24 Low-Budget Marketing Ideas for your Small Business
24 low-budget marketing ideas
For your small business
Have a small budget for marketing? No problem. These options can help you get the most out of every dollar.
01
Ask for Referrals
The people who already love you might have the perfect new client for you. Ask, and don't apologize for it--if you're doing a good job, then people need your services.
02
Have an Elevator Pitch
Know how to say exactly what you do in under 30 seconds. It should be succinct, informative and leave your potential new customer ready to hear more.
03
Learn Where to Find Clients
You can find new clients through: your workplace, business organization and groups, family connections, collaborations with related businesses, personal activities, social media and more. Start with the easiest and move forward from there.
04
Give Free Workshops
Pick something related to your industry and teach a free class on it. Do you sell fancy cured meats? Teach a class on how to pair them with wine and other foods properly.
05
Put your Logo Everywhere
Have a great logo? Put it on everything--letterhead, shipping labels, stamps, your vehicle, shop windows. Put it anywhere and everywhere you can think of that won't get you arrested.
06
Have Handouts
Just finished your Elevator Pitch? Send these potential new customers home with something a little more detailed to mull over. A brochure or rack card can work wonders for a business.
07
Get Free Publicity
Doing something newsworthy, like a good act for the community, can get you free press... which means free clients. Give a little, gain a lot.
08
Have a Web Presence
If you don't have a website--even just a tiny, dinky one--then you're doing it all wrong. Get something up with at least basic information and a good look. This will make you visible to the online world, and that can go a long way toward succeeding.
09
Vlog and Blog
Do this the right way, and you'll be able to grow and add value to your market. Do your research, though, or this could hurt you more than help you.
10
Leave Your Mark
Regularly visit blogs, websites, and subreddits related to your business and leave helpful comments and posts. These should include links to your company's website. Don't go blasting people with "COME BUY MY STUFF" posts, though. Don't be that guy.
11
Do Social Media Properly
Develop a social media plan with someone who knows WTF they are doing, then implement said plan. Tweak it as necessary. Rinse, repeat. If you have more time than money, this is an absolute necessity. Not all social media platforms are made for every business--find the one that fits yours best.
12
Joint Ventures and Collaborations
Join forces with a company that does something similar to yours and offer a special discount, referral bonus, super secret deal or some other incentive to use both of your companies. Split costs and double the customer base overnight.
13
Invoices with Promos
If you invoice your customers, then you need to be offering promotions in each and every one you send. If they take you up on your offer, then it's like being paid twice! Sounds good to us.
14
Email Newsletters
There's a fine line between email and spam--if you can walk that line, you'll nurture your current and future clients into buying more of what you do and sell.
15
Network
Join an in-person networking group where you all work together to formulate ideas on how to improve each other's businesses. There's a good chance you'll find some great customers from one of these.
16
Be Awarded
Are you good? Like, real good? Figure out awards your company can enter to win and then win those awards--having another organization call your company "the best" can help build trust and encourage customer buy-in.
17
Joint Ventures and Collaborations
Join forces with a company that does something similar to yours and offer a special discount, referral bonus, super secret deal or some other incentive to use both of your companies. Split costs and double the customer base overnight.
18
Invoices with Promos
If you invoice your customers, then you need to be offering promotions in each and every one you send. If they take you up on your offer, then it's like being paid twice! Sounds good to us.
19
Email Newsletters
There's a fine line between email and spam--if you can walk that line, you'll nurture your current and future clients into buying more of what you do and sell.
20
Write a Marketing Plan
Create one using these items and anything else you find beneficial to your company's growth. Then--git this--follow that plan. Do it. Do it well. Do it hard. Do it often. When the plan gets ineffective go ahead and update it.
21
Presentation is Everything
Create a proper sales presentation that will knock some socks off--maybe even some pants. Have one you can send through email, one you can do live, and one to put on your website.
22
Write for Peanuts
Got some burning ideas about stuff related to your business? Write an article about it, and ask other companies to post it on their blog. Be sure to include links to your site, an offer and links to freebies.
23
Cold Call
It's painful. It's difficult. Know what else it is? A great learning experience. Even if you don't get a sale, you'll end up learning something important about you, your business, your customer or any manner of other things.
24
Talk to Everyone
Have you ever struck up a conversation unexpectedly and that person ended up becoming a great friend, client or otherwise? That's the magic of opening your big mouth and chatting with strangers. Just make sure there's no creepy van offering free candy.
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