If you don’t have a large marketing budget for your startup, you need to find creative, less expensive ways to get your business name out there. Unfortunately, many new business owners don’t realize just how easy the process can be. You don’t need large billboard advertisements or ads on the TV to spread the word about your new business. Instead, try these budget-friendly marketing techniques.
Buy Promotional Items
People love free stuff, which is why you should consider having promotional items made for your startup. You can purchase bulk t-shirts, pens, and bumper stickers to give away to your customer and potential customers. Every time they use the item, it will remind them of your company and get your business’s name in front of whoever they come across. Other promotional items you can consider include coffee mugs, mouse pads, and calendars.
Social Media Marketing
It’s important for startups to take advantage of social media platforms for marketing purposes because it's one form of digital marketing that allows you to reach massive amounts of people quickly, without spending a large amount of cash.
When using social media to promote your startup, you need to choose the social media platform that the people in your target audience use the most. For example, if your target market is middle-aged women, you might consider promoting your business on Pinterest and Facebook. However, if your target market is men and women in their 20s, SnapChat and Instagram might be better options.
While you can start the online marketing process without spending money on ads, paying for ads on social media platforms often speeds up the process. The good news is, most social media platforms allow you to post advertisements that are really budget-friendly, so you can even start out with a small budget that’s only a few dollars per day.
Blogging
Starting a business blog is a great way to spread the word about your business, and it doesn’t cost you anything other than time. As long as you take the time to learn search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, every blog you publish will drive organic traffic from search engines to your website. Each person who visits your website is a potential customer.
Also, in addition to using blogs to drive traffic to your site, the blog you create can be used as social media posts. This way, you have unique content to post to your social media pages without doing a lot of additional work.
Email Marketing
Every business, including startups, should always strive to grow their email list. Your email list is your direct contact with the people who have shown interest in your products and services. Without it, you could be losing out on a lot of sales. It’s important to use your email list to build relationships with potential customers. This way, when you’re offering a sale or promotion for your business, you have an entire list of people who trust you ready and waiting to buy.
To build a trusting relationship with the people on your email list, send regular emails that tell them stories relating to your business and give them helpful tips. Don’t be afraid to get personal. When people really feel like they know the person behind the business, they are more likely to become paying customers.
Ultimately, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get your business name out there. Take the time to use the power of the internet to build relationships with people who will eventually become your customers and don’t be afraid to create and give away promotional items to everyone you meet.