Marketing Ideas Even Shoestring Startups Can Afford
Marketing ideas may be free but they certainly aren’t optional for your business, especially if you’re a brand new startup trying to build interest in your brand. So how can some small startups afford decent marketing?
Marketing ideas are not something you can do without completely – they must be part of your long-term business plan. However, that is not to say that they needs to cost you lots of money.
Sure, there are startups out there spending thousands of dollars every month on their marketing efforts. However, if you can’t afford that, there’s no need to worry; here are some marketing ideas that you can absolutely do on a shoestring, and they do work!
Show Off on Social Media
The great thing about social media is that anyone can use it and you can use it for free. That makes it a very valuable way of growing an audience.
Obviously, you’ll get better results if you pay for a little advertising on Facebook or wherever. However, post lots of witty, engaging content and attractive unique photos.
Do this in places your target audience is likely to gather and you should be able to market your company fairly well. An online marketing specialist will be able to guide you through the options.
Go Low Tech
We might live in a high-tech internet age where everyone wants the latest custom PC designed for their individual needs. However, that doesn’t mean that all of your marketing ideas and efforts have to be strictly online. Use competent printing services to run up low-cost business cards and flyers.
Banners, posters and leaflets can be very effective at drumming up business, especially if you leave them at places, events, festivals, etc, where your target audience is likely to congregate.
Guest Posting
Blogs are big news and that means that they can be an invaluable source of free or low-cost advertising.
If you can find a blog that is in your business niche, which allows guest posts, all you have to do is write, or pay a competent freelancer to write a great post centered around the topic your company covers.
Once it’s posted, you’ll have so many people clicking through to your website to find out more.
Sponsor Someone
Sponsoring someone or something is a great way to get more exposure and it needn’t cost you the earth.
Even just contributing a couple of hundred dollars to a local animal shelter or good cause that you know your target audience will be behind, can be enough to get your company’s name on the map and increase your business.
It’s also a pretty good way to live your life, giving back to others.
Referrals
If your startup has been trading for a little while and you’ve started to get a few customers, then one of the easiest ways to market on a budget is to not market at all. Say what?
Yes, it is possible to market without actually marketing. You do this via the referral system. Offer your customers a discount for every person they refer and they’ll start sending more custom your way. Easy.
You really don’t have to pay thousands of dollars to appear on Tv or billboards to draw attention to your startup, so don’t worry and try some of these ideas instead!
Insanely Clever Marketing 