Small businesses frequently have a limited marketing budget, which can make promoting your company difficult. The good news is you don’t need to have a huge budget to sell yourself to clients. Basically, if you have Spectrum internet service or any other internet plan, you can even market your business for free.
If you are running on a shoestring and you can’t afford radio ads, billboards, or mass mailings, don’t worry. Below are some low-cost yet effective marketing methods to get the ROI you have been dreaming of:
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1: Tap into the Power of Social Media
Almost everyone is on social media these days and if your business is not there, then you’re missing out. social media is the biggest platform to advertise your business and expose your business to a large number of potential customers.
Initially, focus on building your social media presence and once you are able to afford it, you can start using paid marketing. The budget for that totally depends on how much you can afford and your goals.
2: Create a GMB Account
Does your business have a physical address? Then this one is for you. This will help you with local search engine marketing as well. Consider your Google Business profile as a free listing that lets your business show up on Google Maps, local searches on google, and branded searches. Not to mention, this will only help if your business profile is optimized and you have verified the ownership.
3: Vehicle Branding
Got a company vehicle that you drive around regularly? Use it for branding it with your company’s logo and other info. Go for a full paint job or get magnets that you can stick to the vehicle’s sides. Alternatively, you can also invest in window decals.
4: Continue to Market Your Existing Customers
Existing customer marketing is a terrific approach to boost your company’s bottom line. You already know they’ll buy from you, so all you have to do now is make them into your repeat clients.
When someone purchases something from you, ask whether you can add them to your email list. After that, send them coupons, inventory updates, and company news. Send out emails at least once a week to keep your company in front of clients’ minds and provide them plenty of possibilities to buy from you.
You might also launch a referral program for your customers. Clients would be rewarded for referring new customers to your business. You could, for example, give referrers free products or services or a discount on their next purchase if they refer others.
5: Partner with Other Small Businesses
The fact that you own a small business does not imply that you are alone. There is power in numbers. Building mutually advantageous partnerships with other businesses, whether for a particular event, posting business cards at each other’s places, or something else, can help you find more customers. This can expose your brand to a completely new audience, as well as the other way around.
Make sure to do your homework on the company you’re considering partnering with, figure out how you can work together most effectively, and have clear expectations for this type of low-cost marketing.
6: Attend an Event or a Trade Show
It might be difficult to come up with low-cost B2B marketing ideas for small firms; nevertheless, attending industry events is a goldmine for spreading the word about your brand.
Developing new leads and contacts requires connecting with other firms in your field. You’ll also pick up new strategies or attend seminars tailored to help you grow your company. Make it a point to network and hand out your business card throughout the event.
7: Host an Event
Hosting an event is an excellent method to promote your company’s services and products. People enjoy free events and samples, so take advantage of this opportunity to distribute promotional materials and business cards while also notifying them of upcoming promotions.
If hosting a large crowd without spending a lot of money is unfeasible, then a free webinar to educate the public about a process or product in the sector would be more beneficial. There are a variety of technologies and platforms that can assist you in broadcasting online.
8: Volunteer or Donate
Giving back to the community is a great way to build goodwill and increase brand awareness. People will associate your brand as empathic if you donate your items or volunteer your services under your company’s name. People will also be able to see examples of your services or check out your free samples.
There are a variety of other ways to promote your small business at a philanthropic event, like donating a portion of your sales, giving your workers a day off to volunteer and represent the firm, sponsoring an event or team, and so on.