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Marketing can sometimes feel like a big investment, but it’s essential to doing business. There are many creative ways to market your brand without breaking the bank.
Following up on our original 7 ways to market your local business on a low budget, here are four more creative hacks to maximize your money without compromising results.
1. Commit to great content
Your website is often your first opportunity to pack a punch with customers. One of the most influential aspects of your site? The quality of your content.
As the adage goes, you never have a second chance to make a first impression. The content you put forward speaks to your abilities as a business, and when your communication doesn't align with your brand, is full of errors, or is lacking in value, your site visitors are unlikely to take a chance with you.
Before you click publish on any new site content, take the time to:
- Check grammar and punctuation thoroughly. Tools like Grammarly are affordable and can save you precious hours in editing.
- Make sure your voice comes through. The last thing you want is to post content that comes off as clinical and conservative when your identity is youthful and fun.
- Be sure you're adding value. Content, for content's sake, isn't worth much, so verify that whatever you've created aligns with your identity and communicates something important.
Outsource
If you're feeling a little overwhelmed by the importance of high-quality content, particularly when writing, grammar, and punctuation aren't your strengths, you're not alone. However, there's an easy solution that doesn't require hiring a writer in-house and paying them a salary: outsourcing.
Freelance writers are readily available, offering an alternative to salaried writers in a far more affordable way without sacrificing quality. Freelancers can be found on freelancing platforms that pair writers and clients or via independent marketplaces like Craigslist. Finding the right fit for your brand may take trial and error, but a good freelance writer can save you thousands in content costs.
2. Refresh and revitalize what you already have
Innovation is critically important in marketing, but that doesn't mean every idea you have has to be new and original. Refreshing and reusing existing approaches to marketing can save time and money when crafting new campaigns.
Reusing existing content, recycling blog posts, and returning to previous campaigns may seem like cutting corners, but sticking to tactics that have performed well is a lot of value. Rely on some of those old favorites to hit the right notes.
Emails
It's doubtful the customers on your email marketing list will remember every message you've sent them, especially those regarding sales or promos. These emails – both the templates themselves and any text in the body – can easily be recycled, allowing you to save time on launching future campaigns.
Promotions
Did your customers love your BOGO event after the holidays last year? If so, why change what works? There's no reason to switch things up when sales and promos have historically worked well for you.
Content marketing
If you have an updated take on a topic you've already covered, recycling existing content is possible. This can mean adding new stats and republishing, expanding on a topic, or rearranging your thoughts. If you're short on time, you don't need to rewrite or refresh posts – promoting old but successful blog posts on social media or via email to get more views can be effective, too.
3. Create reward referral programs
Word of mouth can be extremely effective in marketing; it’s no secret that personal recommendations and advice from friends and family will carry more weight. These outcomes are best accomplished when you have the right strategy in place.
Referral programs are fantastic at getting the ball rolling, providing an incentive for those willing to share. Some companies are hesitant to implement these kinds of alternatives due to the perceived costs, but referral rewards don't have to be expensive, and they can offer benefits far outweigh their
costs. According to Signpost, “Consumers are four times more likely to purchase or engage a business when referred by a friend.”
To start your referral program, you'll need to set a goal, create a message, determine an incentive, provide a landing page for information and registration, and set up a tracking methodology. For companies who want to nail rewards right out of the gate, utilizing a third-party referral platform can help. After all, the last thing you want to do is launch a process ripe with errors.
Be aware that your incentives don't need to be immense; something as simple as 10% off a purchase or a $10 account credit can get the job done. Customers love saving money, so these offers can sweeten the pot with current and prospective shoppers.
4. Win customers with contests
Hosting a contest may seem too simple to be effective, but drawings, giveaways, and social media promotions can achieve numerous goals for your business without leading to a substantial increase in costs. There are a few different ways to run a contest, and all have advantages. Whatever you implement, it's important to focus on marketing – a contest that no one knows about isn't going to create value.
Purchase to enter
Have a standout item that customers love? Consider building a contest around it. Customers who purchase a particular item within a set timeframe can be entered to win. Your reward should focus on sales, too, like $100 to spend or a high-end item. In this case, the cost to you is low and entering requires purchases – a win-win situation.
Sweepstakes
While this contest may not lead to immediate sales, it can increase visibility if your marketing is on point. A no-obligation registration will endear you to prospective customers, leading to a much larger base of potential shoppers who may decide to purchase after signing up. This also allows you to build your email list, improving the reach of future outreach efforts. Ensure you check and comply with regulations that may apply to any proposed sweepstakes campaign.
Social media contests
Social media is the new leader in corporate contests, and Instagram has much to offer. According to Tailwind, accounts that host contests can see a 70% faster follower growth rate than accounts that don't.
Social media contests can take many forms, including asking users to tag your page in live stories, instructing users to post emojis and tag a friend to enter, or requesting tags in themed pictures. Regardless of your avenue, be sure your page aces the first impression opportunity to wow contest participants.
For more information
For more information to help your small business, check out the BBB business news feed and the BizHQ.
BBB Great West + Pacific contributed this article.