Often when people hear the word “marketing”, it creates all sorts of assumptions. Some people think it will be super expensive, others know they need to market their business but almost feel reluctant because it isn’t something tangible; we all like to hold something for our money. Regardless of what you think about the m-word, if you want people to know you exist and how great your business is, you will need some form of marketing.
The point is, there are effective ways you can market your business without being a huge brand or throwing mega money at it. We’ll give you some tips on how to!
*Quick digression….
One of the reasons Blue Cheese Digital was birthed was to provide help for everyone; especially the smaller, local businesses. Through our experience from working in start-ups, agencies and large corporates, we have a strong understanding of the whole marketing mix and how to get value for money.
Back to the mission: marketing on a small budget…
We’ll keep this advice broad, and bear in mind that there will be certain methods that suit different industries more/less; so you can drop us an email for more specific advice, tailored to your business below.
1. Create Quality Content
It almost goes without saying, but quality content is an absolute necessity and growth provider for your business. Nowadays (and it is only going one way), if we want to know something or learn ‘how to’, we “Google it” or “ask Alexa”. Aka, we seek out information that’s been put ‘out there’ to aid us with a problem or question we have.
People love information and if your business can provide quality content to your customers, it will provide value, create trust and build awareness of who you are and what you do.
Content in the form of a blog is a great place to start. What does your business offer? What are your services, products or knowledge? Don’t be afraid to share your experiences, tips, and any useful information; people love it.
Many small businesses struggle for time, ideas or just don’t fancy themselves as a writer, but that’s not an excuse, we can help. Plus, you can’t afford not too.
Another type of content is video, and this is hugely valuable. As Marketers, we hear endless stats about the power of video marketing, such as *5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day and 1/3 of all internet users are YouTube users! Put simply, if you’ve not considered adding video content into your overall digital strategy, you’re likely missing out.
You don’t need to be Spike Lee, if you have a smartphone or decent camera, that’s a starting point. Much like a blog, you can create an instructional video for your audience on one of your products or services; or a walk around your shop or premises; or a short video on tips for your sector; or your latest promotion
2. Get Social
Again, this goes without saying, but every business should be on some form of social media.
It’s everywhere. It’s unavoidable. It’s powerful. It’s here to stay. Here’s just some benefits of ensuring your business is on social media:
- Increase website traffic
- Build conversions
- Raise brand awareness
- Create a brand identity and positive brand association
- Improve communication and interaction with key audiences
Social media channels are now a major source of news and information and it has changed the way we live our lives. Customers will look for your business on social media and are already interacting with other brands. If you’re not speaking directly to your audience through social platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (etc etc), you’re missing out!
Think about how often do you see on Facebook, “Looking for recommendations for…”; where people will then comment and tag a said business providing what they are looking for. Your social media will create advocates for your business and word of mouth is free (and powerful).
Share your blog, some text, images, video, reviews and before/afters. You can even ask your audience what they would like to see more of? Start a conversation….
You might be thinking, “this sounds like a lot of work”, but it is worth it. For more help with your social media, contact us.
3. Host an open-event or class
Simply inviting people to learn about your business, or offering to share your knowledge can work wonders.
An example: we worked with a local Solicitor (who previously worked in a large organisation), looking to increase awareness of who they were and the services they provided. Long-story-short, they held a coffee morning at a local club offering a Q&A session for those seeking legal advice on long term care, Will writing and inheritance planning. We created leaflets, an event on social media and promoted the event. As a result, local people knew about this new business, received free and useful information (building trust and rapport), and took home business cards for the future. It resulted in multiple meetings and new customers.
Have a think about your business setup and what could work. Host a demonstration where you can give out product samples and business literature. Or a coaching session, where you can share your knowledge.
The event or class doesn’t have to be in person either, so don’t panic if you don’t have a place to host or a suitable premise. You can host a class or event via a webinar or Zoom call. Or, why not collaborate with another local business? Could you host a class in a local cafe, restaurant or somewhere where they too can promote their offering?
We can help you…
Small business marketing can be a real struggle for business owners, particularly in the early stages. We have seen it and worked with people first hand, we get it. In a competitive landscape you are faced with the task of getting the word out on a limited budget. It can be tricky to know what the best-value strategies are to grow your brand, your customers, and kickstart your revenues.
Like we say throughout our site, we want to help and believe we can. Drop us a message and let’s arrange a no-obligation chat.
*Source: SocialMediaToday https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/40-video-marketing-statistics-for-2019-infographic/545887/
