Small businesses frequently have limited marketing resources, which can make advertising your company difficult. The good news is that there are many free or low-cost alternatives for you to sell yourself to your consumers.
Now that we've taken care of that for you, as a business owner you probably don't have the time to study and uncover these free marketing ideas.
You'll find a ton of free and inexpensive ways to advertise your company in this post, divided into three categories:
Quick and easy marketing strategies
Ideas for free marketing that demand a little more work
Quick marketing strategies that cost a bit extra
Let's thus get started with these cost-effective marketing techniques.
Quick and easy marketing strategies
These techniques are completely free and don't take up a lot of time or resources (since we know that time is money).
1. Open a Google My Business account for free
A Google Business Profile has emerged as one of the best free marketing tactics available, particularly for small firms. Your company may appear on Google Maps, the local results page of Google Search, and the right-side Knowledge Panel for sponsored searches thanks to this essential piece of marketing collateral.
However, you must enhance your Business Profile in order for it to appear higher on Google Maps or local searches. And in order to optimize it, you must have confirmed ownership of it, which is done through your Google My Business account.
2. Post on social media (and interact)
A free strategy to expand your small business while showcasing your brand's individuality and gaining the trust of your audience is by increasing social media participation and creating an online community. Create company profiles on the popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and more. Anytime you have a few minutes to spare, you can do this.
One can:
Promote your blog entries to increase website traffic.
Engage in direct communication with your audience to convey your brand voice and increase engagement.
Create surveys and ask for comments.
Take passages from lengthier pieces of content and turn them into succinct, informative postings that are simpler to read.
Whatever your reason, be sure to maintain a regular presence and take initiative on the social media platforms you set up. Consider consistency, neighborhood, teamwork, and dedication.
3. Use social media to tag people (and businesses)
On social media, tagging your devoted consumers, brand advocates, or even nearby businesses and vendors may increase the organic reach of your company to a new target market, help you build your fan base, and perhaps even bring in additional customers. Additionally, you want to push your followers to mention your brand or place of business on social media.
4. Utilize hashtags!
Utilizing hashtags in your social media posts—on Facebook, LinkedIn, and, of course, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok—is another free marketing strategy that may increase your audience.
Although broad or popular hashtags might support your brand identity, you shouldn't employ them exclusively. When you're sharing materials or guidance, you should use more precise hashtags (similar to long-tail keywords). If you own a local business, you absolutely must use location-based hashtags. Not to mention custom hashtags! Use a variety of hashtags in your postings to ensure that the individuals for whom they are intended may see them.
5. Pay attention to LinkedIn
A significant social networking platform called LinkedIn is frequently underused. Engage in conversation with the connections you build, share your blog articles and offers, join and participate in forums, and share the valuable material of others. Don't just add network connections and sign off.
You may develop your brand and get respect and trust in your business by assisting other experts in their growth and educate your future clients. Encourage each and every one of your staff to participate on the platform as well!
Ideas for free marketing that demand a little more work
Although these tactics are still free, they do involve a little more time and/or work. The good news is that plan effectiveness and success are often inversely correlated with effort required.
6. Engage in local SEO
The most advantageous aspect of Google's algorithm is that it is made to deliver the most precise, excellent, and pertinent material for each given search query. Because it's not pay to play, the playing field is leveled and tiny firms may contend with established rivals for page one real estate.
Start today and stay working; local SEO is free, but it might take some time; the rewards can add up over time. Here are a few local SEO requirements:
Include geographic keywords in the names, headers, and body copy of your primary website pages (for example, "Westport bakery").
Register with online directories, making sure that all of your information is consistent.
Create web pages or blog articles that are tailored to the areas you serve.
7. Create an email marketing strategy
Email marketing is a fantastic method to keep in touch with your current customers and engage new clients in your brand. Email marketing is also a tried-and-true method for getting a good return on your marketing spend, if not the most trustworthy one. The following will guarantee that:
Consider and be imaginative while writing your topic lines.
Ensure that each email contains an offer that motivates your readers to take a subsequent action.
Analyze your results and conduct A/B testing to see which offers and text are more effective with your list.
Additional simple email marketing suggestions:
By providing a bonus content item, voucher, or discount in exchange for subscribing, you may encourage new website visitors to sign up for your newsletter.
Email-nurture your followers gradually until they are prepared to convert to paying clients.
With the help of a free email marketing solution like MailChimp, launch your promotional email campaigns.
8. Make infographics using lots of data
Information graphics are incredibly effective marketing tools. They are an excellent technique to increase referral traffic and links since they are shareable, easy to understand, and visually appealing.
You can create your own infographics on the cheap using free programs like Canva, Adobe's free vector kits, or our personal favorite, Visme, which offer all the components required to create a brilliant, shareable infographic. Hiring a designer to create you an A+ infographic may be expensive. Uncertain of where to begin? Visual.ly is a great source of inspiration. You can look through their examples, both simple and complex.
If you don't have any unique, confidential information to use in an infographic, you can find current information and give it new life. Check out data.gov or the Census Bureau for information about the government. World Health Organization and UNICEF both provide access to global statistics. In the end, you'll need to locate source information that is pertinent to your sector and the interests of your audience. However, there is a ton of free data available.
9. Obtain free advertising credits
Massive advertising campaigns could be out of your price range, but there are frequently deals and reductions available for Google or Facebook ads. Some web hosting companies provide promotional coupons for advertising as a benefit of membership. See whether yours does by checking. Of course, getting the promotion is simple, but for the greatest outcomes and audience insights, you'll still want to brush up on your PPC techniques. If you're prepared to study the fundamentals, have a look at the training materials in Growth Academy.
10. Enter business awards contests
You can receive company awards in the majority of industries, and you may display an online badge on your website as a result. These kinds of badges can promote reputation and therefore, sales. Here are some pointers for maximizing the marketing potential of an award.
Create your own awards if your sector is lacking in them. You'll attract the interest of other industry companies that wish to submit an application for your award, which implies additional connections and potential future partnerships!
11. Do you feel brave? Try out guerrilla marketing
Guerrilla marketing prioritizes creativity above money, and its tactics are frequently inexpensive and simple to carry out, particularly when localized. Use sidewalk chalk to write your Twitter handle, an empty storefront as a canvas for street art, or personalized stickers to decorate urban décor that causes passersby to pause and take notice.
12. Post excellent content
If done properly, content marketing is a very effective strategy that doesn't cost a lot of money. This not only demonstrates your experience, authority, and sincere desire to help your audience, but Google also gives priority to high-quality material that most effectively responds to queries from people. As a result, it increases the visibility of your website on Google and increases free traffic.
Consider writing to be a weak suit? Remember that clear, understandable language—rather than fancy jargon, but rather the words your audience uses to find answers to inquiries about your products or services—helps educate your audience. So just offer your knowledge instead of attempting to be fancy!
And keep in mind that many things that are commonplace to you are sometimes unfamiliar to your consumers. You are the authority. The goal here is original, genuine content that is helpful – think of how-tos, top ten lists, tip collections, best practices, data insights, thought leadership articles, and so on (some of these will be mentioned later in this post).
Starting a blog is a terrific method to include content in your marketing efforts on a regular basis.
Small companies may utilize blogging to promote website traffic, user engagement, online exposure, and overall search engine optimization. It's a totally free approach to advertise your small business online by sharing stories about it and pertinent information that potential customers are looking for.
Simple language, focusing on a new topic with each article, and naturally including your target keywords into each post mean that they don't need to be lengthy and complex.
14. Establish business collaborations
Join together for a collaborative initiative with a company that is connected to your industry (but not a direct rival). This may be accomplished both locally and offline through a special event of some form, or online (which might still be local) through a webinar or giveaway.
A partnership with another company gives you double the visibility and opens up a whole new market for your expertise.
Because they provide small business owners access to marketing expertise, technology, and consumer bases that they could not otherwise obtain on their own, industry alliances are excellent marketing strategies. If you want to create a successful partnership, you must think it through carefully and work hard at it. Before making things formal, make sure to set clear expectations, interact with other businesses and evaluate them, determine how you might operate together, and have multiple talks.
15. Share valuable videos
Although it might be expensive to have a professional video created and published to YouTube, you don't necessarily need to employ a professional. Video is a very popular medium for customers. With today's mobile devices and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, DIY video marketing is simple.
Videos work particularly well for providing step-by-step instructions on how to carry out tasks like installing a garbage disposal or folding a fitted sheet. But virtually every sector benefits from video marketing. You may produce the following to make that crucial connection with your audience:
YouTube tutorials and how-to guides
Demos of products
Coverage of what it's like to work at your company from the inside
Interviewing your employees or subject-matter experts
Slideshows with descriptions for the pictures
Add a personal or brand-related statement, if relevant. Be open-minded. Distribute the movie on your website, YouTube and other video hosting sites, social media channels, and even in emails after concluding with a compelling call to action (such as Call us to schedule an appointment! or Place your birthday cake order now!).
16. Make staff members brand ambassadors
Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most effective ways to increase sales for many small businesses. Consider the impact of referrals from friends or family. According to research, consumers are more likely to purchase a good or service if they learn about it from a stranger.
You may take use of the enormous potential of your workers' networks by treating them well and motivating them to serve as brand ambassadors. Why not use the voices and social networks of your workers, who have a real interest in your company, to communicate with a wider audience?
Consider sometimes holding a special discount sale similar to a "friends and family" campaign. Learn how to utilize Facebook for your company; organize an event, invite your staff, and request that they invite their friends, both personal and professional. To broaden the audience for your event, encourage them to share the status and tag individuals.
17. Reuse your previous material
Utilize your previous efforts to its fullest potential. Repurpose successful content for different channels! Make a video instructional out of a productive webinar. Create an ebook from a collection of related blog articles or other website material that you can advertise via site pop-ups or email marketing.
Never be afraid to remix and re-promote your previous work; chances are that a sizable portion of your audience has never ever heard of it, making it a brand-new piece of content for them.
Essentially free marketing strategies
Although you won't need a significant advertising budget to use these techniques, you will probably need to invest some resources, such paying for platform subscriptions or event tickets.
18. Conduct lectures and events
Create a schedule for your class or event, then print and distribute flyers throughout your neighborhood (libraries, coffee shops, local colleges and adult ed centers). While most community bulletin boards won't let you post commercial adverts, they frequently wouldn't mind if you posted a flier advertising a class or event that's meant to be informative.
Attend any local events you can locate that can be advantageous to your business if you are unable to hold an event. You never know where you'll meet your next client or coworker!
19. Host educational webinars
You can always organize a webinar if approaching a potential audience in person doesn't sound like a decent marketing concept to you. Webinars are a free approach to advertise your company by giving potential clients who are interested useful information.
You may easily broadcast your webinar using platforms for webinars like Webex and GoToMeeting. One to two weeks before to the event, make sure to advertise your webinar on social media or in an email newsletter. Include reminders to registrants so they don't miss it.
20. Attend business and networking events
It makes commercial sense to go to trade exhibitions and industry conferences to advertise your small company. These conferences bring together business professionals from a variety of sectors who are looking for fresh marketing ideas to expand their companies. Additionally, it's a method to connect with like-minded individuals and make new B2B relationships. Additionally, these conferences provide premium seminars that can help you hone your sales, social media, marketing, and other modern methods of small company promotion abilities.
21. Run a contest or giveaway on social media
An intelligent and cost-efficient marketing tactic is holding a contest or giveaway on social media. The amount of participants and new prospective leads you receive will make the cost of the prize (or offering a product or service for free) more than worthwhile. Really limited by funds? Technically, you don't need a really expensive prize to attract participation. For some people, even a few expensive water bottles or stylish backpacks may be all they need to be interested.
There are many various kinds of social media contests out there, but the fundamental concept is to demand that participants like, follow, or tag your company, or tag someone else on your post, in order to spread the word about you and draw attention to your offerings.
22. Hold a business card drawing in-store
Install a fishbowl with a sign asking people to put their business cards in it for a chance to win something from you at your place of business. For instance, a restaurant may provide a complimentary lunch for the entire workplace that is (if appropriate, socially distant).
There is no reason those additional business cards need to be thrown away even though you can only choose one winner at the end of the month after collecting a ton of them. Use the given email addresses to inform consumers that while they haven't won this time, they are welcome to sign up for your mailing list, which will keep them informed of future contests and exclusive deals.
23. Create a program for customer referrals
Give current clients a free product, a free month of service, or some other incentive in exchange for introducing new clients. Keep in mind that word-of-mouth marketing is effective, and consumers who are recommended by other customers are quite important. Here are some suggestions for increasing recommendations from your current clients and consumers.
In case you still doubt the effectiveness of this low-cost marketing strategy, here are some further referral marketing statistics:
Word-of-mouth, according to 74% of consumers, is the main influence on their purchase decisions.
Referred customers are four times more likely to make a purchase.
If their friends or family promote a new product, 77 percent of customers are more inclined to purchase it.
Referred clients have a 37 percent greater likelihood of customer retention, according to statistics on referral marketing.
24. Participate in nearby activities or competitions
Make it a point to attend local events like farmers markets, annual festivals, and other competitions if they are held in the town or city where you are located to get to know the people there. The finest kind of market research is this. If appropriate, host a table or booth at the occasion, sign up as a sponsor, or offer one of your goods or services as a raffle or contest prize. It's a cheap approach to get more people to know about your company.
25. Purchase some fantastic business cards
Obtain some chic business cards, then distribute them to everyone you come across. A business card must to be offered with every handshake. Even if it's only a fleeting glimpse at a business card, the more people who learn about your company, the better.
26. Attach magnets to the business vehicle
You may create a mobile brand awareness campaign by adhering a magnetic sign to your corporate car and driving about town (just be sure to obey traffic laws). This strategy also works with bumper stickers and window decals, both of which are often inexpensive to produce.
27. Launch a Twitter campaign
Even with a little advertising budget, you might be able to run some Facebook advertisements. Facebook advertising has a very low potential cost per click.
Here are all 27 low-cost and free ways to market your business:
Open a Google My Business account for free
Post on social media (and interact)
Use social media to tag people (and businesses)
Utilize hashtags!
Pay attention to LinkedIn
Engage in local SEO
Create an email marketing strategy
Make infographics using lots of data
Obtain free advertising credits
Enter business awards contests
Do you feel brave? Try out guerrilla marketing
Post excellent content
Launch a blog
Establish business collaborations
Share valuable videos
Make staff members brand ambassadors
Reuse your previous material
Conduct lectures and events
Host educational webinars
Attend business and networking events
Run a contest or giveaway on social media
Hold a business card drawing in-store
Create a program for customer referrals
Participate in nearby activities or competitions
Purchase some fantastic business cards
Attach magnets to the business vehicle
Launch a Twitter campaign
Any preferred low-cost marketing strategies we missed? What is effective for your company that doesn't cost a fortune?
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Salty Red Dog Marketing, LLC is a marketing agency in Red Bank, NJ, Westport, CT, and everywhere in between. We service businesses with marketing strategies, digital marketing, social media, and consultations.
Contact: info@saltyreddogmarketing.com
Phone: NJ: (732) 802-6205 // CT: (203) 429-9671
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