Software Stack Editor

Our view at Stack - Capsule CRM simplifies customer relationship management, streamlines sales processes, and saves time. Features include contact management, customisable sales pipelines, email integration, analytics, and workflow automation. It doesn't provide full email marketing functionality but it does allow you to connect to other tools.

Setting goals is one of the first things we do when starting a business – ‘Where do I see my business in one year?’ It doesn’t have to be a complicated answer, but for many small business owners, knowing what kind of goal to set is a challenge in itself.

We collected some of the biggest pains of being a small business owner while setting quarterly and annual goals and, with a little help, broke them down on our podcast, Small Business Diaries.

Hosts, Steven Ledgerwood and Jon Davis welcomed back Heather Elkington of Fresh Leadership World to discuss goal setting and how it supports you to become a better leader, as well as helping your company grow. Here’s what we learned.

Managing overwhelm and mental clarity

Unfortunately, overwhelm is part of setting up and managing a small business. With 101 things to do every day, it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed. Luckily, it’s manageable.

For Jon, the feeling creeps in when faced with daunting goals and no clear plan. His advice? Instead of just setting a yearly revenue target, break it down into smaller, actionable steps. Jon also recommends turning to ChatGPT to offload some of the mental burden.

“Instead of trawling through heaps of qualitative data, I made a GPT and ran a sentiment analysis of what our customers think of our product. It saved me time and helped us understand where to focus our goals.”

Heather likewise opened up about being overwhelmed, divulging that work is on her mind all day, every day. As well as identifying better ways to use her time and focus, she finds relief in journaling, therapy, and self-reflection, recognizing that mental clarity is just as important as a business strategy.

The three agree that setting smart and relevant goals tackles the feeling of overwhelm.

Key takeaway: When feeling overwhelmed, turn to AI models to pick up the hard work. Mental clarity is important for your business too: find a work-life balance that promotes personal well-being and helps you deal with overwhelm.

Ditch vanity metrics and goals: focus on what really matters

Heather strongly warns against vanity metrics – those numbers that look good but don’t contribute to meaningful business growth. Vanity metrics could be:

• Social media likes and followers: While engagement on social platforms can be beneficial, simply chasing likes or follower counts doesn’t guarantee actual conversions or business impact
• Team size: The number of people in your business doesn’t really equate to your business’s success. Hiring more people just to sound impressive can hurt profitability if it’s not actually necessary for growth
• Website traffic: High visitor numbers may seem exciting, but without lead generation or conversions, they don’t necessarily add value to the business.

While they’re nice to have, they may not demonstrate the improvements or success you’re looking for. Instead consider performance indicators like:

• Customer retention and churn rate
• Team member productivity
• Revenue growth and expansion metrics.

Steve echoes Heather’s sentiment, having grappled with vanity metrics in the past. Instead, he’s found that team alignment is crucial in avoiding vanity metrics and that focusing on three or four key areas each year helps everyone at Capsule work towards meaningful, high-impact goals.

“Everyone in the business knows what our four key focus areas are, and everything we do aligns with them. There’s no more dilution, no more chasing things that don’t matter.”

Simply put, if a metric isn’t directly helping to grow the business, improve customer experience, or drive retention, it’s probably just noise.

Key takeaway: Look for meaningful metrics: even if your targeted growth or reduction seems comparatively small, a meaningful change is what ultimately matters.

Replace your landmark targets with incremental changes to your processes

Similarly, instead of setting goals around lofty aspirations like tripling revenue or doubling customer count, set goals to improve your processes. Citing Atomic Habits author, James Clear, Heather emphasizes,

“You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.”

While goals provide direction, it’s the consistent, reliable systems and habits you implement that pave the way for your greater achievements. This means tracking key indicators like:

• Number of leads generated
• Conversion rates
• Customer engagement metrics.

By putting measurable systems in place, you can track individual and group performance, find motivation, and quickly discover where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

Key takeaway: Prioritize building strong systems that support long-term success.

When goals aren’t being met, adjust the strategy not the goal

If you’re happy your sights are set on meaningful goals but you’re not meeting them, it might be that your approach isn’t quite right.

Heather made a crucial distinction: when a business isn’t hitting its goals, the solution isn’t to lower the target, it’s to refine the approach.

If revenue targets aren’t being reached, rather than reducing expectations, businesses should:

• Reassess their marketing and sales strategies
• Identify bottlenecks in the customer journey
• Experiment with new lead-generation tactics.

This mindset shift keeps teams focused on solutions rather than excuses, ensuring consistent progress — even in the face of — challenges.

Key takeaway: Don’t move the goalposts, adapt your strategy instead.

Involve your team in the goal-setting process

As the business owner, director, or even a team lead, are you responsible for making the big decisions and electing objectives? According to Heather, the answer is no. At least, you’re not entirely responsible. Heather points out that you can’t be an expert in everything. And if you’re hiring someone for a role, you’re trusting them to have – or to acquire – the relevant expertise.

“I tell my team, ‘I’m new to this too, I can’t give you the answers.’ I have implicit trust in my team and their expertise, so I trust they can work these things out.”

What’s more, you’re helping your team gain the confidence and skills to research and analyze data to set themselves goals. Heather shared how she gives her team ownership over setting goals rather than dictating them from the top down. Each year, they reflect on key questions such as:

• What did we excel at that we should do more of?
• What didn’t work, and what should we stop doing?
• What’s the big goal we want to achieve in the next 12 months?

By involving your team in the process, they feel a greater sense of ownership, motivation, and accountability in meeting their objectives. This ensures that goals aren’t just leadership-driven but truly aligned with what the team can achieve.

Key takeaway: Encourage team-driven goal setting to enhance ownership and accountability ultimately inspiring motivation in the team.

The power of saying no

Many small business owners establish their own company out of ambition, and sometimes that ambition makes it difficult to be honest with what you’re capable of.

Heather regularly speaks with team leads and business owners who struggle with a specific skill: the ability to say no. Leaders often try to take on too many initiatives at once, spreading themselves too thin and diluting their impact.

To combat this, Heather recommends doubling down on your strengths instead of dwelling on your weaknesses. She shares that her team began investing more and more time into finding a suitable PR agency to help with a book launch, as her team became increasingly overwhelmed. Collectively, they took a step back and realized it wasn’t a valuable use of their time and resources, and certainly wasn’t worth the mental load

For example, when preparing for a book launch, her team initially considered hiring a PR agency but ultimately decided against it because PR wasn’t their area of expertise. Instead, they focused on digital marketing, where they already had strong skills and could maximize their impact.

Key takeaway: Not every opportunity is worth pursuing. Smart goal-setting requires strategic focus, not just ambition.

Break down major goals into feasible steps

A big goal is only as good as the small steps that lead to it. Setting ambitious objectives is important, but breaking them down into tangible, measurable actions is what ensures execution.

To make goals more manageable:

• Define clear milestones along the way
• Set short-term objectives that build toward long-term success
• Regularly evaluate progress and make adjustments as needed

By breaking goals into smaller steps, your team can maintain momentum, stay motivated, and ensure continuous progress without feeling overwhelmed.

Final Thoughts: The Art of Goal-Setting in Leadership

Effective goal-setting isn’t just about ambition—it’s about execution and sustainability. Our key takeaways:

• Break goals into smaller, actionable steps.
• Ditch vanity metrics and focus on meaningful indicators.
• Strengthen systems to support your objectives.
• Adjust strategy instead of lowering the target.
• Encourage team ownership of goals.

By implementing these practices, small business owners and leaders can turn big ideas into tangible, achievable success.

You can catch the full episode on Youtube or search for Small Business Diaries wherever you stream podcasts. Heather also shares free on-demand masterclasses and guides at Fresh Leadership World.

Have your spreadsheets become overwhelming? Or losing track of opportunities and letting them go cold? Try Capsule CRM for free to win more deals, be more productive, and delight your customers.

If Capsule CRM is of interest and you'd like more information, please do make contact or take a look in more detail here.

Credit: Original article published here.

Our view at Stack - Capsule CRM simplifies customer relationship management, streamlines sales processes, and saves time. Features include contact management, customisable sales pipelines, email integration, analytics, and workflow automation. It doesn't provide full email marketing functionality but it does allow you to connect to other tools.

Many small business owners assume a social media strategy requires months to develop, a big budget to execute, and expert skills to manage. They put it off, thinking they need perfect branding or a dedicated marketing team to get it right.

But here’s the truth: a simple, well-structured plan is enough to get results.

With just an hour of focused effort, you can create a social media strategy that fits your business and supports your goals. This guide will walk you through how to choose the right platforms and map out content that keeps you visible without draining your time.

Ignoring social media isn’t an option anymore. Small businesses that use it strategically see stronger brand recognition, higher engagement, and increased sales – all without massive ad budgets. Here’s why:

1. Your customers are already there

Social media is where people spend their time. Over 5.24 billion people actively use social platforms worldwide, and 77% of small businesses say social media helps them attract new customers. If your business isn’t showing up, your competitors will.

2. It’s a discovery engine for small businesses

Social media drives buying decisions. 57% of consumers discover new brands through social media, and 78% of Gen Z say they’ve bought a product after seeing it on a platform like TikTok or Instagram. Even if you don’t sell directly online, showing up consistently keeps your business top of mind.

3. It’s free (or close to it) compared to traditional marketing

Unlike paid ads, trade shows, or print media, social media lets you reach potential customers with little to no upfront cost. Organic social media marketing can help grow small businesses without increasing expenses. Even when businesses invest in ads, platforms like Facebook and Instagram can generate an even 10:1 return on investment when done right.

4. Conversations turn into conversions

Social media is one of the few marketing channels where you can interact directly with customers. 71% of consumers who have a positive experience with a business on social media are likely to recommend it to others. Answering questions, sharing stories, and engaging with comments build real relationships – and real relationships drive sales.

Your audience is already scrolling – make sure they’re scrolling past your content. A simple, consistent presence can make all the difference.

Step 1: Define your goals and audience (15 mins)

Before you start posting, get clear on what you want to achieve and who you’re trying to reach. Without this, you’ll end up posting random content—wasting time without real results.

Good news? You don’t need a deep dive into data or a complicated spreadsheet. A few clear goals and a basic understanding of your audience are enough to set you up for success.

Set goals that actually drive results

What’s your goal for using social media? More followers? Leads? Website traffic? Brand awareness? Be specific—vague goals lead to vague results.

Make it SMART:

• Specific – What do you want to achieve?
• Measurable – How will you track success?
• Achievable – Is this realistic?
• Relevant – Does it align with your business?
• Time-bound – When will you reach this goal?

Example:

Instead of ‘Get more followers,’

Set:

‘Grow our Instagram audience by 200 in three months by posting 3x a week and engaging with five accounts daily.’

Take action: Write down one SMART goal. Keep it simple but concrete.

Find your audience without overthinking It

Your audience is already online – you just need to show up where they are. To figure that out, answer these three quick questions:

Who are my current customers? Are they small business owners, parents, students? Look at your existing buyers for clues.

What problems do they want to solve? Are they looking for quick service, business advice, or creative inspiration? Your bakery’s customers might be after the latest viral treat – like butter boards with fresh sourdough – or a picture-perfect cake for a special event.

Where do they spend time online?

• Check your website analytics → Tools like Google Analytics show you which social platforms send traffic your way. For example, if Instagram is a top referrer, that’s a strong signal your audience is active there.
• Look at competitors → See where similar businesses get the most engagement. If your competitors are getting strong interaction on LinkedIn but crickets on Twitter, you know where to focus.
• Ask your customers → Run a quick poll via email or your existing social media. A simple ‘Which platform do you check daily?’ can give you a clear direction.

You don’t need a detailed persona – just a rough idea of who they are, what they need, and where they scroll.

Step 2: Pick your platforms (10 minutes)

You don’t need to be on every social media platform – just the right one(s) for your business. Spending time where your customers already are will give you better results with less effort.

Use this quick guide to decide where to focus:

How to choose the right platforms?

• Go where your customers are. Selling to businesses? Start with LinkedIn. Targeting local buyers? Facebook is a good bet.
• Match it to your content style. If you prefer writing, LinkedIn might be a good fit. If you love short videos, try TikTok.
• Start small. Focus on one or two platforms first. You can expand later when you have more time and resources.

Private vs. business profiles: Don’t make this mistake

Never use your personal profile for business. Instead, set up a Business Profile (it’s free and comes with extra tools).

Why?

You can run ads. Private profiles can’t promote posts or run paid campaigns – only business profiles can. Even if you don’t plan to use ads now, having the option in the future may come in handy.

You get analytics. Business accounts provide insights into reach, engagement, and audience demographics – private profiles only show basic metrics like likes or comments.

It looks professional. Customers expect to message a business page, not send a friend request to your personal account. Keeping business and personal life separate builds credibility.

How do you set up a business profile?

Step 3: Create a simple posting plan (20 minutes)

Social media shouldn’t take up a huge chunk of your time But without a plan, it quickly turns into one.

A simple content strategy helps you stay consistent, engage your audience, and avoid last-minute scrambling.

Keep things simple and focus on what to post, how often, and when to schedule it – all in 20 minutes.

What should you post?

Different types of content grab attention in different ways. You don’t need to post everything at once – start with what feels natural for you and your business. These formats work well for small businesses, and each offers a specific benefit:

Photos

Behind-the-scenes shots, product sneak peeks, or happy customer moments. Photos help show the real side of your business. A quick snap of a busy day, a freshly packed order, or even a messy workspace tells a story customers relate to.

Why it works: It builds trust. People like to buy from businesses that feel human.

Videos

Quick tutorials, product demos, or day-in-the-life clips.

Videos stop the scroll. Whether you’re explaining how your product works or just showing your morning prep routine, videos bring motion and energy to your feed.

No need to create long videos! Use Reels – short, vertical videos that catch attention fast. Think product-in-action shots, reactions to trends, or fun team moments.

Why it works: People retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video vs. 10% when reading it. (source)

Example: Pink Elephant Bakery’s short-form baking clips turn everyday work into eye candy.

Source.

Text posts

Share short tips, thoughts, or updates. Not everything needs a photo. Thoughtful or funny text posts work well, especially on platforms like LinkedIn or X, where your voice carries the message.

Why it works: It positions you as approachable, relatable, and real.

Carousels

Step-by-step guides, visual lists, or event recaps. A carousel lets you explain something across 2–10 slides without cramming everything into one post.

Why it works: It’s digestible and encourages swipes – which means more time spent on your post.

Source.

User-generated content (UGC)

Reposts of tagged customer photos, glowing reviews, or testimonials. When a happy customer shares your product, it’s social proof in its most authentic form.

Source.

Why it works: People trust real users more than ads – UGC builds credibility and boosts trust.

Good practices

Mix up your formats

Not every audience reacts the same way to every format. Post a mix of photos, videos, carousels, and text-based posts to see what drives the most engagement. Your insights tab will tell you what’s landing.

Keep it simple, stay flexible

A plan is great. But don’t ignore the fun stuff that happens in real time! Post a behind-the-scenes moment. Celebrate a customer win. Share a funny fail. Social media is a conversation, not a broadcast. Authenticity connects and reactive content helps you stay relevant.

Check on your competitors

Look at what other businesses in your niche are posting – and how well it’s performing.

Use Meta Ad Library to see which Facebook and Instagram ads your competitors are running. For example, if you run a local optician in the UK, you can look up Specsavers and get inspired by their creative adverts:

source

Repurpose your best-performing content

Don’t reinvent the wheel every time. Take what worked — a tip, a demo, a story — and turn it into a new format. A strong Reel can become a swipe-through guide, or a popular post can resurface months later if it’s still timely.

How often should you post?

Consistency matters more than frequency. You don’t need to post every day — just often enough to stay visible and build trust.

Here’s a simple rule of thumb: Post as often as you can realistically keep up with for at least 4–6 weeks. That could mean two posts a week — or one a day if you’ve got the time and ideas.

Try this starting point:

• Facebook: 2–3 times per week (photos, updates, reels)
• Instagram: 3–4 times per week (mix of posts, reels, and stories)
• LinkedIn: 1–2 times per week (tips, behind-the-scenes, thought leadership)
• TikTok: 2–4 short videos per week (fun, behind-the-scenes, casual)
• X (Twitter): 3–5 times per week (quick thoughts, product updates, retweets)

Start small and scale later. Two great posts a week are better than five rushed ones. You can always add more as you get comfortable. Also, revisit your plan monthly to look at what’s working. Double down on formats and topics that resonate — and drop what’s not landing.

Running a small business is already a full-time job — let scheduling tools lighten the load. With Transpond, you can plan your social media posts in advance and stay focused on what matters most, knowing your strategy is working behind the scenes.

When to schedule your posts

Knowing what to post is one thing. Knowing when to post? That’s how you get eyes on it.

Each platform has its own rhythm — and your job isn’t to post constantly, but to post when your audience is already scrolling. Here’s a quick guide to help you time your posts right.

Facebook

Post in the morning during the workweek — especially Monday at 10 a.m., Tuesday at 9 a.m., and Friday at 10 a.m. That’s when most people are easing into their day and checking in. Evenings (7–10 p.m.) can also work well — think post-dinner scrolls.

Instagram

Early birds catch the likes. Weekdays between 7–8 a.m. tend to drive the most engagement. People are checking their feed first thing in the morning. Fridays and Mondays are best, while weekends (especially Saturday) are usually quieter.

LinkedIn

This is a 9-to-5 platform. Post between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays to reach people when they’re in ‘work mode.’ Skip the weekends — users typically log off.

X (Twitter)

Best engagement happens during weekday mornings, especially Tuesday and Wednesday between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. It’s a fast-moving platform, so timing matters more than usual here.

TikTok

TikTok’s audience is active at odd hours — afternoons work well, like 2 p.m. on Mondays or 4 p.m. on Wednesdays. Surprisingly, Sunday mornings (8 a.m.) can also bring high engagement.

YouTube

Most viewers show up later in the day. Try 3–4 p.m. on Fridays, when people start winding down for the weekend and have time to watch longer videos.

Remember: these are general benchmarks. Your audience might behave a bit differently — so test and tweak your schedule over time.

Step 4: Engage with your audience (10 minutes)

Posting content is just step one. To make it count, you need to be active in the comments too.

Every like, comment, or message is an opening — not just for chit-chat, but to help build trust, loyalty, and future sales. It doesn’t have to take hours. Just 10 minutes a day can make a real difference.

Why it matters?

• People want to be seen. When someone interacts with your post and hears back from you, it builds a human connection.
• Algorithms love engagement. The more back-and-forth a post gets, the more platforms show it to others.
• Feedback becomes insight. Comments reveal what people care about, what’s working, and what’s confusing.
• Engaged followers stick around. When you talk to them, they remember you. Social media platforms reward interaction. In fact, fully engaged customers spend 23% more during their lifetime than disengaged ones.

What to do in your 10 minutes?

1. Reply to comments

Even if it’s a simple ‘Thanks!’ it shows you’re listening. Go a step further with follow-up questions:

‘Glad you loved the new cookies! Which one should we bring back next week?’

2. Respond to DMs

If someone asks a question, answer it. If they compliment you, acknowledge it. You don’t need long replies — just timely, human ones.

3. React and comment on others’ posts

Support other small businesses, regular customers, or creators in your space. This helps you show up in other feeds and keeps your presence authentic, not overly self-promotional.

4. Keep it real, not robotic

Don’t slip into corporate-speak. You’re not writing a press release — just talking to people.Instead of:

‘Thank you for your message. We appreciate your interest.’

Try:

‘Hey! Really appreciate you reaching out — we’d love to help.’

Small brands doing it right

Sugar and Sloth, a UK stationery brand, is a great example — the founder replies to hundreds of comments with humor, emojis, and warmth:

Burt’s Bees replies as if they’re your next-door neighbor, not a big corporation. That’s the tone people connect with.

Source.

Take action

1. Block 10 minutes a day for engagement — treat it like brushing your teeth.
2. Reply to the last three comments or messages.
3. Leave one thoughtful comment on another small business’s post.

Wrap-up: One hour, real progress

You don’t need a full-time social media manager to build a strategy that works. In just one hour, you’ve done what many small businesses delay for months — laid the groundwork for a consistent and manageable social media presence:

You picked the right platforms

You defined clear goals and audience

You built a posting plan that fits your time

You learned how to engage without getting overwhelmed

Small steps, done with intention, go a long way. You now have a system that helps you stay visible, build relationships, and grow your business — without burning out.

Next step? Set a reminder 30 days from now to review what’s working, adjust what’s not, and keep showing up. And if you need help planning what comes next, check out our small business checklist for your next move.

You started with one hour. Imagine where you’ll be in one month. Good luck!

If Capsule CRM is of interest and you'd like more information, please do make contact or take a look in more detail here.

Credit: Original article published here.

Our view at Stack - Capsule CRM simplifies customer relationship management, streamlines sales processes, and saves time. Features include contact management, customisable sales pipelines, email integration, analytics, and workflow automation. It doesn't provide full email marketing functionality but it does allow you to connect to other tools.

Welcome to your Capsule CRM account; managing your customer relationships, sales opportunities, projects and tasks is about to get much easier.

Getting started with any platform can be daunting, but we want to help you make the most of your trial.

This quick reference guide will help you get going with a bang and make the most of your free trial.

Our guide is split into two weeks of tasks but you can also complete the full guide in just one week if you find yourself progressing quickly.

Week one: getting started with Capsule

1) Account setup and data import

Now you’re signed up, you should see the Capsule home page. Let’s get going.

Invite your team

Do you have team members like sales reps or customer success managers who would also benefit from the CRM? Invite them to join.

Add your contact information

Whether you’re adding all your contacts or just a chunk to test out, it’s easy to import your contact details. In the toolbar at the top of the page, click Add + and select Import. This way, you can add multiple contacts and organizations at once. You can also import sales opportunities.

• If you’ve been using another CRM, we recommend following the route to import ‘from another CRM’: it’s a secure method that facilitates data transfer from dozens of popular platforms. Find out more about migrating data here.
• If you’re taking the plunge and moving away from spreadsheets, you’ll need to import your data ‘from a file’. Before you upload your document, ensure your data is accurate and structured well. Looking for an example? Click here to download our sample file.
• Finally, you can also start by importing your client data from accounting apps like Xero. Learn more about importing from Xero here.

With clean, accurate data from the get-go, you can ensure your sales outreach is efficient and your CRM is error-free. Learn about the importance of data hygiene here.

Once everything’s uploaded, you can find it in list view in the People & Organizations tab.

2) Organize your contacts with custom identifiers

Whether you’re just getting started with a small list of prospective clients or you just imported a whole bank of customers, start on the right foot in Capsule with organized data.

Capsule has all the standard data fields to store contact and personal information. But you can also create Custom Fields to record information relevant to your processes.

Similarly, add Tags for quickly identifiable information like their subscription plan (e.g. ‘Free’, ‘VIP’) or their relation to you (e.g. ‘Customer’, ‘Contractor’).

Organizing your data might seem laborious, but it saves time later, allowing for targeted outreach and simpler campaign implementation.

Unsure how Tags and Custom Fields differ? Our product experts created a best practice guide for using custom identifiers.

3) Integrate with your essential tools

The next step is connecting Capsule CRM with your daily tools and systems. Capsule has a vast and evergrowing integration marketplace including tools for:

So, if your business relies heavily on the Google Workspace or Microsoft Office suites, you can set up integrations that enable instant data transfer. That might sound a little unnerving, but automated transfers helps with:

• Generating new leads in your CRM
• Storing outgoing and incoming emails against contact records in Capsule
• Placing and recording client phone calls
• Receiving updates via Slack or Teams when your sales opportunity progresses
• Creating segmented marketing campaigns
• Connecting with platforms like Zapier and Magical to automate thousands of tasks.

There are countless more automations you can come up with – just ask yourself ‘what would make my job easier?’ Do the research and go from there.

If you’re not too sure where to start, we recommend:

1. Connecting your Google or Microsoft Outlook calendars. You can view meetings from your Outlook calendar in Capsule.
2. Integrating with your invoicing and accounting provider.
3. Whether you’re an experienced marketer or aren’t sure where to begin, setting up a Transpond account helps you take care of your communications with a seamless connection.

For now, we recommend sticking to the basics: you can always come back later to set up integrations that optimize prospecting,, and time-tracking.

4) Explore task management

Capsule CRMs Tasks feature is perfect for getting your to-do list in one place, on something you’ll use every day.

You can store any kind of admin or client-facing task in Capsule CRM with a date. When you need to do it, Capsule CRM will let you know.

Users can even set tasks for other team members which is great for handovers and redistributing workloads.

You can view your tasks from the home page in Capsule, or head to the calendar page to see upcoming tasks – here you can filter by the job category and assignee.

We’ve come to the end of our week one guidance. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop here. If you’re happy to get on with it, let’s continue.

​Week two: putting Capsule to work

Now you’ve got everything in place, it’s time you put Capsule to good use.

5) Personalize your Sales Pipelines

Capsule comes with a preset Sales Pipeline: here you can get a top-line view of your new and open sales opportunities. Whether you view your pipeline in Kanban or list view, you can also filter opportunities by their assignee or by tags like ‘LATAM’ for a focused approach.

Follow our guide to setting up your first Sales Pipeline in Capsule CRM.

Customize your Sales Pipelines

As your business grows, you’ll find yourself and your team pursuing revenue in many initiatives. That’s why we created customizable Sales Pipelines: you can add as many milestones as necessary, add the relevant tags and descriptions at each point, and configure the likelihood of conversion at each stage to forecast revenue more accurately.

If you don’t have any unique initiatives in mind, here are a few examples:

• Region-specific pipelines. I.e., EMEA, LATAM
• Fundraising as a non-profit or for your charity
• Cross-selling – Recommending your customers adopt your other products and services
• Up-selling – Identifying clients who would benefit from extra features or personal assistance.

By customizing your sales pipelines and stages to reflect your sales process, you can see how different teams and initiatives are performing. Not to mention, you won’t have to shoehorn your work into a template pipeline.

Monitor Opportunities

You can import opportunities using the same method as your contacts or manually add them from the Sales Pipeline page. At this point, you can add their expected value and determine if they fall into the ‘New’ milestone, or another stage further down the funnel. Since Opportunities are linked to the relevant contact record in Capsule, all your lead interactions and notes are kept together for immediate access.

You can get an instant snapshot of how all your Opportunities are progressing with either the kanban (or ‘pipeline’) view or the list. Or click each Opportunity to access all the history and data associated with the sale.

Head to the dashboard tab on the Sales Pipeline page to view the forecasting and progress of your opportunities by tag, pipeline, and milestone. This provides greater insight into what’s working and what could be improved.

6) Discover Project Boards

While sales pipelines help structure your deals, Project Boards keep client deliverables organized.

Whether you’re monitoring renewals, managing a client onboarding process, or overseeing client work, setting up a Project Board helps you track progress across different stages.

Start by defining the key stages like ‘Planning,’ ‘Execution,’ and ‘Review’ so you can systematically move tasks forward and ensure you don’t miss anything. Or create unique Project Boards with custom stages that mold to your processes.

Each time you create a project within the Project Board, you’ll be asked which contact(s) to attach it to. This link helps keep everything connected in Capsule for easy reference and tracking. You can zoom in from the board to see all the project details, including linked Opportunities, history, and upcoming tasks.

Discover popular Project use cases here.

7) Automate admin and follow-up

Capsule takes care of the repetitive work so you can focus on what matters most—the work you deliver for your customers.

Use simple automations* that queue your upcoming tasks for any given client. Or implement more sophisticated workflows that send welcome emails when a sales opportunity moves to ‘Won’. *Available on the Growth, Advanced, and Ultimate plans.

Here are a few ways you could use automation:

• Sales teams: Automatically assign Opportunities to the right salesperson based on the Milestone. Notify your team when a sales deal is won, and set up a series of follow-up tasks to ensure a smooth onboarding process for new clients.
• Manufacturing: Streamline sending samples to prospective customers. When a design proposal reaches a specific stage, an automation can generate a linked project for the sample team to handle.
• Bookkeeping: Ensure that Projects move seamlessly between Bookkeepers and Account Managers. Automate task assignments and status changes to maintain consistency in project delivery.

Add Tracks

Create customized Tracks for structured and repeatable project work: you can build sequences of your to-dos and attach them to Opportunities and Project Boards.

These tasks will then appear on the assignee’s home page and in the calendar, so you’ll always know what’s coming up and deliver first-class service to all your customers.

Once you’ve ticked off a task, the Track will automatically pull up the next item. Add time buffers between tasks for realistic deadlines and to set a steady flow of communication.

Implement Workflow Automations

Time to explore Capsule’s automation capabilities to reduce your manual input. What might seem daunting at first may unburden you from lots of stress. So what does that look like?

Maybe you’ve reviewed many new leads in Capsule and qualified a group of them. After creating an Opportunity, your custom workflow can assign an owner to each case, distributing the leads throughout your team for you.

In another scenario, you have dozens of open Opportunities in various Sales Pipelines. A workflow can help move that opportunity through the pipeline to eliminate manual admin.

Here’s an example of using Tracks and workflow automations together:

1. Create a specific track for each milestone in a Sales Pipeline. This means each track is tailored to the exact stage in a specific pipeline, ensuring consistency across the team and throughout every Opportunity.
2. Build a workflow automation to trigger when one track is completed, moving the relevant Opportunity forward to the next milestone and prompting the the milestone’s associated track.
3. As a result, you can focus on nurturing your leads – Capsule will keep the Opportunity moving forward in the pipeline.
4. Go one step further and create another workflow that creates a post-sale project for onboarding, triggered when your Opportunity closes successfully.

Learn more about using automation workflows here.

8) Use integrations for enhanced functionality

Feeling settled in? Now you’ve got your key processes set up, it might be time to explore additional integrations to make Capsule the well-oiled machine to do the work for you.

Here are some further steps you can take to solidify Capsule in your tech stack:

• If you use Slack or Teams, set up a connection to receive real-time updates when deals progress
• Ready to try marketing? Connect Capsule with our dedicated marketing platform, Transpond to launch targeted campaigns directly from your CRM
• And if you’re in B2B sales, use prospecting tools like lemlist or Magical’s LinkedIn scraper to build your pipeline and revitalize your outreach.

The more you integrate Capsule with your apps and tools, the less admin you need to do, and the more time you can spend delivering the work that really matters.

This is only the beginning

We hope this guide helps you get started and settled in with Capsule. Our support documents offer plenty more guidelines and how-tos, while our blog provides real-life use cases for the tools you’ve just discovered.

We hold regular customer webinars to help you make the most of Capsule and improve your skills in other areas of your business too.

As a Capsule CRM customer on any plan, you can always get personalized assistance from our friendly support team on anything Capsule or Transpond related. Or click here for some quick-start video guides.

Thanks again for choosing Capsule CRM!

Still considering Capsule? Try any plan free for 14 days and follow this guide to get started in a flash.

If Capsule CRM is of interest and you'd like more information, please do make contact or take a look in more detail here.

Credit: Original article published here.

Our view at Stack - Capsule CRM simplifies customer relationship management, streamlines sales processes, and saves time. Features include contact management, customisable sales pipelines, email integration, analytics, and workflow automation. It doesn't provide full email marketing functionality but it does allow you to connect to other tools.

Finding new customers shouldn’t feel like an uphill battle – but for many small business owners, it creates a difficult challenge. You post on social media, tweak your website, maybe even run a few ads… and still, leads trickle in slowly and inconsistently.

That doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune on marketing. In fact, you don’t need complicated strategies or a big budget to attract high-quality leads – just a few smart moves that get results.

Let’s break down practical tactics you can start using today to bring in more potential customers and grow your business.

What is lead generation?

Lead generation is the process of attracting and capturing potential customers. This means anyone who is interested in what you offer but hasn’t bought your products yet.

In lead generation, every small action adds up. The key is consistency – the more you connect with potential customers, the more business opportunities you create. It’s all about starting conversations, building trust, and guiding potential buyers toward making a decision.

Why does lead generation matter?

Lead generation = more clients = more revenue

If you’re not generating leads, you’re not growing. Without a steady stream of potential customers, your business can’t plan ahead and instead has to rely on random sales, word-of-mouth, or luck.

It keeps your sales pipeline full

Even if you have clients today, you need to think ahead. Lead generation ensures you always have new business opportunities – so you’re not left scrambling when work slows down.

It puts you in control of your growth

Instead of waiting for customers to find you, you take action. Whether through direct outreach, social media, or partnerships, lead generation puts you in charge of when and how your business grows.

So, where do you begin? Let’s break down nine quick, no-fuss tactics you can start using today to bring in more leads and grow your customer base.

9 quick lead generation strategies for small businesses

1. Leverage your existing network

The easiest leads to convert are the ones who already know you – past clients, old leads, or people who have engaged with your business before. They trust your work, know your name, and don’t need much convincing.

Instead of chasing cold leads, start with warm conversations:

• Rekindle past relationships → Clients you worked with months (or even years) ago might need your services again. A simple check-in can put you back on their radar.
• Follow up on past inquiries → Not every lead converts the first time. If someone showed interest but didn’t buy, now might be the right time to restart the conversation.
• Ask for referrals → Even if someone doesn’t need your services right now, they probably know someone who does.

How to do it:

Message five past clients today → Keep it short, friendly, and non-salesy:

‘Hey [Name], we worked together on [project] a while back, and I wanted to check-in. If you or anyone in your network needs [your service], I’d love to help!’

Make referrals easy → Sweeten the deal with a small incentive:

‘Know someone who needs [your service]? Send them my way, and I’ll give you [discount, freebie, bonus].’

Reconnect on social media → Comment on their posts, share their content, or simply drop a message to say hello. Staying visible keeps you top of mind.

Take action now: Open your inbox or CRM and reach out to five past clients. A quick message today could bring in new business tomorrow.

2. Use social media to connect with your target audience

People don’t buy from businesses, they buy from individuals – especially ones they like.

Many small business owners see social media as a place for promotions, but that alone won’t bring leads. People choose businesses they recognize and trust, not just the ones with the most ads. The real value of social media is in starting conversations, offering helpful insights, and staying visible. The more you engage, the more likely potential customers will turn to you when they need what you offer.

How to connect with your target audience using social media:

• Share an exclusive offer – A limited-time deal or special discount can nudge potential customers to take action. Make the value clear by utilizing FOMO (fear of missing out). Focus on creating a sense of urgency and explaning why they should grab it now.

Source.

• Show what you do – Share a behind-the-scenes look at your work, highlight a customer success story, or post a before-and-after transformation. Real examples help people see the results you deliver. See how Warby Parker does it:

Source.

• Engage in conversations – Reply to comments, answer questions, and tag people when relevant. Staying active keeps you visible and builds trust. Even businesses with large audiences, like Sugar and Sloth, respond to most comments, strengthening their community.

Source.

• Use LinkedIn strategically – Instead of cold-pitching, start by engaging with posts, then follow up with a personal message that makes sense for the recipient. Resharing relevant content can also put you in front of the right audience like Surfer does to boost engagement.

Source.

• Run a poll or quiz – Simple, interactive content draws people in. Asking for their opinions gets them engaged and keeps you in their feed.

Source.

If you’re stuck, check out these 20 content ideas to keep your social media fresh.

Example:

If you’re a local bakery, don’t just post

‘Fresh croissants available today!’

Instead, share:

‘Ever wondered what makes our croissants flaky and buttery? It’s all about the overnight fermentation. Want to try the difference? Grab one with your order today! ’

Take action now: Choose one platform and post something today—a story, a tip, or a customer win.

3. Create a simple lead magnet

A lead magnet is exactly what it sounds like – a magnet for leads. It’s a free, valuable resource that attracts potential customers and encourages them to share their contact details. Instead of asking people to ‘Sign up for updates’ (which no one really wants), you offer something useful in return – a quick solution, expert insight, or a helpful tool.

Why does it work? Because people love immediate value. A good lead magnet gives them a small but meaningful win, building trust and making them more likely to do business with you later.

For small business owners, lead magnets help:

Capture leads without cold pitching.

Build an email list of interested potential customers.

Establish credibility by solving a problem upfront.

A lead magnet doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive – it just has to be practical enough for your audience to want it.

And it only works if people actually want it. Here’s how to make a lead magnet that attracts the right leads and sets the stage for future sales:

Choose something practical and relevant

Your lead magnet should solve a small but real problem for your ideal customer. Think quick wins – something they can use immediately.

• A local gym might offer a free 7-day meal plan.
• A marketing consultant could share an invite to their free online event titled ’10-minute social media strategy’.
• A bookkeeper can create a ‘Small Business Tax Deductions Cheat Sheet’.

Source.

Rule of thumb: If it makes life easier, saves time, or helps avoid mistakes, it’s a good lead magnet.

Create a simple landing page

Keep it clean and to the point. All you need is:

• A headline that highlights the benefit – ‘Struggling with pricing? Grab our Free Small Business Pricing Guide.’
• A few bullet points explaining what they’ll recieve.
• An action-driven CTA. ‘Download my free guide’ or ‘Get a discount code’ work better than just ‘Submit’.
• A short form to collect their email – don’t ask for too much!
• A trust signal – Add a testimonial, star rating, or mention of how many people have downloaded it: ‘Trusted by 500+ small business owners.’
• A visual element – A mockup of your guide, a short video, or an image that reinforces the offer. People process visuals faster than text!

You don’t need coding skills. Take a look at our list of top website builders for small business.

Promote it everywhere

Your lead magnet only works if people see it. Instead of making people search for it, spread the word:

Post it on social media – LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or industry-specific groups.

Add it to your website – as a banner, sidebar, pop-up, or call-to-action button.

Include it in your emails – mention it in your newsletter or email signature.

Follow up immediately

Once they sign up, send the lead magnet right away—but don’t stop there.

Example follow-up email:

‘Hey [Name], thanks for signing up! Here’s your free [thing]. Hope it helps! Let me know if you have any questions.’

That’s how you build a connection beyond just a download – which is the whole point of lead generation.

4. Partner with complementary businesses

Customers trust businesses they already buy from, so a strategic partnership can give you instant access to qualified leads – without spending extra on ads. When you team up with a non-competing business that serves a similar audience, you both win by referring customers to each other.

How to find the right business to partner with

• Look at your customers – What other businesses do they visit? If you own a gym, your members likely shop at health food stores, see physical therapists, or buy sportswear.
• Check local directories & groups – Browse Google Maps, Yelp, or Facebook Groups to find local businesses that attract your ideal customers.
• Use networking opportunities – Connect with business owners at chamber of commerce events or industry meetups.
• Ask your customers directly – A quick question like ‘Where do you usually go for [related service]?’ can reveal great partnership opportunities.
• See what competitors are doing – If a similar business has a successful partnership, consider adapting their strategy for your audience.

How to make it happen

Reach out with a simple message

‘Hey [Name], I think our customers would benefit from knowing about each other. Want to chat about a potential partnership?’

Choose a lead-sharing method

Swap business cards, add each other’s links in follow-up emails, or promote each other on social media.

Run a joint promo

Example: A bakery and a coffee shop could run a ‘Buy a coffee, get a free cookie’ deal. A local hair salon could offer a discounted facial at a nearby spa.

Keep the partnership alive

Set a reminder to check in and adjust the partnership if needed.

How can it work?

A bakery & a coffee shop

Sweet Spot Bakery teams up with Daily Brew Coffee to offer a morning combo deal:

‘Buy a latte, get a croissant for $1.’ The coffee shop promotes the bakery, and the bakery directs foot traffic to the coffee shop – boosting sales for both.

A local gym & a health food store

Pulse Fitness Studio collaborates with GreenFuel Organics to offer gym members an exclusive 10% discount on healthy snacks. The gym gets free product samples to hand out, and the health store gets new customers who care about fitness.

A pet groomer & a dog trainer

Fluffy Cuts Grooming partners with Happy Paws Training to create a New Puppy Starter Package – grooming discounts for clients who book training sessions and vice versa. Pet owners love the convenience, and both businesses gain new clients.

A wedding photographer & a florist

Ever After Photography works with Blossom & Bloom Florals to offer wedding package discounts when couples book both services. The florist showcases the photographer’s work in their store, while the photographer tags the florist in every wedding album post.

A digital marketing agency & a web designer

Bright Growth Marketing teams up with WebEndSpark Studios to provide bundled services – clients who get a new website can opt for a 3-month social media boost at a discounted rate.

Take action: List five potential businesses in your area and send one outreach message today.

5. Share success stories

For small businesses, marketing budgets are tight, and paid ads aren’t always an option. But what if you could generate leads without spending money?

Success stories – when shared the right way – can be one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways to attract new customers.

Potential buyers don’t just want to hear about what you sell; they want proof that it works and that it fits their business.

A well-told success story does exactly that. It builds trust, shows the value of your product or service, and reassures new leads that they’re making the right choice.

How to create success stories that attract leads

The most compelling success stories aren’t just generic testimonials—they focus on transformation. Instead of saying, ‘Great service, highly recommend!’ your story should show the journey: Where was the customer before? What changed? What results did they get?

Find a happy customer who had a clear before-and-after experience. Maybe they were struggling with sales, couldn’t figure out their marketing, or needed help streamlining operations. Their story should reflect the challenges your potential customers are facing right now.

Keep the process simple. Ask a few key questions:

• What was your biggest struggle before working with us?
• Why did you choose us instead of someone else?
• What’s changed since using our product/service?
• What would you tell someone considering it?

Once you have the story, share it in a format that works for your audience:

• A quick social media post with a customer quote and photo can be powerful.
• A short case study on your website adds credibility for visitors who are considering buying.

Source.

• A video testimonial makes it even more personal – just a quick recording from a happy customer explaining how your business helped them can go a long way.

You don’t need expensive production or marketing teams – just real stories, told authentically. Success stories create word-of-mouth on a larger scale because people trust real experiences more than any sales pitch. They also keep working for you over time, unlike paid ads that stop bringing in leads the moment you stop paying for them.

Most people don’t buy the first time they visit your website. They browse, get distracted, and move on. But just because they didn’t buy today doesn’t mean they won’t buy later. Remarketing keeps your business in front of potential customers so that when they’re ready, they come back to you – not a competitor.

If you’ve ever visited a website and later seen ads for that business on social media, YouTube, or other websites, you’ve experienced remarketing firsthand.

Source.

It’s a simple, cost-effective way for small businesses to stay top of mind and recover lost leads without constantly chasing new ones.

Remarketing brings your potential customers back when they’re more likely to commit.

How to make remarketing work for your small business

The key to remarketing is showing the right message at the right time. Not all visitors are the same, so instead of running the same ad for everyone, tailor your approach based on what they did on your site:

• Viewed a product or service page but didn’t buy? Show an ad reminding them why it’s worth it.
• Abandoned a checkout or form? Offer a small incentive, like free shipping or a limited-time discount.
• Engaged with an ad but didn’t click through? Give them a reason to take action with a customer success story or testimonial.

Setting up remarketing is easier than you think. Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn all provide tracking pixels – a tiny bit of code you add to your site to track visitors. Once you start, you’ll already have an audience of potential customers ready to bring back with custom, personalized ads.

Remarketing is one of the most affordable ways to generate leads because you’re targeting people who already showed interest. Instead of spending money on cold audiences, you focus your budget on warm leads who are much more likely to convert.

7. Follow up fast

Many small businesses work hard to generate leads but then drop the ball when it matters most – following up. A potential customer shows interest, fills out a form, or asks for more details… and then hears nothing. The longer you wait, the colder the lead becomes.

Speed is everything. Studies show that leads who receive a response within an hour are far more likely to convert than those who wait longer. Yet, many small business owners are too busy juggling tasks and assume that if someone is interested, they’ll reach out again. They won’t.

How to follow up the right way

• Set reminders for every lead – If someone reaches out, don’t leave them hanging. Use a simple CRM – or even a Google Calendar alert – to remind you to follow up within 24 hours.
• Use email sequences – Instead of a single reply, schedule a few follow-ups. A mix of personal emails, helpful blog posts, or case studies keeps you on their radar without being pushy.
• Call when it makes sense – Not all leads will convert via email. If someone showed strong interest but hasn’t taken action, a quick call can be the nudge they need.
• Prioritize leads – Use lead scoring (rating leads as hot, warm, or cold) to focus on the people most likely to buy.
• Test various follow-up styles – Some small businesses find that short, personal emails work best. Others see better results with longer, more value-packed messages.

Most businesses don’t lose leads because of bad offers or high prices – they lose them because they wait too long. A fast follow-up shows professionalism, keeps you top of mind, and turns ‘maybe later’ into ‘let’s do this now.’

Winning new customers starts with a single move

Getting new customers doesn’t require a big budget or a complicated strategy – just small, consistent actions. Now you know it’s not as hard as it looks. The key is to start.

Send a quick follow-up. Post something useful on social media. Reach out to a past client. Each step you take puts you closer to your next sale.

And if keeping track of leads feels messy, a tool like Capsule CRM can help you stay organized and turn interest into actual business.

The sooner you take action, the sooner you’ll see results. So, what’s the first move you’ll make today?

If Capsule CRM is of interest and you'd like more information, please do make contact or take a look in more detail here.

Credit: Original article published here.

Our view at Stack - Capsule CRM simplifies customer relationship management, streamlines sales processes, and saves time. Features include contact management, customisable sales pipelines, email integration, analytics, and workflow automation. It doesn't provide full email marketing functionality but it does allow you to connect to other tools.

Between handling daily operations and keeping customers happy, finding time for a detailed marketing strategy is often unrealistic.

The truth is, you don’t need a 50-page document or a complex spreadsheet to make marketing work.

You need something short, sweet, and straight to the point – a one-page marketing plan that keeps things actionable. In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to create one, step by step.

Why do you need a marketing plan?

Many small business owners skip having a marketing plan altogether But without a plan, marketing often turns into random efforts with no real direction. A one-page marketing plan changes that by giving you a clear roadmap without the headache of long documents or spreadsheets. Here’s why it matters:

• Instead of getting overwhelmed with lots of ideas a marketing plan lays out the essentials. It helps you prioritize what works, so you’re not constantly second-guessing your next step.
• Even a brief marketing plan means less time wondering what to do next and more time executing smart marketing moves. Whether you’re working solo or with a team, a simple structure eliminates decision fatigue.
• Markets shift, trends change, and your business evolves. A one-page plan makes it easy to tweak your strategy without starting from scratch.

Once you see the difference a simple, structured plan can make, marketing stops feeling like guesswork – and starts driving real results.

What should be included in the one-page marketing plan?

Now that you see the value of having a plan, let’s build one.

A marketing plan doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. Below is a simple marketing plan checklist that breaks down each section, explaining why it matters and how it keeps your strategy clear.

01 — Business overview

You know your business inside out, but putting it into words can be harder than it looks. Many business owners struggle to define what they do in a clear, simple way, and that’s where this step proves helpful.

A short overview forces you to clarify your core offering, making it easier to communicate with customers, partners, and even yourself. Who are you? What do you offer? Why does it matter? Answering these questions upfront sets the foundation for a focused marketing strategy.

Begin with a one-liner that clearly states what your business does and who it serves.

Example: We help local businesses in Nashville attract more customers through Instagram marketing.

Think about how you’d explain your business to a family member – keep it as simple as possible.

02 — Target audience

Next, define your ideal customer.

Who benefits most from your product or service? A clear picture of your ideal customer helps you create a marketing plan that works.

Start with the basics:

• Who do you want to reach? Think about their age, job, interests, or common traits.
• What problem do they have? Your business should solve a specific challenge for them.
• How do they buy? Are they impulse buyers, or do they research before making a decision?

Answering these questions will help you focus your marketing efforts on the right people – so you’re not wasting time or money reaching the wrong audience.

Example:

• Who do you want to reach? Small business owners, typically aged 30-50, who want to grow their business but don’t have a dedicated marketing team.
• What problem do they have? They struggle with online visibility and need reliable marketing solutions that don’t take up too much time.
• How do they buy? They seek easy-to-implement strategies and prefer practical, no-nonsense advice over complex marketing jargon.

03 — Unique value proposition

Have you ever – what makes your business the best choice for your customers? That’s your unique value proposition in action.

It’s the reason why people should choose you over a competitor. Maybe it’s your affordable pricing, exceptional customer service, specialized expertise, or unique approach that sets you apart.

Use this simple formula to craft a unique value proposition:

We help [ideal customer] solve [problem] with [unique solution].

Examples:

• We help small business owners attract more local customers with affordable, done-for-you social media marketing strategies.
• We help busy freelancers organize their projects with an easy-to-use client management tool – so they can focus on work, not admin.
• We help home bakers grow their business with custom packaging that makes their products look as good as they taste.

Avoid vague statements. Spell out exactly what makes your business stand out.

04 — Marketing goals

Every marketing plan has a goal—but setting the right goals is what makes the difference. Having just one broad goal might be too difficult to measure, while too many goals dilute your focus. The key is to be strategic and set goals that guide your efforts without overwhelming you.

Many small businesses set goals like ‘grow sales’, but that’s easier said than done – and it’s not very measurable.

A better approach is to use the SMART method, which ensures your goals are:

• S – Specific (Clearly define what you want to achieve)
• M – Measurable (Attach numbers so you can track progress)
• A – Achievable (Set a realistic target based on your resources)
• R – Relevant (Make sure it aligns with your business needs)
• T – Time-bound (Set a deadline to keep yourself accountable)

Example: Turning ‘grow sales’ into a SMART goal

Vague goal: Grow sales.

SMART goal: Increase sales by 15% in six months by launching two seasonal promotions.

05 — Marketing channels

Many small business owners get stuck choosing the right marketing channels.

It’s tempting to be on every platform: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, email, SEO. The idea makes sense: you want to reach as many people as possible.

But if you’re juggling too many channels, none of them get the attention they need. Without time to consistently post and engage, your marketing efforts feel rushed and ineffective.

Don’t pick channels based on personal preference, not audience behavior. Just because you love using Instagram doesn’t mean your ideal customers do. A channel only works if your audience is actually there. If your customers spend more time reading emails or searching on Google, focusing on social media alone won’t get the best results.

Here are the best marketing channels for your small business:

• Website (your digital business card) – A must-have for any business, your website is where potential customers go to learn more about you. Having one isn’t enough, though – keep it updated with fresh content, current contact details, and an easy way for customers to reach you.
• Social media– Unlike traditional advertising, social media is a two-way conversation. It allows you to interact with customers, answer their questions, and build brand loyalty, not just push promotions.
• Email marketing – For every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses see an average return of $36 to $42. It’s cost-effective and keeps you connected with potential and existing customers – whether through newsletters, promotions, or automated follow-ups.
• Local advertising – Optimizing your Google Business Profile and getting listed in local directories can help you attract nearby customers searching for your services.
• Networking & events – If you handle sales yourself, in-person networking and industry events can be a goldmine for referrals and connecting with potential clients.
• PPC (pay-per-click advertising) – Even with a small budget, PPC allows you to target your ideal customer profile (ICP) directly. Google Ads and Meta Ads are great places to start, with benchmarks showing:
  • Google Search Ads: $1-$2 per click for most industries, but $3-$6+ in competitive niches like legal or finance.
  • Meta (Facebook & Instagram) Ads: $0.50-$2 per click, depending on audience targeting and ad quality.
  • LinkedIn Ads: $5-$9 per click, but highly effective for B2B targeting.

Other channels to consider

More traditional methods like TV, radio, and billboards can work but require significant budgets and aren’t always trackable. If you’re just starting out, prioritize cost-effective, high-impact channels that let you test and optimize your efforts.

06 — Competitive analysis

You don’t need to know everything about your competitors, but you should understand just enough to make smart, data-driven decisions. Instead of tracking every move your competitors make, look for patterns. Are they investing heavily in social media? Are their customers complaining about slow service? These clues help you identify gaps to fill and opportunities to stand out—without overcomplicating your strategy.

A quick SWOT analysis helps you focus on practical insights rather than getting lost in endless research.

A quick SWOT analysis helps you identify where you stand in the market and how to make your business stand out. Here’s what to focus on:

• Strengths – What do you do better than competitors? (e.g., strong client relationships, specialized expertise, or faster service)
• Weaknesses – What areas need improvement? (e.g., low brand recognition, limited online presence, or small marketing budget)
• Opportunities – What trends or gaps can you take advantage of? (e.g., increasing demand for remote consulting or businesses looking for local experts)
• Threats – What challenges or competitors could impact your business? (e.g., larger firms with more resources, changing customer preferences, or economic downturns)

Example: SWOT for a local consulting firm

• Strengths: Deep industry knowledge, strong referrals, and personalized service.
• Weaknesses: No social media presence, and limited brand awareness outside the local area.
• Opportunities: Small businesses in the area are looking for cost-effective consulting solutions.
• Threats: Larger firms offer lower prices and online consulting options.

How to use it: If your strength is strong client relationships but your weakness is low brand recognition, you should focus on increasing your visibility through LinkedIn content or local networking events. If opportunities exist in online consulting, consider offering virtual strategy sessions to compete with bigger firms.

A SWOT-based marketing strategy helps you lean into your strengths, improve weaknesses, and stay ahead of competitors – without wasting time on the wrong priorities.

07 — Brand voice & messaging

Your marketing should always sound like you – easy to recognize.

• Brand voice is how your business ‘talks’ in emails, social media, ads, and your website. It should be consistent – whether friendly, professional, or casual – so customers trust and remember you.
• Messaging is what you want people to know about your business: what you do, who you help, and why you’re different. Keep it short, clear, and to the point.

Tip: If you’re casual on Instagram, don’t suddenly sound corporate in emails. Stick to one voice everywhere – so customers feel like they’re hearing from the same business every time.

08 — Budget

You don’t need a huge budget to market your business, but some investment is necessary to get results. A simple rule of thumb:

Allocate 5-10% of your monthly revenue to marketing.

• 5% if you’re maintaining brand awareness
• 10% or more if you’re trying to grow aggressively

Example: What does a $3,000/month revenue marketing budget look like?

Let’s say your consulting business makes $3,000 per month. Here’s how you could distribute a $150-$300 marketing budget (5-10% of revenue), knowing that your clients are local businesses and solo professionals looking for expert guidance:

• $50 – Local marketing (business cards, printed brochures for networking events, or attending industry meetups) to connect with potential clients face-to-face.
• $100 – Social media ads (LinkedIn for B2B clients, Facebook for other small business owners, or Instagram if you offer more personal consulting services) to build credibility and attract inquiries.
• $50-$100 – PPC ads (Google Ads targeting searches like ‘business consultant near me’ or ‘marketing strategy coach for startups’) to reach prospects actively looking for your expertise.

If you’re on a zero-dollar budget, focus on:

• Organic social media (engaging with customers costs nothing!)
• Google My Business (completely free and improves local visibility)
• Referral marketing (encourage happy customers to spread the word)

Tip: Did you know that Capsule CRM can be your best companion in managing clients and streamlining your marketing efforts? It helps you track leads, follow up with prospects, and stay organized – without the headache of spreadsheets.

With a free plan for those starting out and affordable options for growing businesses, it’s a smart way to keep your marketing and customer relationships in check.

Even with a small budget, smart spending and the right tools help you attract customers without breaking the bank. The key is to start small, see what works, and scale up when possible.

09 — Action plan

Adding an action plan to your marketing strategy is optional, but it can help turn ideas into results. You don’t need a detailed breakdown – a simple list of three key actions per month or quarter is enough. If you prefer, you can keep it as a separate annex instead of including it directly in your one-page plan.

A solid marketing plan requires action, but don’t try to do everything at once.

Example action plan for a consulting business (Month 1):

• Week 1: Optimize your Google Business Profile and update key information. This helps local clients find you easily.
• Week 2: Write and publish one LinkedIn post sharing a case study or client success story to build credibility.
• Week 3: Send a follow-up email to past clients, offering a free 30-minute consultation for referrals.

Keep it simple and achievable—three focused actions per month or quarter make marketing feel less overwhelming while keeping your business moving forward.

Try this small business marketing plan template today

One-page marketing plan for Lancy Theo Consulting (Birmingham, UK)

01. Business overview

Lancy Theo Consulting helps small business owners in Birmingham grow by improving their strategy, operations, and profitability. Our approach is practical and tailored, offering clear solutions that drive measurable results.

02. Ideal customer

Our ideal clients are local business owners in Birmingham, particularly in retail, hospitality, and service-based industries. They need structured guidance to grow but lack the time or expertise to build an effective plan.

• Their challenge: Inconsistent revenue, unclear marketing strategies, or inefficient processes.
• How they buy: They rely on referrals, local search, and prefer one-on-one consultations before making decisions.

03. Unique value proposition

We help small business owners in Birmingham overcome growth challenges with hands-on, customized consulting that delivers practical solutions.

04. Marketing goals (SMART goals)

• Increase website inquiries by 20% in the next three months by improving local SEO and publishing two blog posts per month.
• Book five new client consultations per month by running LinkedIn ads targeting business owners in Birmingham.
• Generate at least 10 customer referrals by launching an incentive program for existing clients.

05. Marketing channels

• Website: The main hub where visitors can book consultations and find business insights.
• LinkedIn: A key platform for networking, engaging with local business owners, and running targeted ads.
• Google Business Profile: Essential for local search visibility and attracting new clients nearby.
• Email marketing: A monthly newsletter with business tips, case studies, and offers to keep prospects engaged.

06. Competitive analysis (SWOT)

Strengths: Strong understanding of West Midlands’ business landscape and a highly personalized approach.Weaknesses: Lower brand recognition compared to larger firms.Opportunities: More small businesses seeking affordable, specialized consulting as they recover from economic shifts.Threats: Competition from larger firms offering standardized, lower-cost services.

07. Budget ($300/month on a $3,000 revenue)

• $50 – Local marketing, including Google Business Profile optimization.
• $100 – LinkedIn Ads targeting small business owners in Birmingham.
• $50-$100 – Google PPC ads for searches like ‘small business consultant Birmingham’.

08. Messaging & brand voice

Lancy Theo Consulting maintains a clear, professional, and approachable tone. Marketing materials are direct, helpful, practical, and jargon-free – we want business owners to immediately understand our value.

09. Action plan (month 1 example)

• Week 1: Optimize Google Business Profile to improve local search rankings.
• Week 2: Publish a LinkedIn post with a case study or business tip to boost credibility.
• Week 3: Send a follow-up email to past clients offering a free 30-minute strategy session for referrals.

Want to create your own marketing plan?

Simply copy this template and fill in your own business details. Swap out Lancy Theo Consulting for your business name, adjust the marketing goals, budget, and action plan, and you’ll have a clear, structured strategy to follow.

Conclusion

With our simple plan, you can set goals, choose the right channels, and track progress without getting overwhelmed. It’s flexible and actionable – perfect for refining your strategy as your business evolves.

One page might be just the beginning of something bigger. Don’t wait, get started today!

If Capsule CRM is of interest and you'd like more information, please do make contact or take a look in more detail here.

Credit: Original article published here.