Business

Marketing on a Budget for Small Businesses

Marketing and advertising a business can be a lot of work for an individual. However, if done correctly, one can save a lot of money and maximize profits.

I am in the same boat as many others with a home business. At first, winning customers and business was difficult. One day I decided to buy a book at Borders called Marketing Kit (Hiam, 1997).” In it, the book suggested that one should come up with a marketing plan and stick to it.

I decided to sit down and make a list of all the potential targets to market my businesses to and the businesses I’m already targeting. Then I made another list with all the marketing strategies that I am currently using and the strategies that I should be using.

This is what I came up with:

1) Give out at least 5 business cards a day. It does not matter if I deliver them to companies or individuals. The point is to make the name of my company known. Essentially, word of mouth will spread.

2) Send brochures to potential clients with information about my business. I made my own brochures following the format of the book I bought. This method may take several repeated attempts before the customer finally catches on.

3) Let everyone I know or come into contact with know about my business.

4) Promote on Facebook. I do giveaways on my Facebook page for fans who interact with my page. I use Groupon to buy items cheaply. For example, I recently purchased movie tickets for 2 people, which included 2d or 3d movies, a tub of popcorn, and a free refill, all for $14. I rewarded one of my Facebook fans with the movie pass. Also, use the 80/20 rule on Facebook (Hiam, 1997); 80% of your posts on Facebook should be interactions with your fans about anything (Hiam, 1997); 20% should be used to promote your business and services, according to Hiam (1997).

5) Leave a mark on the Internet. By this I mean posting your business information on other websites and getting a badge from them. For example, list your business on Yelp, partypop (you should consider this one), eventective, etc. They will give you a badge to place on your website. What you’re doing here is linking your page to your page and pointing the other way. Do this as much as possible to leave an electronic footprint.

6) Obviously, you will need a website with information about your business. People like to see photos. Keep the information short, sweet and to the point. Be sure to use SEO (search engine optimization) to the best of your ability.

7) Offer good deals when you start. Everyone is looking for the cheapest prices these days.

8) RED RED RED through facial interactions, Facebook, etc… Remember, you are considered an expert in your field. Use it to your advantage. Educate people about your business and your field.

9) Most importantly, STAY ENGAGED!

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