How To Come Up With a Low-Budget Marketing Strategy
Startups are no strangers to having no money. That’s how they get started, to be honest; a bunch of over-psyched people with a world-moving idea who don’t have a dime to their name. While the notion, in the beginning, summons the team’s courage and inspires all that they’re on the right track to revolutionize the industry they’re in, the truth, however, eventually the reality hits them somewhere along the road. The ugly fact is that, whether they like it, it takes money to establish a robust related marketing strategy and keep the ship from sinking.
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) pointed out an eye-opening and shocking fact about startups. The total cost of a new-born company to even stay relevant in its respective industry flies somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000. That is truly something to give some nightmares in the night when they’re dreaming about their showdown in the Silicon Valley and put off the whole idea.
This gigantic load of finances, though, only applies to small-sized indie companies and not the big apples. The numbers take a surprisingly steep dip when it comes to balancing the sheets in a multi-branch international organization that has thousands of employees under its wings, tons of responsibilities, incoming and outgoing products, and materials, operational costs, and office-leasing fees.
Both in the nonchalant private sector where all the entrepreneurs scoop up or in the extremely competitive game-changing giants’ environment, forming a marketing strategy plays a critical role. Although costlier marketing strategies sound more appealing compared to other ones, the cheaper ones can also make a buzz and bring in leads and recognition for those who don’t simply don’t have the cash.
If you want to build up your powerful marketing strategy from scratch and not have to dish out the main bulk of your investments to the marketing agencies, here are some tips for doing it efficiently:
Referrals
Stay clear of substantial time-stumping marketing strategies and let the market do the trick for you. We suggest that you should let the people and customers get it rolling for you. It’s a known fact that people receiving recommendations from friends or trusted-ones are four times more likely to make a buy.
Getting a referral program to snowball can cost next to nothing. You can piggyback off the existing customers by offering them special deals or discounts if they agree to introduce new customers.
Press Release
People scroll up and down the news feeds every day, looking for some newsworthy bit to read or watch. Finding a way to post interesting and eye-catching reports in media outlets about your company increases your chances of getting more attention and views. Press releases act as small amplifiers for your business in a more money-saving marketing strategy method. If you get lucky, you might even end up with some inbound links to your website along the way.
Also, to speed up the process, you can get in contact with journalists and media agencies personally and convince them to publish the piece of news you have in mind. A press release can be entirely free or just partially costly, depending on how much time and perseverance you put into it.
Content Marketing
Content is the “key.” If you want exposure and potential newcomers, then you have to put killing content out there.
In terms of what type of content to opt for, we suggest all–if possible, of course. Usually, laying out a penetrating content marketing strategy doesn’t cost you a crown. However, sticking to some sort might stink over time. We think fanning out the contents to video, podcast, blog, and infographics would take your company to the front row where everyone’s bound to see it. Make some noise, turn a few heads, and inbound links would follow soon after.
SEO
What good would any website or content do if it’s not acknowledged by the search engines? Truth to be told, anywhere further than page one of Google search results wouldn’t even be validated these days, and not many people would go out of their way to visit those pages.
Every thrilling marketing strategy relies on a good SEO checkout to send it off in the right direction. SEO techniques can feel overwhelming and complex in the beginning, but with a wee bit of research and time-allocation, the shadowing clouds will fade away.
How you approach the SEO plan is completely personal, however. Some do it themselves and save up on the finances while paying for it with their time, others discard it to the experts and free up some time. Both ways have their cons and pros.
Social Media Marketing
Nothing happens in our today’s world without social media knowing about it first. And, by social media, we mean the tally of all the people having a smartphone. So, to impress them and stabilize a spot in their feed, you need to come up with an exciting and interesting social media marketing strategy. Nonetheless, this part has its pitfalls as well.
You can learn about social media marketing through self-study in free time or let it fall on an expert’s shoulders in exchange for a small chunk of your investment budget. Same as always, this won’t cost you a fortune and leave you hanging high and dry.
Aim for the potent media first, like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Come in strong and ready with presentable profiles and reach out to the community. Always remember to stay ahead of the flow and put out a positive image. Play your cards right, and in time, you will have tons of online traffic surging through your website.
Email Marketing
Who even believes that you shouldn’t take the initiative? As one of the most cost-efficient marketing strategies in the town, email marketing is a wonderful way to show your customers that you care about every one of them at a more personal and comforting level.
Furthermore, it’s extremely profitable and works like a charm. You can cast an undeniable charm on them and, in the midst, represent to-die-for offers and once-a-life-time cooperation opportunities that are just impossible to resist.
Keep in mind that you need a naturally originated list and not a one bought from other third-parties. An unwanted email clogging the inbox of a poor unaware person can harm your reputation and marketing strategy. Keep the outings clean, simple, respectful, and in non-invasive intervals, so customers don’t feel swamped and pressured.
PPC Ads
Pay-per-click advertising can be one of the most effective strategies to drive traffic, brand awareness, and — most importantly — conversions. Another great aspect of the PPC ads as an inseparable part of marketing strategy is the fact that they can be extremely cost-deducting. Some platforms and social media offer ads on unbelievably low prices for infant startups who can’t afford world-class, high-quality advertisement packages.
Although already incredible, the PPC ads can raise a hell lot more of awareness and tether more links if you invest some more.
Personal Branding
While exhibiting the power of your startup as a wholesome unit has proven to be crucial for the community and growth of your business, sticking out as an individual with insight and dreams can compliment your work and team. Think of it this way:
You go out and promote your deft features and expertise across different social media platforms and generate some views and inbound links for your profiles. As other people come in to quench their thirst and satisfy their curiosity, they’ll see your startup’s name and get even more excited to take a look around.
Also, by seeing you as an ordinary Joe active in the business, they start to build up trust, something that’s missing in bigger companies. After establishing a lasting bond with your audience, you can use it to promote your work and get more leads and create more links without having to splash out.
Forums and Groups
Never take the importance and power of social groups and forums for granted. Lurking in one of these hot-beds for controversies can grant you the opportunity to share your wisdom and thoughts with already-engaged audience craving knowledge and closure. Forums and groups are not just places to give; they are also locations of receiving. Think of it as a lively online calendar of local or international events that might, in some way, pick your interest and give your startup the push it desperately needs.
Signing up for a forum member or joining up with an online group usually doesn’t cost anything, and even if it does, it’s the greenbacks well-spent. The only toll is that you have to devote much time to hang out in the rooms and make a name for yourself.
