7 Great Low Cost Marketing Strategies

Published 2 January 2018

One of our biggest beliefs is that marketing doesn’t have to cost the earth! With the rise and rise of social media, people often forget the traditional marketing techniques that still work… and don’t cost a huge amount. Some of these you might already be using but may be not in the best way; some might be completely new to you.

Branded clothing

From t-shirts to fleeces to high viz jackets, a great way to advertise your business easily is to wear it with pride! Remember, if what your company does isn’t hugely obvious from your logo, then it’s a good idea to say it clearly on the back and make people want to ask for more information.

We recommend these two very friendly local companies: Sportsform in Bedford and Little Branding Company in Luton

Vehicle signage and posters

Adding your company details to your car or van can be expensive if you go for a full wrap, but a poster in the window, nicely printed, or a magnet style graphic is really cost effective. Remember to include a call to action (ie tell people what to do and how to get in touch) and make it stand out.

Depending on your business, you can also sometimes ask clients if you can put up a sign or a banner where you’re working. It’s very common for trades to do this, but it can also suit any business.

Charity support

It’s easy to get caught up with the day-to-day when you’re running a business, but save a little time for charity. You can either donate your services, where appropriate, advertise their events or fundraising or create an offer where you donate money to your chosen charity when someone orders ‘X’

a) it’s a nice thing to do, b) it’ll help you get your name out to a fresh audience c) it’s great for credibility – the best businesses help charities.

Try to choose a charity that you have a personal connection to as it’s easier to be passionate about it, and where possible, find one that has a local contact you can work together with – that way you can help each other more and make sure it’s working for both parties.

Networking

We run networking events (see our events here) so of course we would say they’re a great way to promote your business! You don’t have to spend a fortune, but be careful of spending all your time at breakfast, lunch and coffee rather than actually working.

Come along to Buzz for just £5, with no membership and no commitment or visit websites like findnetworkingevents.com and meetup.com

Social media

We have to mention social media as it is a great way to promote your business! A couple of words of warning – much like networking – be careful of spending too much time chatting online rather than working. For most businesses a post a day is plenty and for a smaller business, you can get away with less sometimes… Less is definitely more.

Also, if you’re short on time, do 2 platforms well, rather than try to do five or ten not so well. For instance, you might find Facebook and Twitter are great and be comfortable working with them. Or you might decide LinkedIn and Pinterest are better for you…

If you would like some tips for your social media, get in touch about a free social media session here

Forums

Because Facebook and Twitter are such big names, often people forget about forums. These are specialist sites where people ask questions about your industry or expertise and you give answers. They are a great way to find new clients, though some people don’t like the idea of giving information away for free. However, as costs go, it’s completely free and can often be more effective because you’re speaking to people who really are interested in your services… the key is to then convert that interest to a potential client.

Referral systems

You’ve probably given a referral or a recommendation before and never thought about it. A friend asks for a hairdresser or a restaurant and we like to help. In a professional sense, many people give referrals and work to encourage referrals in return. The key is to find people who are also dealing with the sorts of customers that you work for, are people who you can work together with and comfortably.

We recommend trying their services first if you can, having a coffee and a chat to find out how you can combine forces and go from there.

Some industries pay for referrals, though it’s more common to have a co-working type agreement.

Need some help?

If you’re looking for new marketing ideas, how about taking us up on our free marketing session.