A recent study from Schedulicity found 91 percent of small business owners expect their company to outperform results from 2011 in 2012, while 66 percent believe the economy will improve in the next 12 months.

While SMBs are optimistic about the upcoming year, they are planning to invest in social media and SEO campaigns to improve online traffic and sales as part of an integrated campaign. In conjunction with direct mail and print marketing, SEO and social media campaigns create avenues for companies to interact directly with consumers, while adding another method to offer promotions and create brand awareness, KO Marketing Associates reported.

Another tactic many SMBs are exploring in 2012 is the use of events to promote their product or service to a local community. For a small or medium-sized business to reach out to a new community of customers, it is vital that they establish themselves in the area as a trustworthy company with a sparkling reputation, Michael Della Penna, founder of SuiteDialog, wrote in a piece for ClickZ.

According to Della Penna, one important thing to remember when preparing for a community event is to promote the business so the name is slightly familiar to consumers at the event. This can be accomplished with direct mail pieces and local print ads.

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