It’s not easy owning a business and getting it noticed online without a marketing strategy. The amount of information available and the number of companies and individuals competing for attention is quite overwhelming. It is tough to attract attention, especially when you are up against huge multinational corporations with huge marketing budgets. But the good news is you don’t have to spend thousands on developing an effective digital marketing strategy. Here are some creative and economical ways to get your business noticed and stand out from the crowd.
image via mkhmarketing/ flickr
1) Create a LinkedIn Group
It’s free to create a LinkedIn group, and when you do this, you can gain big benefits – not only can you drive more traffic to your site and boost your sales, but also provide a place for members of your community to network develop ideas. The key to creating a group on LinkedIn as part of your online marketing strategy is to refrain from the hard sell – use the platform to inform, entertain, and build yourself as a thought leader and key brand in the field.
2) Get Seen on the Right Blogs
You may not be able to get on the front cover of a national magazine with your small marketing budget, but you can get seen on popular blogs, which will raise your profile and recognition. Look for blogs that target your audience and identify the ones that get the most traffic and most followers. Contact the blog’s owners and offer your services or product as a prize, tell them about guest blog posts you would write to benefit their audience, and ask if they would like you to interview them for your site as an exchange of information.
3) Create YouTube Videos
You’ve all seen how individuals have made millions from YouTube publishing their own unique content. While it may be harder and harder to break into YouTube to make your fortune, it remains a powerful platform to share your ideas and brand on a budget. Make sure your videos are shareable and interesting and that you develop each one with a clear message in mind. You don’t have to spend a fortune on camera effects and editing. You can create an impactful video with very little money.
4) Write Informative eBooks
Your eBooks shouldn’t be developed to sell to make a profit but instead should open up the market to better brand recognition. You can use it as a lead generation tool and help set yourself up as a thought leader in your field. Make sure that your topic is fascinating and that you also target SEO with relevant keywords. You can write several eBooks but make sure you are offering true value with each one.
5) Try Direct Mail
Move off the internet for a little while and switch things up with a quick, direct mail campaign. Design some amazing postcards to send to targeted contacts with a particular offer. Because direct mail is not so often used, your postcards will stand out, and you can also develop these cheaply and effectively.
6) Hire a Writer
If you have no time to blog, use a little of your marketing strategy budget to hire a writer to do it for you. A regular, well-publicized blog is essential for an effective online marketing strategy – make the most of your money and get someone else to write it for you. When you blog or have your blog written, think about the timely topics and ideas you want your target audience to know about. Include a relevant call to action in each blog post, and make sure you follow up on which posts attract the most attention.
7) Get Some Education
If you are unsure where you are going with your marketing strategy, get some training and extra help so you can forge ahead with confidence. Many online academies and companies offer training modules and activities designed to help you develop your marketing skills. Or read some business and marketing books to get inspiration and advice.
8) Top Up Your Tools
Ensure you are using the most comprehensive and useful management and monitoring tools for your online marketing strategy plan. It helps if you invest in an integrated system to plan and track your marketing efforts and tools to monitor and assess the success of your strategy. Plenty of tools are available to help you succeed in your marketing, even on the smallest of budgets.
