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Without a doubt, investing in your marketing will always be the best way to grow your business; but with a continuous stream of money going out of the door, it’s often tough to justify the spend. The act of marketing, when done correctly, will help increase your brand awareness, generate more leads, and improve your customer conversions, ultimately leading to more sales and business growth.
However, for small businesses especially, it can be very difficult to know where and how to allocate marketing budget, and how to identify those tactics that work, without breaking the bank.
There are some successful marketing tactics that can actually be done for zero cost. The marketing methods mentioned here will require a committed investment of your time, but choose which ones you want to implement and, in time, you should start to yield some successful results.
Some ways to do marketing with zero budget include:
1. Cross-promotion – partnering with related businesses who can promote your services in exchange for you promoting theirs. For example, Web Designers could promote video makers or SEO specialists. Graphic Designers can promote copywriters or marketing consultants. And vice versa. There are usually many relatable business services that could be leveraged and utilised for mutual benefit, with very little effort.
2. Become an industry voice – one of the key principles and requisites of marketing is brand awareness, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to get started. By being visible within your industry, you’ll start to get your name and brand out there and people will become curious. One way to start is to identify the top 10 blogs within your industry and comment on them on a regular basis. With consistent commenting, your name will become well known, the readers will become familiar with you and your brand, leading them to want to know more about you.
3. Networking – building your own network is essential for building a future pipeline of work. By joining network groups, you’re creating the opportunity of promoting your products or services in person, and the opportunity to do future business with either them or people they know. And If there are no network groups in your area, then why not create your own network group.
4. Work for free – if you’re offering a service, then consider offering some of your time for free. I’ve provided free services to people in return for testimonials rather than a payment. You could also ask for backlinks, PR, and even access to their services in return.
5. Family & Friends - Don’t be afraid of asking family and friends to share your content, your business name, your website, and whatever else is shareable. Family and friends tend to be very supportive when asked. Why not take this opportunity as low hanging fruit.
6. Testimonials and advocacy. Testimonials cost absolutely nothing to collect yet they’re the one key tactic that can help convert the most users. By building testimonials into your strategy and promoting them across your website and social media channels, potential customers will feel that you’re a trusted, credible company and are more likely to buy from you when they’re ready to purchase.
7. Youtube and Blogger outreach – if you’re a product-based company, you can reach out to bloggers and You-tubers in exchange for reviews and features. Research the most prevalent ones in your industry and make contact. These types of relationships need to be win-win, so do make it worth their while.
So you see that some marketing techniques don’t need a huge financial investment. Some are actually zero cost! With some time, energy, and focus, some good marketing progress can be made by leveraging one or two of these marketing tactics.
If 2024 is the year that your small business needs a robust marketing plan, content strategy, or brand assistance - contact Sally on 07970 483 026 or email sally@marketingdoneinaday.com