Marketing Methods that Suit a Smaller Budget

Every business knows marketing is an essential part of the success equation, but too many believe that you need a big advertising budget to rake in sales. Whether you own a shoestring startup or are in a recovery or growth period with an older company, you need marketing methods that suit a smaller budget and still get attention from your target audience. Ultimately, a worthwhile return on your investment is what matters the most, and these low budget marketing strategies give you exactly that.

Search Engine Optimization

When it comes to the highest return on your investment and the lowest advertising budget needs, search engine optimization (SEO) tops the list. The overall strategy can grow quite complex and need frequent updating but can get started and see success with less. Although entire websites and books are dedicated to this topic, the basics of SCO include the following.

• Keyword phrase research to find niche-focused, competitive options
• Fast, responsive, and correctly coded website creation
• Appropriate use of titles, tags, and alt text for images
• On-site content that is optimized for your chosen keywords
• Quality back links to different pages from high-value sites

Community Focused Content Marketing

Create a brand story, share your values, and make your mission known in order to engage emotionally with your targeted consumer base. This is a personal process that every owner has to figure out on their own to some degree. Once that happens, create content that is ultimately shareable and intriguing. You want to convince people that you share their values and provide a solution to some problem they struggle with. Content creation comes in a variety of forms and can cost quite a lot. These are some less expensive options to consider.

• Weekly blog posts on your company website
• Share ‘talking head’ videos of the company owner or employees
• Create quizzes, polls, and FAQ responses
• Use popular off-site platforms like Medium, Quora, and Reddit

Social Media Engagement

Regular posting, engaging with conversations, and answering questions on top social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is one of the least expensive and most effective marketing ideas for any type of company. While it does cost more to hire a social media manager, logging on at set times once or twice a day to post consumes less time and less money. Remember your brand story and values and always give the friendliest and most informative customer service possible.

Online Directories and Reviews

Word-of-mouth advertising is the most effective and least expensive marketing method. This involves consumers recommending your brand to their friends, families, and followers. You cannot pay for this type of marketing, but there are things you can do to encourage it. Claim your page on Google My Business, Yelp, and other prominent directories appropriate for your company. Encourage customers and clients to leave a review and share the good news with others. This can be as simple as a line on an invoice or a follow-up email after completing a contract. People are more likely to remember and recommend you if you tell them to.

A wide variety of low-budget marketing strategies exist. Most of them require more time and effort if you intend to tackle them yourself. With the help of an affordable yet experience professional, these and other marketing methods that suit a smaller budget can help propel you to the type of sales you need for long-term success.