Ten low/zero cost steps to make your business shine

Ten low/zero cost steps to make your business shine

Whether your business is large, small, new or been around the block a few times, every penny in your marketing budget has to work hard and give you a return.  Remember though that doors opened through your marketing now may lead you down a profitable path in the future, but not yield a financial return just yet.

Marketing doesn’t have to cost a fortune and there are many effective marketing activities that you can do that won’t cost a penny yet will point you in the right direction to get your business to where you want it to be.  Here goes …

1. Put yourself in their shoes – where does your target audience go?  do?  read?  listen to?   Don’t waste time and money being where they are not.
2. What is your USP? – what makes you different from your competitors?  Don’t just be another face in the crowd.
3. Be an expert – write articles and get them published.  Register on www.expertsources.co.uk and www.findatvexpert.com.
4. Sell the sizzle not the steak – highlight the benefits of what you do and not just explain what you do.
5. Freebies – offer a free consultation/trial session/product.  Let people experience what you will do for them.
6. Testimonials – if you have happy customers, shout about them.  Third party endorsements are worth their weight in gold.
7. Case studies – these are expanded testimonials and allow you to show a problem you helped solve.  The media love these.
8. Social networking – set up profiles on, e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, UKBusinessForums, and start connecting.  They’re free.
9. Network – people buy from people so get out there and meet people.  There are loads of networking groups out there.
10. E-mail signature – include your contact details and a short sales message or link to something you want to promote at the end of each e-mail.  This can be automated.

The best thing to reduce your marketing spend is to Stop & Think before you commit any money.  There may be a free or cheaper alternative … effective marketing does not have to cost a fortune.