Marketing & Branding Lessons for Small Businesses
A discussion from our November Intersessions
Spend more. Spend less. Be everywhere. Pick one channel. Do it yourself. Hire help. It can feel impossible to know where to start.
At an Intersessions workshop, we brought together a panel of experts including small business owners, in-house marketers, and an agency strategist to share advice on marketing and branding for businesses, focusing on what works when time, money, and energy are limited.
Start where marketing has always worked
When asked where a small business should focus first with limited time and budget, the answer wasn’t a platform, a tool, or a campaign.
It was relationships.
Panelists emphasized networking, referrals, and getting to truly know your customers. In early stages, those one-to-one conversations generate leads and help you understand who you’re actually serving and why they choose you.
That clarity makes everything else easier from your messaging, your offers, and eventually your marketing spend.
Client testimonials and word-of-mouth came up throughout the discussion, not as “nice to have” assets, but as natural byproducts of strong relationships.
Branding is what you reinforce
Brand consistency came up as one of the most underrated (and misunderstood) parts of marketing.
The panel referred to branding as both presentation and behavior. The visible elements like visuals and messaging, and the invisible pillars like tone, values, and expectations are all important and they should work together.
Before worrying about growth, businesses need to clearly answer two questions:
Who are we?
What do we do?
And then commit to those answers.
As Brandon Coppernoll, Managing Director at Intersection, shared during the session, “You know you’re getting closer on your brand when you start getting tired of it.” Repetition is how recognition is built.
Several panelists noted the importance of having clear ownership over branding, whether that’s a person or a small team, to avoid inconsistency and dilution.
Letting the wrong ones go
Finding your ideal clients is about being intentional.
Panelists discussed using trade shows, conferences, referrals, and targeted digital efforts to reach people who already align with your work. Just as important: recognizing when a potential client isn’t a fit.
This mindset shift often comes with maturity. Early on, many businesses say yes to everything. Over time, clarity improves and the right clients start bringing more people like them.
Attraction becomes easier when your positioning is clear.
DIY vs. professional help is a tradeoff
The discussion around DIY tools, AI, Canva, and professional services was sparked by a question from an attendee.
DIY options aren’t inherently bad. They solve one real problem: access. But professional services solve another: time, expertise, and risk.
Brittany Scott, personal trainer and the founder of GROW WIWO, summed it up with an analogy: “Everyone can go to the gym to work out, but how many people hurt themselves because they don’t know what they’re doing?”
Marketing is about execution just as much as it’s knowing what not to do, what to prioritize, and how decisions compound over time.
Katy Maggart, Director of Membership & Marketing for the Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce, added an important reminder that not every client will be a fit. “You’d rather spend your time and effort with someone who understands you and appreciates you and utilizes you instead of someone that you’re constantly trying to convince.”
That applies to clients and vendors.
There’s no “correct” percentage for marketing spend
When asked about the often-quoted “5% of growth” rule, the panel didn’t latch onto a number.
Gary Thomas, President of LEAP Managed IT, reframed it simply: “As long as it’s smart dollars spent.”
What matters more than the percentage is intent. Are you testing? Learning? Adjusting? Or are you throwing money at tactics without a strategy?
The panel encouraged business owners to write down goals, define who they’re trying to reach, and build a plan that supports those outcomes, not just activity for activity’s sake.
It’s time to offload when it starts costing you
Letting go of responsibilities is rarely about capability — it’s about opportunity cost.
Brittany shared a simple gut check: “Am I spending way too much time on this?”
When tasks pull you away from your core role—the thing only you can do—it’s often time to reassign, outsource, or rethink.
The advice was to use your skills where they matter most. Growth often requires stepping back, not digging in deeper.
Sharing client stories
The panel also addressed how to navigate testimonials and personal stories, especially when privacy or sensitivity is involved.
During the discussion, attendee Lyn Whitesell, an experienced brand manager, offered her advice in response to a question: “People want to help people.”
Strong relationships make these conversations easier. Clients who trust you often want to be part of your story, especially when they’re treated as the hero.
Panelists emphasized:
Asking personally, not automatically
Giving clients approval before publishing
Respecting boundaries
Offering anonymity when needed
Trust should always come first.
Retention is the real win
If there was one point the panel returned to again and again, it was that client retention matters more than almost anything else.
Word-of-mouth, reviews, follow-ups, and thoughtful client experiences build credibility faster than any campaign.
Retention is proof that the work you do is successful. Proof that people believe in what you do, trust you, and are willing to invest again.
Small businesses, in particular, have an advantage here. They can be nimble, personal, and creative, sometimes at a higher cost in the short term, but with relationships that last for years.
Good marketing is intentional. We hope this session left attendees with helpful advice on knowing when to focus, when to invest, when to ask for help, and when to say no.