If you are looking for Nottingham city marketing advice for small business, this guide will help your business stand out amongst other local services.
Nottingham is a vibrant city with a rich history, from the lace trade and textiles to today’s digital and creative firms.
The city sits in the heart of the UK and has a young, diverse population, strong universities and a busy cultural scene that links into wider UK business networks.
All this makes Nottingham city a great place for business growth, whether you are starting your own business, starting a new side project, running start ups from your bedroom or heading up growing companies that already employ a small team in a local business setting.
Nottingham City Business Advice And Marketing For Small Business Growth
As part of the wider Nottingham city area, local businesses also play a big role in the local economy. New entrepreneurs bring fresh ideas, and long-standing Nottingham businesses keep money and jobs in the city.
From shops that sell everyday products such as bread, HP sauce or ibuprofen, to digital agencies and creative studios, there is space for many types of business to grow.
This guide shares clear, practical business advice and marketing advice designed for Nottingham city and includes many simple steps you can follow. It is aimed at small business owners, sole traders and start ups who want simple guidance on business growth.
Throughout, the business advice is local and easy to follow. You will learn how to reach more customers, build a loyal local audience and make good use of the business support that already exists in Nottingham city and the wider east midlands.
Understand the Nottingham customer base
Before you spend any money on adverts, take time to build a clear understanding of who lives, works and studies in Nottingham city.
The city has a relatively young population compared with the UK average, with many students and graduates, and a high share of employment in services such as retail, hospitality, education, health and the creative and digital industries.
These services shape daily life in the city and create steady demand for local businesses all year round, which in turn supports the local economy.
If your business is based in the city centre, a large part of your market will be office workers, students and day visitors who spend money during the working day.
If you are based in neighbourhoods such as Sherwood, Beeston, West Bridgford or Arnold, you may rely more on local families, commuters and SMEs who use nearby services to save time.
Leisure, food, beauty, independent retail and creative services often perform well when they offer something a bit different that people can reach easily by tram or bus. Many local businesses rely on this mix of students, workers and families to keep trading across the year.
Watch footfall on your street at different times of the day, and notice when people are heading to work, school or a night out in Nottingham city. Ask new customers where they live, what kind of work they do, who they usually meet in the city and how they heard about you.
The more knowledge you have about your Nottingham audience, the better your understanding of their needs and challenges will be, and the easier it becomes to focus your marketing and business growth plans.
Build your local brand story
Nottingham has a strong sense of identity. People are proud of the city’s history, its independent businesses and its creative spirit. When you build your brand story around Nottingham city, you tap into that feeling and show local people that you care about the same things they love.
Explain why you chose Nottingham and your neighbourhood, and what makes your business different from national chains. You might use local suppliers or ingredients, work in partnership with community groups or charities, or share a story that links your business to the city’s culture of music, sport, fashion or the creative scene.
Simple things such as talking about your first day of trading, the reason you wanted to open in a certain area or the great feedback you have had from loyal customers can all help.
On your website and social media, use clear, simple language to tell this story so that it is easy to read and understand. Include phrases that people are likely to search for, such as “Nottingham coffee shop near Lace Market” or “independent hair salon in Nottingham city centre”.
This helps your business appear when people search online for local businesses, and it reminds them that by shopping with you they also support Nottingham city and its future growth.
Get your local search and maps presence right
For any small business in Nottingham city, a strong presence on search engines and maps is essential. Many customers now search “near me” on their phone while moving around the city, so you want them to find you quickly and see key information at a glance.
Set up and complete a Google Business Profile with your correct business name, address, phone number, opening times and website link. Add clear photos of your shop front, indoor space, team and a few key products or services so people can imagine visiting before they arrive.
Use “Nottingham” and your area name in your business description, and choose the most accurate business categories so that search users can access the right details.
Invite happy customers to leave reviews and always reply politely, even to critical ones. Reviews that mention Nottingham city can be very helpful, as they remind readers that you are easy to reach on foot or by public transport.
Make sure your profile includes a simple call to action, such as an email address or contact form on your website, so that people who are interested in your services can get in touch and arrange a visit or booking without delay.
Make the most of “It’s in Nottingham” and the BID
Nottingham’s city centre Business Improvement District (BID), now branded as “It’s in Nottingham”, plays a significant role in business growth in the city. It is a not for profit partnership funded by around 750 city centre businesses through a small levy on business rates.
The BID works closely with Nottingham city council and other partners to invest over £1 million each year into marketing, events and projects that support the city centre as a place to visit, work and shop.
If your business is located within the BID area and pays the levy, you can often be featured in city centre marketing campaigns and “It’s in Nottingham” guides or social media posts.
You may be invited to take part in themed trails, markets or festival activity that bring extra visitors into Nottingham city. Each event can increase footfall, improve productivity and give local businesses a chance to test new products or services without a large extra cost.
Check the “It’s in Nottingham” website and speak to the BID team or Nottingham city council officers about how you can be included in future campaigns and grant funded schemes.
Being part of a larger city story helps small businesses stand out, and it gives potential customers more reasons to visit the city centre rather than out-of-town retail parks.
The support you receive here is a good example of how local business support, public investment and private companies can work together.
Use Nottingham’s events and seasons to plan campaigns
Nottingham’s calendar is full of regular events, from the famous Goose Fair and Christmas Market to student welcome weeks, sports fixtures and cultural festivals. Each event brings different groups of people into Nottingham city and creates new chances for business growth.
Create a simple yearly marketing calendar that lists university term dates and welcome weeks, seasonal events such as Light Night, Pride, the Christmas lights switch on and big sports fixtures, plus key paydays and school holidays. Think about how these dates affect local businesses in your area.
For example, city centre cafes might see a rush at lunchtime on a match day, while neighbourhood shops may be busier in the half term school break.
Plan special offers, extended opening hours, themed products or collaborations around these dates.
A café could create a limited student menu during freshers’ week, and a gift shop could run a “buy local” Christmas campaign that highlights Nottingham made products.
Promote your plans early on your website, email list and social channels, and let local media or community pages know if you are doing something new or unusual so that more people can follow and share your news.
Build relationships with nearby businesses
Nottingham’s Economic Plan for Growth highlights the need for strong local partnerships and business networks to support regeneration and future growth. For a small business, this can start with simple, face to face networking on your own street and at local networking events.
Introduce yourself to nearby shops, cafés and offices and get to know the people behind them. You might meet another sole trader who serves the same customers, or a larger company whose team needs your services during the working day. Talk about the challenges you each face and explore how working together could benefit you all.
You could share flyers or business cards at each other’s premises, run joint giveaways or discounts, or create a small local trail that encourages people to visit several independents in one area.
Meeting often in this way turns basic networking into a real partnership, and over time it can help your businesses grow, improve productivity and reach new audiences across Nottingham city as you scale up together.
Use local business support for your marketing plan
You do not need to plan your marketing or wider business growth on your own. There is a wide network of funded business support across Nottingham city, Nottinghamshire and the wider east midlands, much of it designed to be accessible to start ups, SMEs and sole traders.
This support is often funded by Nottingham city council, Nottinghamshire County Council, the east midlands Combined County Authority and UK government schemes, so the help you receive can be free or low cost.
In many cases this is truly free support for your business, and this business support continues as your plans grow and change. That support includes help with starting and growing a business, making plans, checking what skills are needed and finding grants or other finance.
A good starting point is the Nottingham City Business Growth Hub and the wider d2n2 growth hub, which work together across Nottingham city, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
You may see the phrase d2n2 growth used in council and business support materials; it simply refers to this shared regional growth hub. These services provide one to one advice, group training and signposting to other business support.
The d2n2 growth hub team can help you with marketing plans, digital technology, access to finance, tax and cash‑flow, as well as practical business advice on recruiting staff, recruiting volunteers, improving productivity and managing day to day financial challenges. This kind of focused, local business support can make a significant difference to business growth in a short time.
Nottingham City Council’s economic development service and business support team also offer one to one advice sessions, events and online resources for businesses that are based in Nottingham city.
Their experts can provide tailored advice on starting a business, developing new products or services, understanding local tax rules and making the most of council‑run schemes, and other experts can provide clear guidance on growth, finance and productivity.
If you are a sole trader, a micro firm or one of the many Nottingham businesses that are interested in starting something new or scaling up, the council team can help you explore your options and plan the next stage of growth.
Many of these services include access to grants. There are financial grants for start ups that need to buy equipment, financial grants that help with energy‑saving improvements, grants to help existing companies invest in digital tools, and grants that support low carbon upgrades which improve productivity and cut costs.
Some schemes are aimed at firms that want to increase employment in Nottingham city, while others encourage investment in skills, training or new markets and are partly funded by regional partners. You may find grants that help with marketing activity, grants that support research and development, or grants that cover part of the cost of professional advice.
Always read the guidance carefully, as some grants are funded by local or national programmes and have strict rules on how you can use the money.
You can also benefit from the work of libraries in Nottingham city and other local libraries that welcome small businesses and creatives. Nottingham City Libraries host the Business & IP Centre, part of the British library Business & IP Centre network across the UK.
This IP centre provides books, databases and other resources to help you research markets, understand intellectual property and learn about protecting your brand or product designs.
The team in the IP centre can offer one to one advice, regular workshops and talks from experienced entrepreneurs and other experts, so that you can learn from people who have run their own business for years and share their experience in a supportive learning setting that is funded by public and charitable partners.
To make the most of these offers, visit the Nottingham city council website and the main d2n2 growth hub website, where you can find up to date information about business support, grants and training.
Most programmes include a simple online form so you can apply for grants or book one to one advice. Take time to complete each form with clear information about your business, as this helps the support team assess your case and match you with the right schemes.
If you are not sure where to start, use the contact details on each website to get in touch with an adviser who can provide helpful guidance and more info by phone or email.
Focus on the channels that suit Nottingham customers
You do not have to use every marketing channel. Instead, choose a small number of tools that match how people in Nottingham city are likely to find and follow you.
Think about your customers, their age, where they live and what kind of work they do, then match your business marketing to those patterns.
Instagram and TikTok can work well for visually led businesses such as food, fashion, beauty and leisure experiences.
Facebook remains important for local community groups, neighbourhood pages and older audiences, especially outside the city centre where people often follow updates from local businesses. LinkedIn can help B2B services reach the many companies, public bodies and charities based in Nottingham city and across the east midlands.
Do not forget your own website. A simple, fast and mobile-friendly website that includes your location, opening hours, contact details and a basic contact form can be one of your most powerful marketing resources.
Use it to share news, answer common questions, collect email addresses for your mailing list and link to any online resources you provide, such as blog posts or downloads.
Email newsletters are still useful for keeping regular customers up to date with offers and events, and they can be a low cost way to improve productivity in your marketing because you can reach many people in a short time.
When you post online, include clear location details in your profiles and posts, such as “in Nottingham city centre near Old Market Square” or “Mapperley independent bookshop”.
Tag local accounts, use Nottingham‑relevant hashtags and share or comment on posts from local partners. Joining in with local conversations in this way helps people who are interested in your services to find you and see that you are an active part of the Nottingham city business community.
Highlight sustainability and community impact
Nottingham is working to be a forward‑looking, green and inclusive city, with plans to drive sustainable business growth and cut carbon emissions. Small businesses can benefit by showing how they support these aims and how they add value to the local economy.
Think about the positive impact your business already has. You might reduce waste by reusing materials, offer refills or discounts for reusable cups, or choose local suppliers so that more money stays in Nottingham city.
You could support local charities, schools or community events, or offer work experience and training places to young people who are interested in your sector. All of this helps build skills and employment while also strengthening your brand.
Share this activity clearly in your marketing, but avoid exaggerating your claims. You can use your website, social media and in‑store signs to explain the steps you are taking, the schemes you join and any grants that have helped you invest in greener choices.
Many customers want to support businesses that care about Nottingham city’s future, not just profit, so clear information about your actions can help them choose you instead of a big national chain.
Measure what works in the Nottingham context
To keep improving your marketing and business growth, make time each month to review what is working in Nottingham city. You do not need expensive tools or complex data to do this; simple habits can give you a lot of useful information.
Ask new customers how they heard about you and keep a short record behind the counter or in a simple online form. Track website visitors and popular pages with free tools, and note any spikes in visits during city events or campaigns.
From time to time you could run a short customer survey, either on paper or online, and ask people to complete a few simple questions to find out which services they like most and what they would like to see next. You could also include a short survey link in your email newsletter so that regular customers can share their views.
Look at your sales figures and cash‑flow and notice which weeks or months are strongest. Compare this with your marketing activity so you can see which posts, emails or offers seem to make the biggest difference.
Over a few years, this review process will increase your understanding of Nottingham city customers and help you invest your time and money in the channels that bring real results.
Nottingham City Marketing Advice: Conclusion
Nottingham is a great city for business growth when you have clear goals and the right business support around you.
By understanding your Nottingham city audience, building a strong local brand, using search and maps properly, taking part in BID and city campaigns, and making full use of council‑backed services and grants, you can create a simple plan that helps your business grow at a steady, realistic scale.
Remember that you do not need a huge budget or a large team. Your priority is to build a clear story, keep your digital basics open and up to date, and stay in regular contact with the people and organisations that already work hard to improve Nottingham city.
If you stay interested in your customers, follow up after events, and keep an eye on the range of schemes, free support and grants on offer, which includes local and national help, you put your business in a strong position.
Across this guide you have read how to plan marketing, use local networks, look for business advice, apply for grants, secure extra grant funded support, work with Nottingham city council and other partners, and measure results over time.
The most important thing is to take the first step, however small, and to keep going even when you face challenges. If you use the support available and keep learning from your own experience over the years, you will give your business the best possible chance to grow in Nottingham city and across the wider region.
If you run a small business in Nottingham city, getting your details on Noticed UK will help local customers find you when they need you. Sign up today for a listing in our trusted business directory.
Sources
Office for National Statistics, local indicators for Nottingham (unitary authority).
Nottingham City Council, Nottingham Economic Plan for Growth and economic development projects.
Nottingham City Business Growth Hub and East Midlands Combined County Authority Growth Hub business support information.
Nottinghamshire County Council, business support and economic data.
Information on “It’s in Nottingham” and the Nottingham BID.
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Nottingham and Nottinghamshire creative and digital business support through Create Growth N2 and Innovate UK Business Connect.