All businesses would probably benefit from more marketing and advertising, but as the diversity of marketing channels rises, so does the cost of utilizing them. If you have a small business that is sometimes strained in terms of available market spend, you’ll want to get the maximum reach for the minimum investment. Below are some ideas on advertising and marketing channels that you may not have tried in the past, but which can still be relatively inexpensive, if you go about them properly.
Ads on social media
This might be one of the most cost-effective channels you could possibly use. Depending on which platform you choose, you might only pay pennies for every viewing of your ad, but it will have the potential to reach an enormous number of people. You can even budget how much money you want to spend each day of your campaign, so you don’t have over-runs or runaway expenses.
‘Every Door’ direct mail
The postal service has recently come up with an innovative approach to direct mail marketing which might have great value to some small business owners. The idea behind it is that only those neighborhoods you target actually receive your direct mail materials. This is a great cost-cutter, but it still puts your advertising material in the hands of the consumers most likely to purchase your goods or services. Using the USPS Direct Mapping tool, you can target only the most likely consumer groups, and keep your mailing costs down.
Local event sponsorship
You can attain tremendous visibility for your company by sponsoring a local sporting event, or any kind of special event that figures to be well-attended. This strategy can be doubly valuable if you’re sponsoring a charity event, because your company is also associated with a worthy cause while achieving a greater presence in the community. Part of your sponsorship commitment might include giveaways, such as water bottles, that people will find useful in everyday life, and which will have your company name imprinted on them to remind the user about your involvement.
Classified Ads
This channel is probably not suitable for every kind of marketing, but for a very specific purpose, like advertising a job opening or announcing a new product or service, it could work very nicely. Classified ads are still a bargain compared to some digital marketing initiatives, and they might be all you need to get the job done.
Sign spinners
If you aren’t familiar with this tactic, it involves hiring someone to hold up a large, colorful sign at a local intersection or near a very popular street, and spin the sign to attract lots of attention. All it really costs you is money for the sign-making materials, and the hourly rate you pay someone for the privilege of spinning your sign. There are firms which provide this service professionally, but even if there isn’t one nearby, you should be able to find a willing spinner to promote your business.
