SMBs feel bombarded by sales inquiries. According to a 2015 survey by Borrell Associates, SMBs in the US receive 17 sales calls per month but take fewer than six. Furthermore not every call ends with a sale.

Sellers must break through increasing noise and market clutter. Many companies are thus turning to content marketing to generate leads or in-bound demand. Providers are increasingly offering practical, how-to information to remain relevant and build credibility with SMBs. This has caused an explosion in the volume of free local marketing resources online.

Providers have also changed positioning and even job titles to emphasize they are in the business of educating and helping -- not just selling -- to local businesses. For instance many providers now offer free online audits and assessments that identify SMBs’ digital gaps and weak spots.

As the data shows, traditional sales methods are struggling so marketers must become more clever and creative to reach small business owners.