Starting a small business is more challenging than many think it is because every day, you have over a hundred things to worry about, and marketing this new venture will always trump the list.
You find yourself caught between a tight budget, limited staff, and rising ad costs, all while trying to make more people know about what you do and the services or products you offer.
And with the recent rise in inflation and the increasing cost of living, it can be hard to run splashy campaigns as a small business owner when funds are lacking.
In fact, according to a recent CMO survey, the marketing budgets of most businesses dropped from 10.9% to 9.2% in spring 2023. This data clearly shows that more companies (small or big) are opting for marketing strategies that are cheap and effective, and so should you.
The good news is, you don’t have to worry much about all of these, as you’re about to discover some very cost-effective marketing strategies that will help you maximize your small business’ visibility, engage more leads, and drive sales – all on a shoestring budget.
Learn How to Leverage Social Media
Your social media apps are not just there to help you chat with a friend or view the latest trending videos; they have the potential to serve greater purposes, and marketing your business is one of them.
In fact, according to Meta, over 82% of consumers use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok to find new products or services they’re hoping to buy, yet many small business owners fail to optimize these platforms.
And No! I’m not only referring to ads. There are literally a dozen other ways to use these platforms to market your business without paying a dime. This can range from posting helpful content that will attract your target audience to including trending keywords and relevant hashtags so people can find your content to begin with.
And please, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying using paid ads on social media is a bad move; I’m only saying you should not limit your marketing efforts on these platforms to only when you can afford to pay for an ad.
The goal here is to minimize costs and maximize conversions. So, you have to really sit down and brainstorm other creative ways you can use to market your business on these social media platforms without draining your budget.
Focus on Emails
Have you been growing your email lists? If not, then it’s time to focus on that. Emails are a great and affordable way to reach out to your prospective customers and make them buy your products.
Not only are you more likely to make a sale by sending quality, personalized emails to your list, but recent data from SaleCycle has also shown that over 58% of people have had their purchase decisions influenced by marketing emails.
What this means for you is that you should focus more efforts on growing your lists and sending them quality marketing emails to get the sales you’re looking for.
Understand that everyone wants to feel special, so take the time to personalize each email you’re sending and ensure it’s not just filled with unnecessary details but short, direct, engaging, and valuable to your prospective customers.
You can leverage this marketing strategy to gain their trust and turn them into customers. We humans have a short attention span, but at the same time, we’re curious. So, leverage this and create quality emails that can answer some of the questions your list may be having.
If you deal with accessories, you can create an email with the catchy title “How to detect fake accessories with your eyes” and include information that will help your list learn something new from you. Soon enough, they’ll thank you by patronizing your products.
If you have an extensive list, then automate your emails to reduce stress. You can leverage low-cost email services like Mailchimp, SendinBlue, or Constant Contact for this purpose.
Focus on Search Engine Optimization
SEO should be on top of your marketing strategy list if you want to market your business with a small budget. Nothing beats having organic sales, and according to Exults, a renowned firm providing search engine marketing services for home service businesses, optimizing your business on search engines like Google can deliver outstanding organic growth.
With the rise in the use of search engines in finding local businesses and services, ensuring your business and online presence are optimized for keywords that potential customers search for can lead to a steady stream of website traffic and sales inquiries for you. And who doesn’t want that?
Simple things like optimizing page content, titles, and headlines, building backlinks, and generating reviews can also modify your SEO marketing strategy and boost your rankings.
The great thing about focusing on SEO is that the results compound over time – the longer your site is optimized and gaining relevance in search engines, the more traffic and customers you’ll see.
To spice things up, you can also focus on claiming and optimizing the free listings on prominent sites like Google My Business, Facebook Business Page, Apple Maps, and Yelp.
Launch Google Ads Campaigns
While organic search engine optimization (SEO) is ideal, paying for Google Ads remains one of the quickest and most measurable ways you can use to push traffic to your website from random Google searches.
The key is crafting tightly focused Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns optimized to convert visitors into leads and customers. Use YouTube to learn how to create effective campaigns with Google Ads and adopt a testing mindset by starting small to keep costs down.
Research relevant keywords around your products, services, and location to reach people actively looking for what you offer. Create localized ad groups around specific categories, continuously measure your performance, and eliminate any underperforming areas.
Just so we’re clear, it takes some learning and refinement to profit from Google Ads, but the results can transform your revenue when done right.
Provide Exceptional Customer Experiences
While marketing can attract customers to your business, a consistently positive customer experience during shopping, transactions, fulfillment, and beyond will earn you their loyalty and repeat business.
This is why you must evaluate areas in your business that could ruin your relationship with your customers and train your staff (if you have any) so they know how to provide a friendly and attentive service tailored to your customer’s needs and preferences.
When issues arise (and they will come), empower your staff to resolve them promptly and reasonably. Seek feedback from your customers, and on occasions where they’re more than happy to leave a good review, share and highlight these positive reviews on your website, social media, within email campaigns, and anywhere else possible (it will attract more customers).
However, when an unhappy customer takes the time to complain, view it as an opportunity to win back their loyalty by making things right.
Doing all these is another brilliant strategy to market your business, as it will strengthen your brand reputation, organically attracting more customers through word-of-mouth referrals.
Wrapping Up
Marketing your business doesn’t have to cost you a fortune; you can apply these strategies to your marketing goals and save yourself the stress of worrying about a “huge marketing budget.” Good luck!
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
