach a larger audience quickly. 

The key is targeting the right people. Use data to refine your audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors, so your ads reach those most likely to be interested in your product. 

Monitor your ad performance closely and adjust as needed to maximize your return on investment (ROI). Paid ads are a great way to complement your organic efforts and accelerate growth.

20. Run multichannel marketing campaigns

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. A successful marketing strategy uses multiple channels to reach customers where they are. 

This means combining digital methods like social media and email with traditional methods like direct mail or in-person events. 

For example, you could use social media to promote an event and follow up with an email reminder. By creating multiple touchpoints, you increase the likelihood of engaging your audience and moving them toward a purchase. 

Make sure your messaging is consistent across all channels to build a cohesive brand experience.

Building Long-Term Success

21. Focus on customer retention

Acquiring new customers is important, but retaining them is just as crucial for long-term success. Focus on strategies that keep your customers coming back, such as loyalty programs, personalized follow-up emails, and exclusive offers. 

Retention strategies not only build customer loyalty but also increase your lifetime customer value (LCV). 

For example, a loyalty program could reward customers with points for each purchase, which they can redeem for discounts or free products. 

Personalization is key to retention—send tailored recommendations based on previous purchases or create special offers for long-time customers. A strong retention strategy can turn one-time buyers into repeat customers who advocate for your brand.

22. Keep your data organized

To make the most of your marketing efforts, it’s essential to keep your customer data organized and accessible. 

Use customer relationship management (CRM) systems to centralize data from all of your marketing channels. These tools allow you to track customer interactions, monitor lead generation, and segment your audience for targeted campaigns. 

Having well-organized data also makes it easier to analyze trends and make data-driven decisions that improve your marketing effectiveness. 

Regularly review your data to ensure it’s up-to-date and relevant, as this will help you refine your strategies over time.

23. Stay up-to-date with trends

Marketing is constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay informed about the latest trends. 

Whether it’s the rise of new social media platforms, changes in SEO algorithms, or the growing popularity of video content, staying ahead of trends can give you a competitive edge. 

As a non-marketer, you should invest time in learning about these trends through industry blogs, webinars, or online courses. 

Understanding the latest developments allows you to adapt your strategy and ensure you’re using the most effective tactics for your audience.

24. Build a strong brand identity

Your brand identity is how your audience perceives your business, and it plays a critical role in building trust and recognition. 

A strong brand identity includes consistent visuals like logos, colors, and fonts, as well as a consistent voice and messaging across all platforms. 

Think about what makes your business unique and how you want people to feel when they interact with your brand. Your website, social media posts, emails, and even the tone you use in customer interactions should all reflect your brand’s personality. 

When you maintain a cohesive identity, it helps customers feel more connected to your brand and increases recognition over time.

25. Gather feedback and continuously improve

Marketing is an ongoing process, and there’s always room for improvement. 

Collect feedback from your customers to understand what’s working and where you can improve. This can be done through surveys, social media polls, or simply reviewing customer reviews and comments. 

Analyze the data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities. Based on this feedback, make adjustments to your marketing strategy to ensure it stays aligned with customer needs and expectations. 

Continuous improvement is key to long-term success, as it helps you stay competitive and responsive in a rapidly changing market.

Conclusion

Want to grow your business but not sure where to start with marketing? At SeedX, we help non-marketers like you achieve growth with simple, data-driven strategies tailored to your needs. From choosing the right tools to focusing your marketing efforts, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Ready to take your business to the next level? Contact Us today!