Marketing Tasks Small Businesses Actually Need to Do Each Month

Jan 13

If you run a small business, you've likely heard you need to be everywhere, post nonstop, run ads, write blogs, build funnels, track analytics, and still serve clients well. It's exhausting and unrealistic.

Effective marketing isn’t about doing everything. It’s about consistently doing what matters. Most small businesses don’t fail at marketing for lack of ideas, but for lack of a doable plan and the capacity to carry it out month after month.

So let’s simplify it!

Below is a monthly marketing rhythm designed for busy business owners. These are the tasks that actually move the needle without taking over your schedule.

A Quick Mindset Shift Before We Begin

Marketing should support your business, not drain it. Instead of asking, “What should I be doing?” each month, ask:

What will help me get more of the right clients?
What can I realistically execute in 5–10 hours?
What can I repeat consistently?

Consistency beats intensity every time. A simple, repeatable system will outperform a perfect plan that never gets implemented.

The Non-Negotiable Monthly Marketing Tasks

Implementing these five monthly tasks will put you ahead of most small businesses.

1. Review What’s Actually Working

Before you create anything new, look back. Each month, spend 30–45 minutes reviewing:

Website traffic and inquiries
Where your leads came from
Which posts, emails, or pages performed best
What felt like a waste of time

Ask yourself:

What brought in real leads this month?
What content or platform felt easiest to maintain?
What should I stop doing?

Most business owners skip this step and end up guessing. Marketing decisions should be based on data, even simple data, not assumptions.

2. Update or Promote One Core Asset

You don’t need to create new content every month to see results.

Instead, focus on one core asset, such as:

A service page
A portfolio project or case study
A blog post
A lead magnet
Your homepage messaging

This could mean:

Refreshing the copy
Adding clearer calls to action
Sharing it again on social or via email
Improving SEO or visuals

Updating and re-promoting existing content often works better than starting from scratch.

3. Show Up Consistently (Not Constantly)

You don’t need to post every day to stay relevant. Each month, aim for:

1 or 2 platforms where your audience actually spends time
2 to 4 intentional, high-quality posts

Content ideas that consistently work:

A recent client win or project
A question you answered for a client
Behind the scenes of your process
A lesson learned or insight from your work

Visibility builds trust. It's not about going viral; it's about being reliable!

4. Nurture Existing Relationships

This is one of the most overlooked (and highest ROI) marketing tasks.

Each month:

Email your list (even once)
Follow up with past clients
Engage with referral partners or collaborators

This could look like:

A short email update
A check-in message
A referral follow-up
Commenting and supporting others in your network

Marketing isn’t just about attracting new people. It’s about staying connected to the ones who already know you.

5. Optimize Before You Add

Before adding a new platform, campaign, or offer, optimize what you already have.

Monthly optimization ideas:

Improve website calls to action
Clarify your service descriptions
Update your Google Business Profile
Refresh homepage messaging
Improve page load speed or mobile experience

Small improvements add up over time. Real growth comes from refining, not doing more.

Why Small Businesses Struggle and How We Help

Most business owners don’t lack ideas. They struggle with time, unclear priorities, and accountability. Marketing often gets pushed to “next month,” and without follow-through, even the best strategies fail to create growth.

At Lawson House, we believe marketing should feel supportive, not overwhelming. We partner with small businesses to:

Identify what actually matters
Build realistic monthly marketing plans
Execute consistently
Adjust strategies based on real results

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all marketing for the sake of it. Instead, we prioritize clear goals, thoughtful strategy, and consistent execution.

Let’s Get Started Today

You don’t need to do everything to grow your business. You need a marketing system that works for your life, your capacity, and your goals, with a partner to keep you on track.

If execution has been the missing piece in your marketing, we’d love to help.

Ready to simplify your marketing and start seeing real results? Get in touch with Lawson House to explore how we can support your business this year.