What should a small business marketing package include?

You searched for a small business marketing package and found a hundred of them. They all promise more customers, they all list a dozen services, and the prices run from a few hundred dollars a month to several thousand. It is hard to tell which ones would actually move your phone, and which ones would just send you a monthly report.

Here is what a good small business marketing package should include, what the market charges for it, and how to judge one before you sign anything.

What should a small business marketing package include?

A good small business marketing package covers four things: a website that turns visitors into calls, a Google Business Profile that keeps you in the map results, a steady flow of reviews, and one channel that reaches people regularly, usually email or social media. Everything else is optional until those four are working.

Those four are the foundation because they are where local customers actually decide. Most people search, check the map listing, read a few reviews, glance at the website and call. A package that skips any of those steps is spending money on the parts of the trip that matter less.

• Website care. Updates, backups, security and small edits each month, so the site stays fast and accurate.
• Google Business Profile. Weekly posts, fresh photos, accurate hours and services, and replies to every review.
• Reviews. A simple, repeatable way to ask every happy customer, plus monitoring so a bad review gets a fast, calm reply.
• One regular channel. A monthly email to past customers, or two to four social posts a week. Pick the one your customers actually use.
• Reporting you can read. Calls, form fills and booked jobs, not just impressions and likes.

How much does a marketing package cost for a small business?

Monthly marketing packages for small businesses in the US generally run from about 300 to 5,000 dollars a month. Packages under 1,000 dollars usually cover upkeep and one channel. Packages from 1,500 to 5,000 dollars usually add paid ads management, regular content and more hands-on strategy. Ad spend itself is almost always billed on top.

The US Small Business Administration has long suggested that small businesses put roughly 7 to 8 percent of revenue toward marketing. That is a starting point, not a rule. Our post on setting a small business marketing budget walks through building the number from what a customer is worth to you instead.

What is the difference between a marketing package and a bundle?

A marketing package is ongoing monthly work. A bundle is usually a one-time setup, such as a website plus a Google Business Profile plus review requests, delivered once and then handed over. Most businesses need a setup bundle first and a monthly package after, because there is no point maintaining a foundation that was never built.

If you are starting from scratch, look at one-time marketing bundles before you commit to a monthly fee. If the foundation is already there and you just do not have time to keep it up, a monthly plan is the right shape.

How do you tell a good marketing package from a bad one?

A good marketing package names exactly what gets done each month, tells you who owns your accounts, and reports on calls and customers. A bad one lists vague deliverables like “brand awareness” or “engagement”, locks you into a long contract, and reports only numbers that cannot be tied to revenue.

Ask these five questions before you sign:

• What exactly happens each month, in numbers? Four posts, two emails, one report.
• Do I own my website, my domain, my Google profile and my ad accounts if I leave?
• Is ad spend included or extra, and who controls it?
• How long is the commitment, and what does it take to cancel?
• What will the report show me, and can I see a sample?

If an agency cannot answer all five plainly, keep looking.

Can you run your own marketing instead of buying a package?

Yes, and plenty of owners do it well. The honest version takes about two to four hours a week: one hour on your Google Business Profile and reviews, one hour on a post or an email, and the rest on keeping the website current. The free tools are good enough. Google Business Profile, a free email platform tier and a scheduling app will carry most small businesses a long way.

What usually breaks is consistency, not skill. The weeks get busy, the posts stop, and the reviews stop coming in. If that is the part you would rather hand off, that is exactly what a monthly plan is for.

Target Marketeer builds and runs marketing for small businesses nationwide, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and every one of our monthly marketing plans lists exactly what gets done each month. If you want the upkeep handled without a long-term commitment, our Lite monthly plan starts at $600 a month.

Quick answers

What is included in a typical small business marketing package?

A typical small business marketing package includes website care, Google Business Profile management, review requests and replies, social media or email marketing, and a monthly report. Larger packages add paid ads management and regular blog content.

How much should a small business pay for a marketing package?

Most small businesses pay between 300 and 5,000 dollars a month, depending on how many channels are managed and whether ads are included. Ad spend is usually billed separately from the management fee.

Is a marketing package better than hiring a marketer?

For most businesses under about 2 million dollars in revenue, yes. A full-time marketing hire typically costs 50,000 to 70,000 dollars a year plus benefits, while a package spreads a team’s skills across several businesses for a fraction of that.

How long before a marketing package shows results?

Review and profile work often shows up in calls within 30 to 60 days. SEO and content usually take three to six months. If you see nothing measurable after 90 days, ask hard questions about what is being done.

Not sure which pieces you actually need? Our guide to telling whether your marketing is working is a good place to start, and the Plan Builder below lets you pick only the services you want and see the total as you go.