Starting a business in Knoxville is exciting—and overwhelming. You’re juggling a million things: legal paperwork, finances, operations, hiring, and somehow you’re also supposed to figure out marketing.

This guide breaks down exactly what you need to do to market your new Knoxville business, from your first day through your first year.

Before You Launch

Nail Down Your Basics

Before any marketing, you need to answer these questions:

Who is your ideal customer? Be specific—not “everyone,” but “homeowners in West Knoxville with houses over 20 years old”
What problem do you solve? How do you make their life better?
Why should they choose you? What makes you different from competitors?

Your answers drive every marketing decision.

Choose Your Business Name Carefully

Your business name will be on everything: website, social media, signage, business cards. Before you commit:

Search Google to make sure no one else locally is using it
Check if the .com domain is available (or a reasonable alternative)
Check social media handle availability
Make sure it’s easy to spell and pronounce

Secure Your Online Real Estate

Do this before you launch, even if you’re not ready to use these yet:

Register your domain name
Claim your business name on major social platforms
Set up a Google account for your business

It’s much easier to grab these early than to find out someone else took them.

Week One Essentials

Claim Your Google Business Profile

This is your #1 marketing priority as a local business. Go to business.google.com and claim your listing. See our complete Google Business Profile guide for detailed optimization tips.

Complete everything:

Accurate business name, address, phone
Business hours
Business category (choose carefully)
Description with relevant keywords
Services offered
Service areas

Verification takes a few days to a couple weeks. Start early.

At minimum, create a Facebook business page. If you’re a visual business, add Instagram. Not sure which platforms are right for you? Read our guide on choosing the right social media platform.

Complete your profiles:

Profile photo (logo or professional headshot)
Cover photo
Business information
Link to your website (once you have one)

You don’t need to start posting yet—just secure your presence.

Get Listed in Basic Directories

Submit your business to:

Yelp
Yellow Pages
Your industry-specific directories
Better Business Bureau (optional but adds credibility)

Make sure your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) are identical everywhere.

Month One: Foundation

Launch a Basic Website

You need a website. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it needs to exist.

Minimum requirements:

What you do (services/products)
Service area
Contact information (phone, email, form)
About you/your business
Mobile-friendly design
Fast loading

You can start with a simple 3-5 page site and expand later.

Start Collecting Reviews

Reviews are crucial for new businesses. You need social proof.

Ask your first customers for reviews. Make it easy:

Send them a direct link to your Google review page
Follow up once if they forget
Thank them when they review

Aim for 10+ reviews in your first few months.

Begin Networking

Knoxville has a strong local business community. Get involved:

Join the Knoxville Chamber (or local chamber if you’re in Maryville, Oak Ridge, etc.)
Attend local business networking events
Join industry-specific associations
Connect with complementary (non-competing) businesses

These connections become referral sources.

Months 2-3: Building Momentum

Consistency matters more than frequency. Set a sustainable schedule—even 2-3 times per week works.

Content ideas for new businesses:

Introduce yourself and your story
Show behind-the-scenes of your business
Share tips related to your industry
Post about local Knoxville happenings
Celebrate customer wins (with permission)

Develop Your First Content

Create helpful content that answers questions your customers ask.

Start simple:

A FAQ page on your website
A blog post answering your most common question
An educational social media post series

Content helps with SEO and positions you as an expert.

Consider Paid Advertising

Once you have reviews and a decent website, paid ads can accelerate growth.

Starting points:

Google Local Services Ads (great for service businesses)
Google Search Ads (target people actively searching)
Facebook Ads (for brand awareness and specific promotions)

Start small—$300-500/month—and scale what works. Learn more in our paid ads guide.

Months 4-6: Optimization

Analyze What’s Working

By now you have some data. Look at:

Where are your customers coming from?
Which social posts get engagement?
What questions do customers ask?
Which marketing activities led to actual sales?

Do more of what works. Stop what doesn’t.

Improve Your SEO

Expand your website content. Learn the basics in our SEO guide for small businesses:

Individual pages for each service
Pages for each area you serve
Blog posts answering customer questions
Customer testimonials

Build more citations on relevant directories. Consider professional local SEO services to accelerate your visibility.

Develop a Review System

Make reviews part of your process:

Ask every satisfied customer
Send automated follow-ups
Have a script for asking in person
Respond to every review

Expand Your Network

Deepen your local business relationships:

Set up referral partnerships
Guest post on local blogs
Sponsor local events or sports teams
Get involved in community causes

Months 6-12: Growth

Double Down on Winners

By now, you know what marketing works for your business. Invest more in those channels.

If Google Ads is working, increase your budget gradually. If content is driving traffic, create more content. If referrals are strong, nurture those relationships.

Build an Email List

Start collecting email addresses:

Website opt-in forms
In-person collection
Lead magnets (free guides, checklists)

Email is a direct line to potential and past customers.

Systematize Your Marketing

Marketing shouldn’t be random. Build systems:

Content calendar
Scheduled social media posts
Automated email sequences
Review request automation
Regular analytics review

This makes marketing sustainable as your business grows.

What About Budget?

New businesses often ask: “How much should I spend on marketing?”

Year one rule of thumb: 10-15% of projected revenue.

But more important than the amount is spending it wisely:

Website and basic setup (one-time investment)
Google Business Profile optimization (free, just time)
Social media management (time or hiring help)
Paid advertising (scale as you see results)

Start lean, track everything, and invest more in what works.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Marketing a new business is a lot. Many new business owners choose to:

DIY some tasks (social media, networking)
Hire help for others (website, paid ads)

If you want help getting your marketing foundation right, let’s talk. We specialize in helping Knoxville small businesses grow.

Good luck with your new business!