Eight Tips for Marketing on a Small Budget

Article written by EricBank

You could have the best service or product on the globe, but if consumers never find out about it, your small business is going to have trouble succeeding. Marketing is needed by any business, but you shouldn't have to overspend to get it. Here are some tips to help you spread your message on a budget:

1.      Perform Your Own Market Research

Prepare a list of your customers' needs, questions and problems. Also, record their age, gender and other useful demographic data. This will assist you in sharpening your marketing efforts so that they directly address customer concerns.

2.      Make Your Message Clear

Don't waste money on fancy handouts without first clarifying your message and making it concise. If a student or young person can't comprehend your message, then simplify it. Clarity counts!

3.      Cheap Public Relations

Perform activities that will get your business' name into the public's awareness. You might try volunteering your products or services at charity events, publishing a blog using respected guest bloggers, leaving favorable comments on the blogs of others, and attending civic and networking meetings.

4.      Use a Small Marketing Agency

Find a small marketing agency and see if its advice is effective. It should understand that your budget is constrained -- it probably has the same issue -- but nonetheless needs to come up with innovative ideas that will help your business. If you aren't impressed, try another agency after giving the first one enough time to sink or swim.

5.      Free Marketing Advice

Internet articles like the one you are reading right now offer valuable information at no cost. A library is another excellent free resource, and frequently, marketing agencies offer a free initial consulting meeting.

6.      Word-of-Mouth Advertising

Very few forms of marketing are more effective than word of mouth. Incite your customers to spread the word by offering raffles, contests and loyalty programs, as well as personalized service and satisfactory solutions. Request that your happy customers send the word out. Many people will agree, but first you have to ask.

7.      Treat Your Vendors Well

A satisfied vendor can assist your business, but an unhappy one can be destructive. Make certain to pay vendors on time! In fact, go one better and pay them in advance. If they become your friends, you can have them endorse you. Don't forget to reciprocate.

8.      Use Your Website

You can employ many tools, often for free, to let you know whether your website is succeeding. These tools can tell you the number of visitors you attract and how many become customers. Lure new web traffic by posting authoritative, useful articles. These will help your site achieve better search engine results. Employ search engine optimization on your website -- you can research how to do this or hire an expert like a computer student who is good and cheap. Remember to exploit the social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and Linked-In, to leverage your marketing campaigns.

It's pretty evident that there are many inexpensive methods to market your business. You might not get immediate results, but hang in there and you'll no doubt be pleased with the outcome.