Low-Cost Marketing Tactics

                                                                                         

You don’t need an infinite marketing budget to be able to run an effective marketing campaign. Some of the most effective marketing techniques are the most inexpensive ones. Here are some ideas if you are in a penny-pinching situation or if you are just looking for some low-cost ideas to get you through to the next quarter:

Network through free Web sites. You can use MySpace or Meetup.com to advertise your business for free. You can socially tie to business owners that have products that complement yours and you can write ad copy right on your page.

Create a Web site or blog. If you don’t have either, you’re at a real disadvantage – most consumers research online before researching or purchasing an item in person. You can find a Web site host for little to no cost – the free hosts run ads on your Web site, but you can pay to have those taken off at a later date if you’d like. If you already have a Web site, consider adding a blog. You can create a free blog at blogger.com or livejournal.com. You can be more personal on a blog and talk with your customers by posting a blog entry and then receiving comments about your entries and commenting back.

Spruce up your business cards. Yes, business cards are still a valuable marketing tool. You can upgrade your business cards for a small fee. If you don’t have your logo on your cards, you should add it and design around it. You could also do some color business card printing – just add an accent color (one color that brings out your logo or name) to modernize your card.

Another option is to change the function of your card. Magnetic business cards are becoming a real hit because people keep and use magnets, and what better place to have your business card staring at your prospects but from a place they frequent at least three times a day!

Hand-write thank you notes. Hand-written notes show that you value your customer because you took the time to write them. You can buy some nice note cards at your local stationery store, or even your supermarket. It’s always nice to include a coupon or some kind of offer for another purchase with your thank you note.

Write articles for free. By writing articles for the Web or for your local media (newspapers, magazines) you’ll not only get the word out about your product or business, but in time you’ll also become an expert in your community. And people want to buy from experts!

Follow up with a telephone call. A telephone call is a great way to show customers that you care and to take care of any questions they may have. The cost is only a few minutes’ worth of long-distance phone charges (bypassed if you have a cell phone!) and a few minutes of your time. It can be a great investment if you end up heading off an unsatisfied customer who was about to tell her friends and family not to buy from you!

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