It’s no secret that you need to promote your business if you want to be able to sell your products or services. However, if your business is going through some rough times, you might not have a huge budget for your marketing efforts.
But this is fine, because you don’t need a lot of money to advertise your business to potential customers, as long as you know about some cheap ways to promote your business. It’s even possible to market your business for free!
Here are the nine cheap ways to promote your business on a shoestring budget:
1. Start with word of mouth
Word of mouth has always been a powerful marketing tool to promote your business. Don’t hesitate to let your friends, your family, and your neighbours know that you have started a business. Ask everyone you know if they could be interested in your products or services, or if they know someone who could be.
If you already have some loyal customers, they will surely be happy to give you some referrals if you just ask them to.
2. Be present on social media
Another cheap way to promote your business is by using social media. Word of mouth is cheap, but so is opening a social media account. If you are not present on at least one social media site, you are missing out on a great opportunity to reach potential customers.
Have a business page on some social media site, and be sure to include a description of what you are selling.
From there, you can answer questions about your business, interact with customers and other business owners, and even pay a bit of money to boost some of your posts so they can reach more people.
3. Get a website
On top of being present on social media, you should consider getting a website. Being on social media is great, but you are not exactly the owner of your business page. If you own a business website, on the other hand, you will have complete control over how it will look.
Your website can provide information to potential customers, but it can also be used as an online store.
Paying a professional to design and create your website would be expensive, but fortunately, it’s possible to use free templates and tools offered by different companies.
4. Share free information with your customers
Your website should include a blog so you can post articles that will share useful information about your business, but also meet the interests of your target audience.
Sharing information that your audience finds interesting, helpful, or funny is an easy way to get them talking about your business. You can create and share some free content on social media, and repost relevant content created by other people as well.
When people regularly interact with you and your content online, they will remember you when they need your products or services.
5. Get some business cards
If you don’t already have business cards, you should get some. Many people underestimate this simple, affordable, and effective marketing tool.
Your business cards should display the name of your business, your name, your website address and social media pages, and any other relevant information.
Having nice business cards is great, but you have to give them to other people so you can get new leads. Give a few cards to your friends, your family, and your satisfied customers so they can share them with others.
6. Create some promotional products
Customizing promotional products with your business name, your logo and your slogan is easy, and it can help you get the word out.
T-shirts, laptop bags, USB pens, mugs, buttons, puzzles, and other cool products can be used as tradeshow giveaways. You can also give them to your most loyal customers, and to your employees.
Anyone who sees these products might want to know more about your business and what it has to offer.
7. Consider building an email newsletter
Sending emails to your customers and your leads is another cheap way to promote your business. Many email services offer free options for people who are just getting started, and you can take advantage of this.
All you have to do is create content to share in the emails you send and, of course, find a way to get people to suscribe to your newsletter. To convince them, you can offer an ebook, a discount, or another freebie to anyone who signs up.
8. Ask your customers for reviews
Do you read online reviews before you purchase something? Many people do.
If your satisfied customers never think about leaving reviews for your products or services, you could gently remind them that it would help you promote your business and get more customers.
9. Help promote other businesses
Finally, if you can team up with another business owner that has the same target audience, you could promote each other’s products and services so you can both reach more customers.
You can share each other’s posts on social media, or give each other referrals.
