Marketing on a budget: 3 tips for small businesses

Good marketing is half the battle. However, good marketing doesn’t mean you have to book advertising space on prime time television or an expensive billboard in a prime location.

On the contrary, good marketing doesn't have to be expensive at all. There are many ways in which you can market your company in a meaningful and impactful manner. You can do this for a fraction of the cost of an expensive advertising campaign or even a Facebook ad that a few thousand people will see.

For many businesses and start-ups, the budget is always a challenge to overcome. But as broad as the term marketing is, the ways to market your product are equally endless. There are no limits to your imagination. Cost-effective marketing usually relies on creativity, which in turn promotes uniqueness. And in marketing: Standing out is the key to success.

Tips For Marketing Your Small Business or Start-Up

1. Visit trade fairs

There are trade fairs for almost every industry. Being represented here is essential to present your product, network and see what the competition offers. On the downside, having a stand at a trade fair can be incredibly expensive, especially for a small start-up. So how can you create a buzz without spending thousands on a stand?

One way is to create curiosity about your product. For example, you could buy some cheap pens, print your business logo and a QR code on the pens saying ‘Scan Me,’ and handing those pens out to everyone at the fair. Pens are always items everyone wants, while many people will want to know what is behind the QR code.

As under current circumstances any kind of business event is more likely to be a digital event, don’t miss out on the opportunity to send a little promotional gift to the participants.

2. Start Writing That Blog

Does your website have about ten visitors each month, and most of those are you or your employees? A blog will help you to finally pull in those potential customers.

Google is one of the most important marketing tools we have. And best of all: Google is free. The best way to take advantage of Google is by exploiting the search engine itself. Google searches the web for content that is relevant to a search.

Writing content can be done for every subject that you can think of. However, Google has a preference for websites that provide a product and provide knowledge. Therefore, write a blog with interesting articles about the services you provide. (More tips on blog writing here.) Eventually, you will see the traffic growing to your website, bringing you many more potential customers, all for free.

3. Goodie bags!

For many start-ups, goodie bags are the ideal start for successful business development. Why? When targeting young people, goodie bags are a huge marketing tool that doesn’t have to be extremely expensive. Just think back when you were young, and you got free stuff from someone, great right?

You can start a small hype very quickly. In no other target group do word-of-mouth and the willingness to try things out combine as strongly as among young people. A small bag with a pen, notebook, facemask, and hand sanitizer will do wonders for your brand recognition. Just think about this number: People who receive promotional gifts are 83% more likely to do business with the brand.

As you can see, marketing doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. With a little creativity and flair, you can reach a vast audience.