How to Create a Successful Marketing Campaign on a Shoe-String Budget
It’s incredible how much it costs to start up a business, right? Actually, it’s pretty crazy how much advice there is only about how simple it is to start a business and that even starting an online business right from home can be dirt cheap. But here’s the thing: it’s incredibly rare to start up a business with next to no capital; it’s hard to set up a business on an extremely tight budget.
Now, it’s possible, but you have to keep in mind that it’s nowhere as easy as you might think it’s going to be. But what about marketing? Well, this is a mixed bag because it is usually pushed to be expensive, but you can still have a successful campaign without having to spend too much. So, with that said, here’s how you can create a successful marketing campaign with a digital marketing agency on an extremely shoestring budget.
Start with Tanglible Marketing
If you’re focusing on your locality, especially if your business interacts with others directly (like a storefront, cafe, or even a market stand at the farmer’s market), then this is something that you might want to do. It’s a bit old-fashioned, but honestly, you just can’t go wrong when it comes to tangible marketing.
For example, if you’re starting out by selling your products at your local farmer’s market or artisan’s market, then with every purchase, you can hand out some high quality leaflets so buyers have a better idea about your business (or just have a stack out for people to grab). But of course, there are posters, stickers, and even a simple business card that can do the trick, too.
Now, these can be cheap, and they can be dirt-cheap if you look for the right company, but you could DIY these, too, especially with a laser printer, since they don’t use a lot of ink. Again, these are merely examples, but when you’re on a shoestring budget when starting out, this could be the best way to go.
Leverage Social Media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are fantastic tools to reach a wide audience without spending a dime. Actually, when you have absolutely no money for marketing, this is where you can start. So, with that all said, you can share your business journey by posting stories, photos, videos, and updates. You don’t have to pay for ads, and it might even help to not set up business accounts at first (because ads about making ads will be pushed at you).
Let people see the heart and soul behind your business—show behind-the-scenes glimpses, introduce your team (if you have one), and highlight your products or services. But of course, you’ll need to also engage with your followers by responding to comments, joining conversations, and building relationships. It’s a whole list of stuff. A lot of businesses will eventually hire someone to do this, but again, you’re on a shoestring budget, which means that you’re going to have to be the one to DIY all of this alone.
But you need to take the time to engage like this, and you need to take the time to put an effort into all of this too. Why? Well, this kind of interaction not only increases your visibility but also fosters a loyal community. Using relevant hashtags can help more people discover your posts, and participating in Facebook groups and LinkedIn communities related to your industry allows you to share your expertise and connect with like-minded individuals.
So, this is by far a massive wave of advice and information, but there’s a reason for this. social media is by far the best way to market your business because it’s literally for free. There are free apps for editing your pictures and videos, social media is free, posting is free, engaging is free, it’s all free!
Look into Community Relationships
So, one piece of common advice would be teaming up with local businesses, but this shouldn’t be a one-off partnership though. Instead, you should consider something on-going. For the most part, building relationships within your local community can open many doors. So it’s going to really help your new business if you went ahead and began attending local events such as community gatherings, trade shows, and networking meetups. These are just a few examples, but you could also consider joining local business groups, like your local Chamber of Commerce or small business associations (most small towns have this), which provide networking opportunities and resources that can be invaluable for a small business.
Try to Get Word-of-Mouth Marketing to Start
Before official marketing began, this is what marketing used to be; it’s basically as old as time, and even to this day, it still works. Actually, word of mouth is one of the most powerful and cost-effective marketing tools.
So, it’s all going to start with you encouraging your customers to spread the word by offering excellent service that turns them into advocates for your business. But it’s not just about the positive reviews either; try to get your friends and family (and coworkers) to spread the word around, too.
Take Advantage of Freebies Online
Now, this is probably the best piece of advice out there, and that’s using what is already free. So, you should just go ahead and start taking advantage of free tools and resources that can greatly assist your marketing efforts.
This means that you should just go ahead and create a Google My Business profile to improve your local search visibility. Use Canva to create professional-looking graphics and marketing materials without the need for a graphic designer (the free version, at least). Creative Market is another one that gives out freebies each week.
SEO Is Free
Do you have a website? SEO marketing is completely free unless you hire someone to do this for you, so why not consider this? You have to be in it for the long term, but by all means, it’s going to be 100% worth it if you focus on this- so that’s just something to really keep in mind.
