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Business · Marketing & sales

Marketing on a Shoestring: Practical Steps for Your Small Business

A hands-on course for UK small business owners who want to attract more customers without a big budget. Learn how to build a simple marketing plan, use social media effectively, write clear messages, and measure what works.

150 min5 modulesBeginner friendly
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Free to take. This course does not use any Learning Credits.

What you’ll be able to do

By the end of this course, you will be able to create a basic marketing plan for your small business, choose the right channels to reach your customers, and track your results to improve over time.

Course outline

A clear route from first principles to practical confidence

  1. 01

    Module 1: Know Your Customer and Your Goal

    • Who are you talking to? Defining your target customer
    • What do you want to achieve? Setting a SMART marketing goal
    • Your unique offer: What makes your business different?
  2. 02

    Module 2: Building Your Marketing Toolkit

    • Your website and Google My Business: The basics you need
    • Social media that works: Pick the right platform for your audience
    • Email marketing: A simple way to stay in touch
  3. 03

    Module 3: Writing Messages That Get Results

    • The headline that stops the scroll: Grabbing attention
    • Telling your story: Why customers should care
    • A call to action: Asking for the sale or sign-up
  4. 04

    Module 4: Low-Cost Ways to Spread the Word

    • Word of mouth and referrals: Turning customers into advocates
    • Partnering with other local businesses
    • Using free online tools and local listings
  5. 05

    Module 5: Check What Works and Keep Improving

    • What to measure: Simple numbers that matter
    • Using free analytics tools (Google, social media, email)
    • Your next steps: A simple review and plan ahead