Most old school business owners would tell you that marketing comes with a hefty price tag, but there are several DIY marketing tips for small businesses that work, too. When your budget is tight, cost-effective digital marketing tactics really can save your business money.
With so many social media strategies, advertising networks, and online marketing tools, it can also be overwhelming to do this all on your own. However, if you want to focus on saving money and try the DIY digital marketing route, here are some tips we'd recommend.
6 Tips to Market a Small Business on Your Own
Start with How You Talk About Your Business
When you talk about your business and what you do, is your message received well, or does it prompt silence and awkwardness? You may not have the money for branding and video production, but you should have an elevator pitch ready.
Compelling elevator pitches capture someone's attention in less than 8 seconds, typically starting from an imaginative story or anecdote that launches into how your product or service solved the challenge.
Gain Some Local Celebrity Status
Small businesses with a storefront can do local events and promotions and get involved in local charity events as a sponsor. For example, you could sponsor a little league team or a 5K charity walk/run. If you know where your ideal customer spends most of their time, look for opportunities to get in front of them with an incredible message.
Social media offers a lot of opportunities to connect to people around your neighborhood. Small business owners should look for local Facebook groups, community leaders on Twitter, and local influencers to partner with.
Try Targeted Online Advertising
Social media offers a lot of ways to target the right audience specifically. If you know that your customers are women between the ages of 28 and 35, you can use these demographics to build an audience on Facebook and strictly send promoted posts to their timeline feeds. You can even add targeting factors like location (down to zip codes) or even other interests and brands you know your audience loves.
You'll need to define your target market first to make the most of this strategy. Advertising does come with an investment, so expect to spend as little as $10 a day to over $300 a day, depending on your target audience size and how long you want to run your campaign.
Upgrade Your SEO
Many business owners neglect their website because they're unsure how to edit a page or what content they need for search engine optimization. That simply means that it's a challenge that you must overcome as a small business owner.
You'll need to learn how to research keywords and create content on your site, but once you do, it only costs time to update your website content.
[Check out these SEO Articles to Learn More]
Earn Some Buzz
Earned media is when you get free exposure from the news, bloggers, or other content creators just because your business is doing something great. One website took this a step further.
Help a Reporter Out allows you to submit news tips and stories. If your company has participated in something newsworthy, then all the more reason to talk to a reporter and provide something for them to write about.
Build Your Email Marketing List
Email marketing is another strategy that costs very little in comparison to pay-per-click efforts and even targeted advertising. However, it does require a little web development.
The typical way that websites do this is with an opt-in form strategically placed on the front page of their website. Others place a sign-up form at the bottom of the website, and there are also exit pop-ups with sign-up forms that collect email addresses.
It's vital to ask visitors and customers for their email addresses, whether they're visiting your store or your website. Once you have this email address, it's the key to sending marketing messages directly to their inbox. Most people check their email on their phones, so it's like talking directly to your customer.
Email marketing makes it easier to communicate to your audience, and there are even more tactics for beautifying your emails so that they are responsive on all devices and get clicks that lead to sales.
When in doubt, offer a discount or coupon for signing up for your marketing. It typically leads to a purchase and more marketing opportunities.
Final Thoughts on DIY Marketing Tips for Small Business
What successes have you found in marketing your small business on your own? If you need local marketing services in El Monte, reach out to our digital marketing specialists. We provide affordable marketing solutions for all types of businesses.