Starting your own small business requires sticking to a very tight budget in most cases. While your cash flow may be stretched thin, there are still methods for marketing your brand and products that won’t put you further in debt. By considering some of these suggestions, you may be able to promote your business more than you thought possible.
Use or Start Your Blog
In today’s digital market, you have the greatest free marketing tool right at your fingertips, but, if you’re like most business owners, you don’t use it. That tool is the blog on your website and, even if you do write posts, chances are they’re dry and regurgitating the same content available on hundreds of similar websites. However, if you write posts more regularly and come up with content that’s both original and entertaining, you’ll increase the chances that your posts will go viral. At the very least, you’ll be creating shareable content and, in the world of social media, that’s marketing gold.
Video is on the Rise
Almost since the beginning of social media, still images have been the preferred content, but that’s changing. In the past two years, the popularity of video has been on the rise and businesses are making more use of video to send out their messages. Again, it’s important to create entertaining and engaging content. Tutorials and instructional videos are especially popular because you’re giving viewers something of value without giving away free products. Typically, you should keep videos brief and concise to avoid losing viewer interest.
Reconsider Your Cyber Security Needs
How does security impact your marketing efforts? Many businesses go overboard in arming their systems with a broad range of security products without addressing what they really need. Instead of buying into every new security product to become available, it’s more cost-effective to analyze your needs and install products that specifically address those needs. Once you take the time to understand the difference between IPS vs IDS security systems, you’ll be better prepared to invest in the right cybersecurity products. This can help you make your system secure while freeing up more cash flow to spend on marketing.
Take Advantage of Free Publicity
Philanthropy is a great way to market your business and create a positive brand image among consumers. If you’re not sure where to get started, you might try taking a walk around the block. Chances are you won’t have to go far to find a cause or organization that could use your business’s support. Getting involved in food drives, helping schools raise money for equipment, or participating in a marathon will help your business get more involved with the community, while also providing your business with free advertising. You could even host some events on your business’s property to increase foot traffic.
Start Marketing on Social Media
While you can pay to boost your social media posts, that’s not really necessary. It will take some experimenting to determine the best social media site to use and the best times to publish your posts, but once you figure out those sweet spots, you’ll have regular access to free marketing. You can post links to your blog posts to gain more traffic to your website, or create unique posts to increase your social media followers. Whatever strategy you choose, consistent posting will help you get the interactions you desire.
Appear as a Guest on Podcasts
In today’s market, podcasts are as valuable to businesses as traditional radio broadcasts once were generations ago. In fact, businesses are just starting to take advantage of the growing popularity of podcasts. There are a couple ways you can benefit from podcasts. First, you can pay for on-air advertisements just like you would buy commercial airtime with any radio station. Secondly, you can ask to appear as a guest on a few shows. The shows you approach should be related to your type of business in some way and you should be able to articulate how your appearance will benefit the show. You may offer to discuss how to use certain products or talk about current issues affecting your business.
As this list suggests, the digital revolution has changed the face of business marketing, making it more accessible for some. From free to cheap to extravagant, there’s no shortage of marketing strategies to suit your budget. While everything won’t work for every business, it can be exciting and informative to try a little of everything. In no time at all, your marketing efforts will begin to pay off.
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