Marketing needn't be expensive.
Sure, you will find large companies spending huge amount of money on advertising. But most small-to-medium sized businesses don't have unlimited funds.
If you are one of these companies, you have to be smart and creative to get the most out of your marketing budget.
Here are 7 liberated to low-cost marketing ideas you can begin implementing today.
1 – Create listings on online local business directories
An internet business directory is really a listing of businesses within specific categories. Your business can be categorized by business type, location, activity, or size.
Some online directories may curently have your data, however, you should verify the data and take control of your listing and content. Most of those directories riding time information, pictures, or even offers.
Getting your business information for auction on these directories will be your web visibility.
When creating your listing here are a few points to consider:
- Make sure your description and contact information are consistent on each directory
- Add a back-link for your website
- Add a business description
- Give your listings some life – add photos or videos of the office, employees, operations
While there are well over 50 online directories, here is a list of the very best 10 your organization needs to be on:
- Apple Maps
- Google My Business
- Bing
- Yelp
- MapQuest
- Yellow Pages
- Yahoo! Local
- Merchant Circle
- Angies List
2 – Word of Mouth – Referral Program
This is the strongest way to promote your business.
According to socialmediatoday.com, only 4% of consumers believe marketing/advertising. So who do consumers believe? Their friends and family.
Encourage your visitors to speak about your organization, products, services on Social networking.
Or develop a Referral Program by incentivizing your visitors to advertise on your behalf. Give your customers a gift card, free product, discount for anybody they refer to your company.
They've were built with a great experience with your brand, so let them perform the marketing for you.
3 – Look at your local Chamber of Commerce
Joining your local Chamber of Commerce has numerous benefits for any business.
You will be listed in their newsletter and bulletin. There might be free advertising opportunities with the Chamber.
If a person knows your enterprise is part of a local Chamber of Commerce, research indicates an 80% rise in the chance that customers purchase from your business.
But one of the most important benefit you will receive is the networking opportunities. You can meet other business leaders in your community, develop partnerships, come up with new channels to promote your business along with other Chamber members.
4 – Give back for your community
Aside from the satisfaction that your clients are carrying out a positive thing for your community, you will find strong business benefits to giving back.
- It generates brand awareness and a positive brand image.
- You will likely be listed on the website and public relations of the charity or cause you're supporting.
- Local media (TV, newspaper, radio) promote and/or discuss the charity event.
- And more to the point, consumers support companies that give back, especially Millennials. Based on Mintel, 73% of consumers consider a companies' charitable work when creating an order.
So the price you might want to spend should a lot more than pay for itself using the increased brand awareness and consumer purchases.
5 – Advertise on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace
The great thing about advertising on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace – it's free.
You don't need to be considered a marketer to advertise. Setting up an advertisement on either platform is pretty similar and simple. You display a headline regarding your product or service, post several pictures, a short description, and also the price.
Make sure you're displaying a picture, even if you're promoting something. Images get a higher interaction rate.
Also, be attentive to the emails, consumers shopping on these platforms potentially have hundreds of options. Your quick response may be the difference between them purchasing from you rather than another brand.
6 – Press Releases
You no more need a PR Manager to obtain newsworthy information out to the media. There are plenty of free websites which you can use to set up and push the release out to location media, one website is 24-7 PressRelease.
There is no limit to the number of press releases you can submit. If you are feeling you have something newsworthy to announce or promote, then send out a Press Release.
A few types of newsworthy information:
Announcement of the new product or service
Charity try to support the community
Expansion in new market/Opening up new location
If you've received any Awards
Partnerships
Significant distribution gains
Added large new account
You may get lucky and have a few media networks pick it up.
7 – Create a Video to advertise your business, product or service
Did you will know the majority of consumers prefer watching a relevant video to reading? In today's digital age, that should be no surprise.
The key with video content is that you simply have to tell a story. In short, your video must be entertaining. And remember
“Show, Don't Tell”
Nobody really wants to read or have read a list of information from the video.
Believe it or not, the hardest part in creating the video is coming up with the storyboard, the script for your story. Once you will find the story, the actors (this is often employees, family, friends, even customers), and also the location, you're ready to film.
You don't need to pay a marketing agency thousands of dollars to create the recording, if you possess the right tools you are able to produce your own high quality video.
Once you will find the video created, make sure you promote on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, your website, and email. The worst thing you could do this is create this excellent video but have no one see it.
These liberated to inexpensive marketing ideas may have a huge impact for your company. Whether your ultimate goal is to drive more and more people right into a specific location, increase web traffic, gain more quality leads, or just increase brand awareness, these strategies are certain to contribute significantly.