When money is tight and results are slow, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed about what marketing steps to take next. If this happens to you stop for a second. Then shift your mindset.
Next, take a look at the assets you already have within your own company. Thanks to the internet there are many low-cost ways to market your business. This could be a white paper, for example. Did you know having a white paper on your website helps strengthen your online presence and helps steer more quality leads to your site. That same white paper can be used to capture contact information of potential customers. Double bingo.
A news release is also a budget-friendly way to market your business. Have you recently conducted a survey? Has your company received several positive product reviews? Are you giving away a free white paper? These are all things you can turn into a news release. More press release writing ideas here.
As a small or home based business owner, managing and getting the most out of your marketing budget is a major concern. But even if funds are tight, there are numerous marketing activities that can pull in generous leads and sales.
Below are a few marketing tactics I cover in Cash Crunch Marketing. Each of these marketing activities is either free or very low cost.
- Create an immediate downloadable offer. Invite your customers and potential customers to download a free case study, white paper, tip sheet, coupon, gift certificate or invitation to a local event. Post this offer on your blog, Facebook, twitter it and put it in the network section of your LinkedIn home page.
- Direct offline traffic to your website. For instance, start your voice mail greeting with your name then follow with stating your website URL. Tip: If your domain name is unusual or has a tricky spelling, spell the name out. You can also include your website address on envelopes and company checks.
- Launch an email campaign. If you already have an email campaign underway, then follow through with a re-marketing campaign. You can do this with email message strategies like, “Are you still out there” or “We miss you and want you back”. Read best practices for email marketing in a difficult economy.
- Do you sell your products or services to other businesses? If so, then generate sales leads with telemarketing. Create a list of 100 businesses that you’d like to have as customers. Then create a script and start calling. Tip: Write a script to use for voice mail messages.
- Use classified advertising. Many online newspapers permit small businesses to place ads for free. Find a plethora of newspapers at all you can read. Tip: You can also advertise in newsletters. Just be sure the newsletter has a large readership and the content aligns well with your audience.
- Create posters and flyers. Post these in subway and train stations, community centers, in the dressing rooms at your gym, in your church lobby. Tip: Enclose your signage in sheet protectors and they’ll attract more attention and last longer. When your offer is over, remove your signage and recycle it.
- Write a news release. Tip: Optimize your release by using keywords relevant to your audience. Remember to give your release a news-worthy angle. Here’s an idea. Conduct a survey. Then turn the survey results into a press release. Submit your release to these free press release distribution websites:
PRZoom.com
Free Press Release
Open PR
PRlog
Send your news release to bloggers, too. Tip: Post your release on your website for search optimization. More press release writing tips here.
- Ask for referrals. Tap into your current customer base and ask your best customers to give you the names of two people who would benefit from your offering. Then when you contact those individuals tell them the name of the person who recommended them. Be sure to send your referral sources a hand written thank you.
When money is tight and results are slow, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed about what marketing steps to take next. If this happens to you stop for a second. Then shift your mindset.
