Marketing efforts and campaigns propel businesses forward, hence why companies invest so heavily in them. But with so many elements, tools, and technology that companies can involve, marketing strategies can get expensive quickly.
While having a strong marketing budget is great for a brand, some very effective marketing strategies can be achieved on a smaller budget. There are ways to market to your clientele and customers without breaking the bank.
- Utilize Social Media
Social media is free to everyone, and most people are using it more often than you think. This makes it an ideal marketing tool. Some businesses pay to have access to more tools on certain social media sites or boost posts, but this isn’t always necessary or effective. With the right strategy and stellar content, you can actually use social media to boost your business with arguably no or less cost.
For starters, use it as a cheap, easy way to communicate with your customers and establish your presence. The photography and graphics don’t have to be stellar. It just needs to be something that catches the audience’s eye and starts a conversation. Also, use short, concise and clear statements and captions on your social media posts. Research what’s on-trend and see how you can apply your branding to it. Additionally, try to provide relevant and informative content that people can relate to and will consider worth sharing.
- Hire College Freelancers
Many marketing departments spend large budgets on professional freelancers. However, there are many talented young freelancers out there who aren’t charging obscene amounts. Tap into a college graphic design department or English department for copywriters. Through this, you can get the help you need for less while giving young talents the opportunity to learn, grow, and build their portfolio. It’sIt’s still a win-win.
You could also offer unpaid internships for young talent in exchange for letters of recommendation and immersion or experience in the marketing business. Offer to teach and train them when you can and share the knowledge and even your connections. This way, their efforts will not be taken for granted.
- Promotional Products
People often think that promotional products mean giving away free products with little and uncertain returns. However, many promotional products can be effective in spreading brand awareness without costing much at all.
Buying items such as pens, cups, and hats in bulk are just some of the ways to offer giveaway items without spending a ton. To take it up a notch, offer customized items. It doesn’t have to be too grand. Try to give away personalized ink pens that are good quality and have a striking design. People will keep it and use it often, giving your brand visibility. The return in such a method is not easily measurable, but it’s a cheap way to promote and always worth a try. Besides, most people like anything free.
- Manage Subscriptions
Marketing departments will often pay for subscriptions to certain sites or platforms for content creation, editing, social media management, project management, communications, etc. These can be useful tools and make life much easier. However, be sure that all of your subscriptions are necessary.
It can be easy to get caught up in a subscription that costs $100 a month, thinking it’s no big deal. But, at the end of the year, that’s $1,200 you could have used for an impactful campaign or event budget. Manage and monitor your subscriptions and always see if it is an investment that yields positive results in your business. An increase in your teams’ efficiency and productivity is a win. But if there are no evident benefits, it is a huge waste and needs to be terminated.
- Loyalty Over Discounts
Offering discounts or promotions may seem like you’re losing out on money. If it is not done properly, such special offers can put a dent in your profit. Many businesses, including huge brands, have fallen victim to the detrimental effects of offering excessive discounts just to attract consumers.
However, rewarding loyalty often spawns stronger loyalty, and frequent repeat customers are always valuable. Consider having a reward program for loyal customers rather than offering random or seasonal discounts and promos to everyone. Build your customer base and foster a good relationship with them. Deliver the best customer service you can and let them know that their loyalty is appreciated. This way, you can build your brand better with the help of a solid customer foundation.
- Create a Blog
People are emotional beings and they highly value stories. It is even proven that ads that tug on emotions leave a lasting and positive impression on customers and can even help make campaigns go viral. Therefore, consider sharing your thoughts and brand vision with customers through a blog. Reach out to them and let them know that there is a story behind your brand, that there are humans behind your offerings and services. This way, you can connect to them better and strengthen your branding along the way.
The only thing blogging costs you is time if you already have a website in place. Developing content or a series of blogs can take a lot of your time. For this, consider also reaching out to media publications to have your team write professional blogs with increased exposure and SEO.
Marketing is Not Always About the Budget
A marketing strategy’s success is often measured by the impressions and the possible customers that it has brought in. It does not necessarily have to be expensive or even paid all the time. There are many simple marketing ideas, ranging from mastering your brand’s vision to make the smoothest elevator pitch to just interacting with customers. It does not have to be luxurious or grand, it just has to be real and true to your brand.
