Most small businesses typically have small budgets. That makes promoting your business a challenge, especially against bigger competitors. However, even if you have a small budget there are ways to market your business to customers without a big budget.
In this post we are going to go over some low budget strategies to market your business.
Free Marketing Ideas
There are multiple things you can do for marketing that are absolutely free and typically don’t require many resources.
Google My Business
Get your local views up by creating a Google My Business Profile. It is one of the most effective free marketing strategies available now. By creating your Google My Business Profile your business will show up on Google Maps. When people are searching for your vertical and are nearby, Google will display business on the right hand side of Maps. This gives you free real estate.
In order to get to the top of this section to secure your business’ posting in search results, you need to optimize your Business Profile. To do that you need to just verify your Google My Business account. The process is simple and includes a few simple steps of confirming your business address and waiting for a postcard with a verification code.
Be Active on Social Media
Building a community online is always a great way to grow a small business. A strong social media presence and engagement can help you do this. By posting online you will be showing off your brand’s personality and also building trust within your community and potential audience. Make sure you have active business accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. There are also more niche social media sites, such as Pinterest or TikTok, that you can leverage if they fit your vertical.
Here are a few ways you can get your community more involved:
Run polls to get communities’ input
Promote your blog posts, to drive traffic to your website
Minimize your long tail content into short, precise, informative posts
Leverage LinkedIn
LinkedIn is typically a source that never gets tapped by companies, especially small ones. There is more to do on the platform than making network connections. You can talk to the connections you make, join on contribute to forums, share your blog posts, and share other content for people to see.
Sharing what you know and helping others to learn is a great way to attract customers, build your brand and gain respect and recognition in your industry. Don’t just use your business account, encourage your employees and coworkers to get active on the platform.
More Marketing Ideas
Apply for Business Awards
Just about every industry has business awards you can win yearly. Winning gives you an online badge you can place on your website. This helps boost your credibility, which in turn, helps increase your sales.
If you can’t find any awards for your industry or vertical, make one! In doing so you will generate a lot of buzz, and build connections. This will also boost your credibility as a leader in the industry.
Start Blogging
Creating content regularly should always be part of your marketing strategy. A great place to start is with a blog.
Having a blog will drive traffic to your website, increase engagement, and strengthen your SEO. Of course this is completely free for you to do online. Make sure your blog pertains to your vertical and gives information that is useful for potential clients. Keep your blogs simple and easy to read. Incorporate the specific keywords you want to target in a natural way throughout your blog post.
Almost Free Marketing Ideas
The following are ideas that won’t break the bank. You will need to throw some resources into them like a subscription or a ticket.
Run a Webinar Event
Reaching out to your audience in person might not be your company's approach to things, and that is why people host webinars. A webinar is a great way to promote your business, you can present helpful content that can potentially interest customers. The two main webinar platforms are Webex and GoToMeeting which are both easy to use.
Before hosting a webinar make sure you promote it on social media and through your email marketing lists. Ensure your promotions are scheduled one and two weeks out and provide reminders so that your audience doesn’t miss out.
Networking Events
Try attending trade shows and industry events. It's a great way to level up your business. Events like these have like minded individuals that are looking for new strategies to grow their business. You can even make some nice B2B contacts. These events also have exclusive seminars designed to help sharpen skills and learn how to better promote your business.
Facebook Campaigns
Even if your advertising budget is small, you can more than likely run Facebook Ads. Facebook Ad campaigns typically have a low cost per a click compared to bigger advertising sites like Google Ads. To get a more in depth analysis check out some of the blog posts we have written on Facebook Ads.
Digital Advertising can be a tricky thing especially if you are a small business with a small budget dedicated to marketing. However, by leveraging these free marketing ideas you can have an impact in your industry and grow your sales and your business.