Marketing Challenges for Indiana Small Businesses and Practical Solutions

Running a small business is hard work. You’re juggling daily operations, managing staff or vendors, and trying to keep customers happy. On top of that, marketing often requires hours of creative thinking and computer time — designing content, posting online, planning promotions, updating your website. After a long day, it can feel draining.

Yet one of the biggest realities of being in business is that you have to constantly remind your community that you’re here. Without consistent visibility, even the best products or services can be overlooked.

We understand this challenge — and we also know it’s not just about effort. Small businesses face some very real, structural barriers when it comes to marketing.

The Struggle with Marketing — and How to Overcome It

The Most Common Marketing Struggles

Recent studies confirm what small business owners already feel:

1. Customer Acquisition Is the Top Challenge

• 60% of small businesses say finding new customers is their biggest marketing hurdle. (Constant Contact , Investopedia)

• In early-stage small businesses, it’s similar: 52% cite customer acquisition as their top challenge, followed closely by customer retention (28%) and learning new marketing tech (27%) (Constant Contact)

2. Struggling to Understand What’s Working

• 33% of small business owners struggle with understanding what marketing efforts are effective, and 32% cite lack of resources as a barrier. (Forbes)

3. Limited Channel Use

• While 82% agree that using multiple marketing channels delivers better results, only 16% feel confident they’re using the right ones. (PR Newswire)

From Challenges to a Clear Path Forward

If you’ve ever felt like marketing is scattered or inconsistent, you’re not alone. Many small business owners share the same concerns: not knowing where to start, wondering if their efforts are paying off, or worrying they don’t have the time or budget to keep up.

That’s why the best approach isn’t trying to fix everything at once, but instead working through marketing in phases. First, we look at the basics: is your brand consistent, is your website up to date, and are your customers clear on what you offer? Once the foundation feels solid, we move into the next phase — building visibility through channels that make sense for your audience and your comfort level. From there, we can plan for growth by adding new campaigns, partnerships, and promotions as you’re ready.

With a phased plan, you don’t have to guess what to do next. Each step builds on the one before it, giving you a consistent path forward and the confidence that your marketing is actually working for you.