According to HubSpot, one of the top marketing challenges for companies is that the lack of budgeting resources. Unless you’re a startup with venture or angel capital, you almost certainly have a limited marketing budget. Here some ways you’ll market your business on a limited budget.
1. Go guerilla.
Guerilla marketing looks to leverage creativity, imagination and originality in situ of an enormous budget. Smart small businesses with a limited budget often use guerilla marketing to compete with huge companies. there’s no shortage of creative guerilla marketing ideas. Here are just a couple of examples:
• If you’ve got a brick-and-mortar location, pay someone to make eye-catching art with chalk.
• If you sell a product which will be used on the road, employ undercover agents to market your product on to potential customers. for instance, Sony hired agents to ask strangers to have photos of them then raved about their camera.
• Organize a flash mob to garner crowd attention and promote awareness of your brand.
2. Socialize on social media.
According to the Pew research facility Report of Social Media Usage: 2005-2015, nearly two-thirds of American adults use social media now. this is often a near tenfold increase within the last decade.
Popular social media channels include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, Google Plus and Snapchat. Each of those social media platforms are unique in its claim and need unique ways of engagement. instead of attempt to master it all directly, choose a couple of you wish and take a look at to master those first.
3. Create valuable content.
Not only do potential customers love great content, but so does Google. There are some ways to share information — blogging, creating videos, hosting podcasts, designing infographics or submitting articles to online authority sites. Not only does one gain authority as an expert, but you furthermore may get free traffic. you’ll also offer to be a guest blogger for an additional complementary website or be interviewed on a podcast.
You don’t always need to produce the content yourself. you’ll hire freelance writers, graphic designers and private assistants through websites like Upwork. If you run out of ideas, you’ll repurpose old content and give it a brand-new spin.
4. Contests and giveaways.
Everyone loves free gifts! give away desirable or fun items to achieve goodwill, build brand awareness and connect with potential customers. They don’t ought to be expensive. Things like online eBooks, white papers and checklists don’t cost you anything but some time.
You can also promote your products through Facebook groups where members conform to try your product for free of charge or a reduced price in exchange for an honest review. Physical gifts together with your advertising on it like balloons, smartphone wipes, key chains, fridge magnets, pens and notepads are always popular too.
You can also create a viral marketing effect by making your marketing interesting, attractive and fun. one among the craziest marketing efforts that went viral is that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. People dared their friends and family to pour ice cold water on themselves within 24 hours. those that did not do so would then need to donate to the ALS charity.
5. Piggyback your partners.
When you are a small business with a limited marketing budget, it is sensible to partner with other complementary businesses. These can include manufacturers, suppliers and vendors. Not only do you both win when your businesses succeed, but there’s added credibility when another business recommends you.
As an example, you’ll exchange customer lists and offer to pay the business a commission for each sale you create. Just confirm that you simply have requested permission from your customers to share their details!
For mail marketing, offer to share postage costs and include your flyer with the opposite businesses’ mail. If the opposite business features a physical retail space, ask to place your business cards in their customer lounge.
You can also seek partners within your existing customer base. Create a referral rewards program where you reward your customers for referring business to you. Word of mouth is extremely effective when it involves marketing.
6. Leverage scalable advertising channels.
Conventional advertising mediums like TV, radio and newspaper ads are often extremely costly and hard to gauge effectiveness, but online advertising is often cheaper and more targeted. Popular options are Google Pay Per Click ads and Facebook ads. Also, don’t forget to list your business in free online directories like Google Business for Google Maps and Yelp.
You also can promote your latest products and services through these free or cost-effective methods:
• A phone message that plays your promotions while customers are on hold.
• Window decals advertising your latest offer if you’ve got a retail shop.
• Car magnets and bumper stickers displaying your advertising while you drive around town.
• Advertising on email signatures or letterheads.
• Sending special holiday discounts, birthday coupons and surprise rewards to your list.
7. Milk the media.
Getting your business featured by the media is free marketing. To capture the eye of the media, try these and invite the media to return and cover it.
• Create a publicity stunt. consider a number of the crazy ones that Richard Branson has achieved including dressing as a female steward onboard his airline.
• Do something for the community and send a handout before the event. for instance, some innovative hairdressers have offered free haircuts to the homeless.
• Sponsor an occasion by donating your products or services as giveaways or prizes or host a contest.
• Nominate yourself for a business contest or award. If you win, even better!
You can also seek opportunities to be interviewed for print, radio and television. to look for opportunities to contribute your expertise, check in to an email list like Help A Reporter Out.
8. Help yourself by helping others.
All your marketing should be of some use to your audience. There are some ways that you simply can make your marketing efforts a welcome intrusion instead of an annoyance to your audience. Try these:
• Provide useful information. Information marketing has proven to be highly effective in increasing sales. By educating your audience on problems that they care about, you’re also not only growing your customer base but also positioning yourself as the solution. to try to to this, host a Meetup group, an event, a class or maybe a web webinar. Offer to talk at events.
• Provide assistance. Answer questions posted on forums and websites like Quora and direct your audience to your website for more information. There are online directories that list an entire sort of forums like Find A Forum.Net.
• Entertain your audience. Make them laugh or cry. consider the funny and touching ads that you simply see and how quickly they’re shared.
Marketing your business on a limited budget is totally possible. you only need to get creative and plan out of the box.
