6 out-of-the-box marketing campaigns by local businesses

Small businesses are proving that innovation isn’t just for the brand giants with big budgets. By thinking outside the box, these entrepreneurs have crafted unique marketing activations—or ways to engage with their target audiences—to capture attention and drive engagement. Here are six ways small businesses are getting crafty on a limited marketing budget.

1. Become a hometown hero

Santa's mailbox area with letters posted on the wall — Photo of Santa’s mail area at Gino’s from Michelle K. on Yelp

Business: Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy

Challenge: How can I make a positive impact on a community that means so much to me?

Unique marketing solution: Kids from all corners of San Antonio write letters to Santa during the holiday season, and that’s usually where the interaction ends. However, the owner of Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy, Aleem Chaudhry, wanted to take it a step further and get kids a real, hand-written reply from Santa himself. Last year, Aleem and some volunteers were able to send about 3,600 letters from Santa. Now, kids and even adults will write to Santa for a letter back. All they have to do is slip the letter into Santa’s mailbox at the deli, and maybe they’ll get a sandwich while they’re there.

I live in this neighborhood. I work in this neighborhood. I’m invested in this community. I’m invested in this city. I’m invested in this state, so this is my way of giving back to the community.

—Aleem Chaudhry

Discover other ways to boost business during the holidays:

2. Reimagine Black Friday (even non-retailers)

Black cat from Paws and Claws perched on a cat tree — Photo from **Paws & Claws** on Yelp

Business: Paws & Claws Cat Rescue

Challenge: How can I boost sales for black cats, our least popular breed?

Unique marketing solution: Black Friday is one of the biggest retail events of the year, but this cat rescue proved any small business can participate. For most cat rescues, it’s harder to find families for black cats—so Paws & Claws decided to do something about it. The business took Black Friday literally, discounting black cats on this deal-centric holiday and proving even the most overlooked felines can find their forever homes with a little creativity and a lot of heart.

Learn other ways to boost sales all year long:

3. Connect with Gen Z

Business: Five & Dime

Challenge: We’re in the heart of a college town—how can we attract the student crowd to engage with our business and dine in?

Unique marketing solution: Located just south of Northwestern University, Five & Dime is a restaurant and bar known for its outdoor terrace. Like many small businesses in a college town, Five & Dime wanted to think up ways to engage with the younger generation. They assessed their menu and what was top of mind for students in the spring. Then it hit them—a class of over 2,000 students would soon be graduating and celebrating with loved ones. They added “The Purple Wildcat” cocktail to the menu and invited graduates to toast to new beginnings.

See how other business owners are capturing the hearts and minds of new audiences:

4. Create your own holiday

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Business: Spotted Leaf Plant Co.

Challenge: How can we get the community involved in celebrating our business anniversary?

Unique marketing solution: When Spotted Leaf’s owner, Sam Shaw, realized her plant shop’s one-year anniversary was right around the corner, she knew she wanted to do something special. While she wanted to celebrate her own hard work, she also wanted to give back to the people that kept her in business. Sam decided to throw a birthday party for the shop, adding invitations to customers’ bags months in advance. There were free giveaways, 10-minute terrarium builds, and more. A celebration of her community turned into the business’ most successful day of the year. Now, it’s an annual holiday both she and her customers anticipate each year.

It’s literally a holiday that we essentially created for our customers. Our customers are genuinely the driving force behind the business, and we really wanted to give back to ’em. So that is a way that I like to look at marketing, where we do a lot to give back to our customers.

—Sam Shaw

Explore other ways small businesses are engaging with their communities:

5. Turn vendors into influencers

Business: Maypop Coffee & Garden Shop

Challenge: How can I create brand influencers with a limited marketing budget?

Unique marketing solution: Makers markets are where many small businesses find their first customers and are special places for entrepreneurs to share their passions with the community. Maypop established its own makers market with a dual purpose: to support small businesses and to create a marketing opportunity for both Maypop and its participating vendors. To increase visibility for Maypop, administrative coordinator Julia Valleroy devised a clever strategy: create digital fliers and send them to the vendors, encouraging them to share on their social media accounts. This way, Maypop is able to expand its reach, and vendors get free creative assets to do the same—a marketing win for everyone.

The more that they [share the digital fliers], the more that they get the word out… That is something that really brings the community together. And it lifts people up and brings awareness to small businesses in our area. It just feels good to help support people, support our community, and support each other.

—Julia Valleroy

Learn more social media tips for small businesses:

6. Network with your target audience

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Business: Ospina Law Firm

Challenge: How can I get right in front of the clients I’m passionate about serving?

Unique marketing solution: Tannia Ospina owns her own law firm and is passionate about serving business owners. She’s also a bit of a marketing wiz. From creating a free business guide to capture email addresses to creating educational videos on Instagram and TikTok, Tannia is there at every touch point. However, there were certain communities she wanted to get in touch with and represent that her current marketing strategy wasn’t reaching. To reach her intended audiences, she decided to attend networking events for Latinx and mompreneur communities. This enabled her to grow her client base and forge personal connections with fellow business owners.

Really what I do is get myself in front of the people that I want to work with.

—Tannia Ospina

Discover how small business owners are expanding their networks: