Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) account for the majority of U.S. firms. They include construction workers, hairdressers, dentists, lawyers, real estate agents, and local “mom and pop” retail stores. According to the U.S. Census, roughly 6 million firms (with payroll) in the U.S. have fewer than 500 employees, and 5.4 million of these have fewer than 20 employees.

SMBs have a wide range of communications needs, including corporate identity (e.g., business cards), marketing collateral, direct marketing (e.g., direct mail, e-mail, Web), point-of-sales materials, transactional documents (e.g., invoices), and publications (e.g., newsletters). Just like large enterprises, SMBs want to look credible and professional as they spread the word about their businesses. This market provides some tremendous opportunities for print service providers with the right go-to-market strategy. SMBs are seeking providers that can help them acquire and retain customers and navigate through the world of multi-channel digital communications. Cloud-based tools are readily available so print service providers can create the digital services portfolios that SMBs need. It’s time to gain a greater understanding of the solutions that are available so you can get your digital game on!

InfoTrends recently completed a study entitled Micro to Mega: Trends in Business Communications, which surveyed more than 1,000 SMB owners and managers to better understand their business requirements for marketing communications. When asked about their top objectives with any form of communication, new customer acquisition was the top priority, followed by retention and brand awareness. Print will continue to dominate from a media utilization perspective, accounting for about one-third of overall media spending. When survey participants were asked how their services spending had changed in the past 12 months, however, the top areas of increase included social media, e-mail marketing, website improvements, website marketing, and mobile initiatives.