How to Promote Your Small Business On a Budget

As a small business, you may find it difficult to believe that your business’ promotion can be done successfully whilst on a tight budget. The prospect of DIY marketing can be daunting and overwhelming; especially when you don’t have a definitive sum of cash to work with.

However, promoting your small business is possible. From SMEs to sole traders, the marketing activities you opt for don’t have to break the bank. Depending on the tactics and resources you use, you even have the option to spend nothing at all!

We share how you can promote your small business on a tight budget and how to optimise your own marketing strategy for maximum return on investment:

1. Run a competition

The word “FREE” catches the attention of many people –  people who could become your future paying customers.

Offering free products or running a competition can have many positive effects on your business.

If you’re running your competition via social media, you can expect to see an increase in website visitors, thanks to the power of social sharing. You can also potentially experience a rise in sales, once awareness around your service offering increases.

Running a competition can also distinguish trust for your brand. If customers see that you’re regulating the campaign and choosing a fair, un-biased winner, they can lean towards having more faith in your business and what you can provide them.

2. Get on social media

Did you know that 64% of Twitter users and over half of Facebook users are more likely to purchase the product of a brand they follow online? Furthermore, 50% of shoppers have made a purchase based on a recommendation they received through social media.

Creating social media profiles on popular platforms is an excellent way to know what your customers want, and learn how to improve your service. It also gives you an opportunity to increase the awareness surrounding your brand and directly connect with customers.

Building relationships is important; no matter what industry your business operates within. Customers like to feel special and so demonstrating that you value the relationships with your patrons leaves them more likely to do business with you over a competitor.

3. Create promotional hand-outs

Traditional promotion tactics have been forgotten about since the introduction of digital marketing, and so have the benefits that they can bring your business.

Think about the last time you were speaking to somebody and wish you had something to make them remember you. From chatting to the person beside you on the train to discussing general operations in a business meeting; designing promotional materials provides you with professional hand-outs to make a great first impression.

You can save money on printing costs by creating this promotional material in-house. Source your own business printers with the cheapest running costs that don’t compromise on quality and you have a piece of essential office equipment that can create high quality hand-outs as well as professional documents.

4. Don’t forget about your ethics!

So many businesses forget that the people behind the company are one of the biggest influences for a potential customer, so it’s important to make sure that you’re presenting and marketing yourself in a positive light.

39% of adults in the UK have recently made a purchase decision that was directly influenced by the ethics of the retailer. Holding charity events and making fair decisions can assist with this; encouraging both current and prospective customers to believe that your brand does the right thing.

As you can see, marketing your small business doesn’t have to be a costly exercise. With these simple tips, we’re sure that your company will be on the route to successful promotion in no time at all!

Source: smallbusinesscan.com