When times get tight, it’s no secret that the marketing is the first thing to go. On our blog, we’ve written about what a tragic mistake this is. If you aren’t showcasing your brand out in the marketplace you basically ensure its quick death. Here are a few “no budget marketing tips” to tide you over. Warning: the following strategies require a lot of elbow grease, but if business has slowed down, you have no reason not to try them out. Or, if you’ve had to sacrifice your media buying budget, invest instead in a great PR firm who can guide you through the following no budget marketing strategies:
1. Public Relations
I wouldn’t recommend delving into the world of media relations without a trained professional to advise you, but there are certainly some tactics you can employ to get the press to cover your business. You can learn a lot from Peter Shankman’s free service, Help a Reporter Out. He offers some sound advice to help you be the best publicist you can be for your company.
2. Barter
Smart marketing is so often about creating smart partnerships. Sure you can’t afford to hire XYZ Corp., but if you know they need (and can’t pay for) some of your widgets, then you’ve got a deal! Be sure you have your marketing objectives in mind and reach out to the companies that can help you get there. If you can offer them something they want in exchange, then you’ve essentially doubled your no budget marketing budget.
3. Get online
Does your company offer a product or service that can really help others? Do you think you have advice to share that can help people find solutions to their problems? If the answer is yes, then you were practically born to blog! Check out sites like ProBlogger and CopyBlogger to learn everything from the basics to really sophisticated online marketing strategies. It may not necesarily be comfortable for you to learn the fundamentals of marketing online, but you know what, neither was building your company. And if you want to stick around for the long haul, commit to embracing this wildly effective (and inexpensive) marketing strategy.
4. Network
I’m a huge proponent of “your network is your net worth.” People that say that Chamber After Hours and other professional mixers aren’t effective are simply not effective networkers themselves. You don’t have to join everything. Again, keep in mind your marketing strategy and pick the groups you would like to be a part of, which may have the most key influencers to help you get there. And then you have to work. Hard. Keith Ferrazzi is my favorite thought leader on this subject and you can learn a lot from him about how to create and keep relationships that will help you grow your business.
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Tags: Marketing in a Recession, Public Relations Agency in N.C., Social Media in Wilmington N.C.
