5 Ways to Market Your Small Business on a Budget
Starting your own venture can be such an exciting time. Once you’ve determined your brand name, established your products or services, and created your website, however, you might be wondering: how do I market my local small business?
Thankfully, we’ve rounded up the top 5 low-cost marketing ideas for small businesses that you can start implementing today.
The best part is that the marketing suggestions below are all tailored for small businesses that have a low (or even non-existent) budget. That’ll leave more money in your pocket to spend on other important areas of your business—like your website design or product development.
1. Create Your Own Free Marketing Materials
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to hire a professional graphic designer to create your marketing materials. Even if you don’t have design experience, you can utilize the huge range of free, professionally designed templates available in BeFunky’s Graphic Designer.
Featuring marketing templates for everything from Facebook ads to business cards, the Graphic Designer is a must-have for any small business owner’s toolset.
All you need to do is pick your favorite template and swap out the existing imagery, color palette, or text to match your own brand. Within just minutes, you’ll have marketing materials that look like a pro designed them – without breaking the bank! Curious about which templates are available for free? Create your free account and head to the Graphic Designer to find out.
2. Run a Social Media Giveaway
Giveaways and competitions give your audience something to be excited about. Plus, they’re also an extremely affordable option to grow your following and fanbase. You can simply give away one of your most popular products or provide one of your services to the lucky winner for free. And using one of BeFunky's social media post templates will surely draw a large crowd.
If you’re looking for an even lower cost option, or one which doesn’t involve shipping, then you can also offer a prize which can be sent to the winner online, like a digital gift card or voucher to use in your shop.
If you want to maximize the reach of your giveaway, you can also add additional guidelines. One common example is to make each entrant have to tag three of their friends in the competition post. Doing so can boost your brand awareness among a larger audience.
It’s also important to double-check what the law is regarding social media giveaways and competitions in your state or country. Better to be safe than sorry!
3. Host an Exciting Event
One of our favorite creative local marketing ideas is to host an exciting, in-person event. This allows consumers to interact with your brand on a deeper level, rather than through a screen.
While the event you host will largely depend on the type of small business you run, just some effective ideas include running a workshop or class, organizing a local market stall, or even creating a festival that spans a few days. Then, you can simply use one of BeFunky’s flyer templates to spread the word!
Not only will a special event create hype around your products or services, but it also gives buyers even more incentive to interact with your store and make a purchase. Plus, some of these larger events (such as a market stall or festival) allow you to network with other like-minded businesses in your local area. These connections can be super valuable for your small business, as it allows you to potentially place your products or services in front of another relevant audience.
4. Offer a Behind-the-Scenes Look Into Your Business
Humans are a curious bunch, so why not reach out to your fans and potential customers by offering them an exclusive glimpse into the daily life of your small business?
It can be as simple as regularly posting behind-the-scenes footage on your social media accounts, or you could organize an open day where fans can come to your studio and witness the magic in person.
By showing your audience who you are, what your business space looks like, and even the process of creating your products, they will feel more connected to you on a personal level. This is highly beneficial, as allowing a customer to connect to your brand on this level can boost your credibility and create greater trust. These are just two important elements which can go a long way in boosting your sales!
5. Encourage Newsletter Signups With Discount Codes
Every small business should have an option for people to opt-in to their email newsletter, as this is one of the most effective methods of communication you will have with your audience. It also gives you a safety net in case something were to happen to your social media accounts, resulting in you losing the audience you’ve worked so hard to build there.
If you don’t have an email newsletter already, don’t fret. There are plenty of providers you can use for free on their basic plan, so be sure to do your research to see which one meets your needs.
In order to attract email subscribers though, you’ll need to offer them something pretty special in exchange for them opting in. Consumers love a discount code, as it allows them to take advantage of a product or service they’ve had their eye on, yet perhaps were putting off buying due to the price.
Be sure to create exciting banners which advertise your newsletter, along with your special offer, to further entice sign-ups. The Graphic Designer has plenty of templates in a wide range of sizes that you can use for this, whether for your social media, website, or more.
Get Set for Marketing Success
Ready to get started with these creative ways to market your business? Thanks to the wide range of templates available in BeFunky’s Graphic Designer, marketing your small business doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Go on, check out the Graphic Designer today to see how it can help you!
