This is a small study on how Small Businesses use social media to build their business and increase brand awareness.

1. +
Small Business Marketing
Based on Companies in Syracuse, NY Area
@porschenichols

2. +
77% of Respondents from
Syracuse, NY
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
Marcellus, NY
Ontario, CN
Miami, FL
Watertown, NY
Syracuse, NY
Respondents City
Respondents City

3. +
45% of Companies are from the
service industry
Businesses in the service industry spend on average 3% less of their
budget on Sales & Marketing compared to small businesses overall

4. +
68% of survey respondents have
been in business ≤6 years
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
YEARS THE COMPANY HAS BEEN IN
BUSINESS
This question did not result in any significant insight rather
it provides a perspective through which to view the
remainder of the survey

5. +
On Avg. Small Businesses Spend
Less on Sales/Marketing
The average percent of expenditure for this sample is 12.42%.
Companies in the service industry tend to spend more than the
average

6. +
Almost 100% of Small Businesses
have an online presence

7. +
57% of business
owners prefer to use
Facebook over their
own business website
and/or as their only
website

8. +
There are 3 Main Reasons Owners
ranked their favorite websites
Business Goals
Functionality
Technological
Purpose
When business owners are deciding how to maximize their online
presence they are picking sites that have the functionality and
technology to help them accomplish their business goals.

9. +
38% of owners did not notice an
increase in sales after advertising
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Neither Agree
or Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly Agree
Noticed increase in sales since
advertising on-line
38% of business owners are neutral in regards how they feel
online advertising increases their sales. 57% agree that online
advertising has positively influenced sales.

10. +
ROI on a digital strategy is a
function of effort put in
By what percentage have your sales increased?
This question did not yield concrete results because the top
responses range from 11% to 25% and 50% and over. Most
important take-a-way is that results will vary.

11. +
53% of Business Owners Believe
They Are Highly Engaged Online
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
None Low Medium High Very High
Level of customer engagement on
social media
Business owners with High/Very High levels of engagement
spend as much as 10% more on sales/marketing than those with
low customer engagement.

12. +
Businesses Ask Customers How
They Heard About Them @ POS
How do you track how your customers are hearing about
your business?

13. +
Companies with Less Revenue
Spend More on Sales & Marketing

14. +
Resources Small Businesses Need
More Of
Talent
• Skilled
Talent
Driven to
scceed
Time
• Too much to
do and not
enough time
Space
• Need more
square
footage to
run business

15. +
Unmet Service Needs For
Small Businesses
Mkting
Resources
• Individual
guidance on
how to market
business
Training
• Management
Skills
Development
Tech
Support
• Help
troubleshoot the
many problems
that business
owners run into

16. +For More Information
Contact:
Porsche Nichols
pnichols@syr.edu
Twitter: @porschenichols