New data from VistaPrint and Wix shows that small business owners in the retail space are doubling down on their digital marketing efforts, with an eye towards creating unique customer experiences.
The 2025 Small Business Marketing Guide, based on a survey of 1,000 SBOs and 1,000 consumers, reveals that 40% of small business retailers say an online presence has had the biggest impact on their business in the last 12 months and 63% are more comfortable connecting online rather than in person.
Key findings for this sector:
- Top digital marketing tactics include social media (58%), websites (48%) and online reviews (46%)
- The top three methods of building loyalty among customers include engaging customers via social media (58%), offering personalized discounts (53%) and sending personalized thank you cards (45%)
- Despite operating in a digital-first world, small business retailers still value traditional marketing tactics via business cards (53%), promotional products (35%) and attending events and tradeshows (33%)
“Looking ahead to the next 12 months, small business owners are united in their desire to continue expanding their marketing, while consumers agree that they want to see more community connections. And AI isn’t sci-fi anymore – it’s firmly in the marketing mix, but not everyone agrees on its uses or merits,” said the report.
“When it comes to the state of small business marketing in 2025, we can see that it’s anything but linear. There are ups and downs, challenges and opportunities, but the undeniable theme in this year’s data is that
businesses and consumers are seeking the same thing: community.
“It’s the antidote to competition and the pathway to connection. For small business owners, it’s a loyal audience that shows up to support them every day. For consumers, it’s their local cafe, clothing store or
electrician whose services and products they can count on and trust.
“Because great marketing isn’t just about clicks and conversions, it’s about building something that lasts, something that never stops, something that flows.”
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