Post Title 5 Ideas for Marketing Your Business With Little to No Money
Marketing and business go hand-in-hand. You know how important it is to get new customers in the door, but you don’t see how you can do it, especially with a limited budget to work with. There are a few things you can do with little to no money now that can help drive business your way. Take a look at these five ideas for getting your company off on the right foot. This is especially important if you are just starting your new business.
1. Know Your Prospective Customer Base
Successful marketing strategies like those advocated by Mark Crumpacker can work wonders for your burgeoning business. It is one part getting to know the consumer you want to draw into your business and one part strategic planning and implementation of an effective marketing blitz. You can put together the best advertising campaign around, but if it isn’t targeting the people who will buy into what you have to offer, it will all be wasted money.
2. Check Out Competitors
It may help to take a good look at those who provide similar services to yours. What kind of campaigns are they running? Is there something you can take away from how they do things? While they probably have the capital to create and run a full marketing blitz, you can at least see what you want to aim for in the future. You can also see some of the places they seem to reach their customer base, which is also your customer base.
3. Create a Distinct Image
Now that you’ve taken some time to look at others, it’s time to turn the lens on yourself. What is it about your business that’s special? Why should people give you a try? Creating a brand is essential to your small business success. It is a way you can stand out and offer people a little taste of something local and distinct. Come up with a company motto or mission statement that accurately portrays what you hope to accomplish and motivates others to join in. Before you can start marketing your company effectively, you first must know who you are.
4. Get Out and Talk to People
Networking is a tremendous asset when it comes to promoting your business. Like you, many local companies are always looking for cheap and effective marketing strategies to boost their growth. Strike up friendships with local business owners and craft cross-marketing promotions where you refer and drive business out to each other. Sponsor local community events together like charity fundraisers or local PTA events. Get out in the community and meet your customers. You may find that some of your most loyal patrons are from these types of referrals or events.
5. Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Whether you love social media or hate it, it is a powerful marketing tool. Create a campaign on Facebook or Twitter with minimal backing, but you may get good results. Check out the metrics they offer as well to give you an idea of who is clicking on your ads. Shift your target if need be.
Getting your business off the ground involves hard work, dedication and persistence. You need to get people in the door to be successful, and coming up with the best marketing strategy may come down to how bad you want your business to succeed.
