When people think about marketing the first thing that comes to mind are advertisements such as commercials on TV or print ads in magazines. All methods work really well yet are very expensive. No matter what the size of the company is, cost-effective marketing is the way to go, because who doesn’t want to save money?
So to get started, here are a couple of tips and ideas to market your company whilst saving money.
1. Blogging
Many people assume that blogging isn’t used anymore even though it's a huge aspect of marketing. Think of when you are searching for event planning tips, cost-effective marketing tools, which CRM site is the best etc...that is all blogging. Someone had to take the time to write the article and post it and now we are taking the time to read it because it's always interesting hearing someone else’s opinion.
So how do you write a good blog? First and foremost, know your audience. If you know who is going to be reading the blog then post information that is only relevant and engaging. Make sure you add pictures to make it more aesthetically pleasing and also set the right tone. To make sure that more people read your blog, create innovative headlines and titles to entice the reader. If you have the time it also never hurts to learn about SEO (search engine optimization) or in other words knowing which keywords to focus on. These 'keywords' are what people are searching for in their web browser and so they might just come across your blog.
So seeing as there are so many blogs out there so you need to figure out how to set yours apart!
2. Mailing Lists
Many people think mailing lists are out-dated, however they are what connect the company to its' contacts. That being said emails should never become spam and only be used for important company updates and interesting information. A mailing list is a great way to stay engaged with customers and ensure that they are up to date with everything happening in the company. Using a software for mailing lists is usually the most convenient way of managing all contacts and sending emails in bulk. There are also certain softwares that allow you to track how many people clicked on the email, opened it and followed any links that were attached. So not only is mailing lists appropriate for marketing purpose however it helps you keep track of analytics.
3. Social Media
Last but not least is social media. Whether it’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or any other platform, social media is the cheapest way to advertise. Not only can content about the company be posted, yet customers can also get a feel of what kind of attitude the company has; serious, fun or informative. It’s also important to make sure content is being posted every day, to keep everyone engaged.
The most crucial thing to remember when tying together all different forms of marketing is that it all needs to be brand consistent. Consistency is key when it comes to any type of marketing!
In the long run all this marketing will result in creating your brand image. Think of any company that you love, and that already means they are doing a great job because brand image = what the customers think of the company.
