Headshot of Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact.
One of Dave Charest's recommendations is to use marketing automation tools to tell consumers your story: what makes you unique and how your products can solve their dilemmas. — Constant Contact

If you could create your own fantasy board of directors, who would be on it? CO— connects you with thought leaders from across the business spectrum and asks them to help solve your biggest business challenges. In this edition, we ask an expert about how to start a business in 2025.

In this edition of "Ask the Board," we feature Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, a popular email marketing platform. Every day, Charest connects with small business owners and helps provide them with the resources and knowledge they need to meet their goals. Charest shared his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to pursue their dreams in 2025.

Starting a small business is an exciting yet challenging journey. In 2025, the landscape continues to evolve, making it crucial to adopt new strategies and tools to ensure success, so follow these essential tips to help you build a strong foundation for your business.

Build strong community relationships

In today's competitive market, forming authentic connections with your local community is more valuable than ever. Whether you're hosting local events, collaborating with other businesses, or simply focusing on customer service, these relationships can lead to increased visibility and long-term loyalty.

Look at businesses that actively engage with their communities to create memorable, positive experiences. These connections help small business owners overcome the challenge of reaching a broader audience within their core community, even with a limited marketing budget.

Keep learning and adapting

The marketing landscape is constantly shifting, so staying informed and adaptable is key. By continually learning — whether through industry blogs, webinars, or peer-to-peer exchanges — you can keep your strategies fresh and effective.

Experimentation and learning from both successes and setbacks are paramount when it comes to creating a successful business. And don't forget: Success doesn't happen without some trial and error along the way. Just make sure you learn from it — the goal is to remain flexible using data and feedback to adjust your tactics as you grow.

Leverage marketing automation

Helping address resource constraints, streamline workflows, and simplify your efforts, marketing automation has become a must for small businesses in 2025. Marketing automation tools can save you time by automating tasks like email campaigns, social media posts, and customer segmentation.

Adopting marketing automation tools allows small business owners to save time, maintain consistent engagement, and deliver more personalized content to their audience, ultimately improving their marketing efficiency and customer relationships.

Take inspiration from businesses like Charles River Running that use automated emails to engage their customers with timely, personalized content, such as setting up automated birthday emails with discount codes to add a personal touch to customer interactions or using automated campaigns to promote upcoming races and events.

Success doesn't happen without some trial and error along the way. Just make sure you learn from it — the goal is to remain flexible, using data and feedback to adjust your tactics as you grow.

Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact

Segment and personalize your marketing

If you haven't figured it out by now, one-size-fits-all marketing is a thing of the past. To truly connect with your customers, you need to segment your email lists based on customer behavior, preferences, and needs. By sending tailored content, you increase the chances of engagement and conversion.

Small businesses are starting to really emphasize the power of segmentation, prioritizing more timely and targeted marketing that will help your content resonate with the right customer at the right time, every time. Personalization isn't just about addressing someone by their first name — it's about delivering relevant, meaningful content.

Get started by personalizing marketing efforts like targeted email campaigns that can be set up to speak directly to a customer's interests or behaviors, whether it's sending personalized product recommendations or a timely discount based on their location. By doing this, small business owners open the door to address specific pain points or motivations that will encourage readers to open the message.

As you continue to grow, you can scale these personalization efforts using automated systems to segment audiences and tailor content to different customer profiles without losing that personal touch. From here, small businesses will start to see the benefits. Taking a personalized approach not only builds stronger relationships and trust, but it also drives higher engagement, customer loyalty, and, ultimately, increased sales.

Focus on consistency, and embrace the power of storytelling

At the end of the day, whether it's through email campaigns, social media posts, or customer interactions, every touchpoint should reflect your brand's values and voice. As the saying goes, "Consistency is key." Consistency in your messaging and brand presence is essential for establishing trust and recognition. When your audience knows what to expect, they're more likely to return and recommend your business.

And remember what makes your small business unique is what draws in your customers and differentiates you from your competition, so don't just try to sell your product. Tell a story that resonates with your audience.

Whether it's your brand's origin story, the challenges you've overcome, or the values you stand for, storytelling is a powerful tool that helps form emotional connections. Understanding your customer's needs and crafting a narrative around solving their problems can turn casual buyers into loyal advocates as you grow your community and your business.

Stay curious and open to new technologies

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools is reshaping how businesses interact with customers, allowing small businesses to now automate tasks, enhance customer engagement, and refine marketing strategies with greater precision. Whether it's using AI to optimize email campaigns, personalize customer communication, or improve targeting on social media, the opportunities are vast.

The key is to embrace these tools as they become more integrated into your business workflow. From streamlining daily operations to providing deeper insights into customer behavior, AI and automation will help small businesses become more agile and cost-effective. By staying open to these advancements, you'll not only improve your marketing strategies but also position your business for long-term success in an increasingly tech-driven world.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.

Published