Small businesses often struggle with marketing because of their tight budgets. They try out many methods and end up wasting a lot of money. Here are some clever ways to market your business in a tight budget.

Social Media

Many small businesses fail to make use of social media properly. They think that social media marketing requires a lot of money to spend on ads. The truth is that you can also do social media marketing without spending money. It will take a little more time but your efforts will surely pay off. Social media is a much cheaper option as compared to conventional advertising mediums like TV.

You can keep your audience hooked by creating valuable content that they will like.

If you have a website, you should link it to all your social media platforms.

If you are willing to spend some money on social media marketing, go for Facebook advertising. Facebook ads work best if you want targeted demographics. You can select everything from the region, age and gender of your potential customers and see Facebook work its magic.

Content Marketing

We cannot talk about marketing without talking about the power of content. Content is one of the most powerful ways of getting the word out about yourself. The content must be informative and valuable for your audience. Content is also quite cheap to create and it is much more valuable than ads.

The best thing about content is that you can repurpose old content such as data studies, blogs and articles and reuse it. Content never gets old and you can give a new spin to old content. For example, consider creating a video tutorial of an old article or maybe you can turn an old blog into an email.

Content includes anything from blogging to creating videos and hosting podcasts. You can determine which form of content is the best for your business. Content helps to establish your authority in the industry and it also attracts new customers to your brand.

Contests and Giveaways

Many small businesses forget the traditional side of marketing in pursuit of going digital. This is a huge mistake! Many people love gifts from their favorite brands. This could be anything from a branded keyring to a laptop bag.
You can promote your business by giving people a free gift. For example, you can ask your customers to leave a review (an honest one!) on your social media pages. As a token of thanks, you can gift them with a promotional item that has your brand’s name. This will not only make them loyal and repeat customers, but it will also help to spread brand awareness and increase recognition as your customers use the promo gifts.

Infographics

Another cool way of increasing your brand awareness is to create infographics. They are a powerful tool for marketing. Everyone loves infographics and they are quite valuable too when they are done right.

Promotional Products

Another great marketing idea is to use branded promo products. They are a low-cost marketing idea that brings a huge ROI. The best thing about them is that they are physical products. Unlike digital ads that are seen only for a few seconds, promotional products last longer. For example, if you give out a branded bag to your customers, chances are that the customer will use that bag in public. Every time your customer will use the bag, it will create brand exposure for you.

Using promotional products is not just a cheap way of marketing but promo products also help you in creating a physical and emotional connection with your customers. People can never feel emotionally attached to a social media photo. On the other hand, when you gift them a promotional item, they will build a tangible connection with your business.

Promotional products can also help to develop your brand reputation. If your promo items are of high quality, your customers will see your brand as such too. So, it is a good idea to add a creative flair or luxurious feel to your promo product. You should never fall in the trap of using cheap promo items because they represent your brand.

Build Relationships With Your Customers

This is an important tip that many marketers tend to overlook. It is always a good idea to work on making your existing customers buy again from you, rather than spending on getting a new customer. It is always cheaper. Therefore, building a good relationship with your customer is essential. Each customer should feel like they are the most important customer.

There are many ways that you can do this. First off, you can use promotional products to develop strong relationships with your customers. You can also leverage social media to talk to your customers and address any concerns they have.

Another idea is to ask your customers for their email address when they visit your website (or store). Once they have shared their email id, you can pitch them with discounts and promo gifts. However, you must not spam their email. Make sure that your messages are personalized, informative, and helpful for your customers.

Discount Coupons

Another great idea to take your marketing campaign to the next level is to use discount coupons. They can be an excellent way to attract new customers to your business and turn them into repeat customers.

Customer Referral Program

This is also an underused technique. You can offer your customers a free promo gift or free service as a reward for a referral. In this way, your customers will become your brand ambassadors. Word-of-mouth is always more powerful than any other ads if you use it properly.

Final Thoughts

Remember that you should not go for a single marketing tactic. If you are already doing social media marketing, try promotional items marketing and blogging alongside with it. This will help to boost your business.