Starting 2024 feeling cash strapped?

Kickstart 2024 with these ten low-cost marketing tactics that will help your business succeed and make the most of your marketing budget. They only need some effort and time from you to action and put into place.

Social Media is bigger than ever.

 When used successfully, social media is a powerful way to drive customers to your website, increase sales and cement your brand promise into the minds of your customers. Most importantly, social media allows you to show the human-side of your business and brand.

 Tips for creating effective social media campaigns include:

• Make sure you are using the most relevant social media platforms to showcase your brand and reach your ideal customers. The most popular platforms are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube.
• Create quality content that connects with your brand promise and messaging and appeals to your ideal customers. Keep it fresh and updated regularly.
• Try to vary the types of content you put out too! Photos, videos, and carousels all engage different type of people and are affected differently by the algorithms of the platform. Carousels are posts that contain multiple images or video, which users can view by swiping left on a post.
• Explore the advertising opportunities that different social media channels have and make the most of them. When advertising on social media, you decide how much you want to spend and who you want to target with your ads. Results are available in real-time, and you can quickly see how well your target audience is responding to your advertising and make changes on the fly, if necessary. This is not easy to achieve on the same scale or cost with other forms of advertising such as radio, print or outdoor.Stay engaged with your social media community. When someone comments, reply to them. When you get tagged in something, share it or comment on it. Say thanks when people leave reviews. The more engaged you are, the more likely it is that others in your community will see it.

Create a Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile (previously called Google My Business) have been around since 2014. But it has been only in the few years that consumers have really started to rely on the service for recommendations of products and services.

If you haven’t already listed your company, make this a priority. It’s essential for helping your business get found online by local buyers searching on Google for businesses near them. . It’s also free, so there are no obstacles to you doing it now!

If you already have a listing, be sure to keep it up-to-date with any changes in open times and by posting on it regularly, so that it doesn’t lose its place in search rankings.

Refresh your website

Search engines, like Google, are the #1 way people find businesses online.  Search engines use algorithms to decide which websites rank high in search results. These algorithms like websites that are search engine optimised, regularly enriched with new content and user friendly.

If you haven’t paid your website any attention in a while, chances are your website is ranking low in Google which means people won’t find you online. Your refresh could include updating your photos, editing or creating new content, or going all out and giving the whole website a facelift.

Read our previous blog on the 12 Signs You Might Need a Website Refresh.

Blogs and newsletters

Communicating with your existing customers through regular blogs and newsletters should be an essential part of your marketing already. To make your newsletter subscribers feel special, give them advance notice of any sales, developments and product launches before the general public. For ideas on how to create content that will be read, click here.

Email Marketing

With an always increasing estimated 347.3 billion emails sent daily, email remains a lucrative and low-cost channel for connecting with your target audience. Include a call to action on your website that encourages visitors to join your mailing list. Be careful not to break any laws around spamming people with information they have not asked for and include an opt-out in all advertising material you send electronically.

Networking face-to-face

Networking is one of the most effective ways to expand and grow your business connections that can provide advice, support and opportunities for your business. Your local Chamber of Commerce will have details of networking groups in your area. We also highly recommend The Networkers, a fast-growing organisation that provides opportunities to network in an increasing number of locations around New Zealand 

Become an expert in your field

Opportunities exist for those who are subject matter experts, and who knows your product/service better than you?

Industry conferences, career and volunteer organisations, local business groups, educational institutions and libraries are often looking for speakers who can speak knowledgeably about a topic. In return, your business will receive name recognition, new potential customers, and good publicity.

Become involved with your community

Sponsoring and participating in local events are a low-cost way to gain exposure for your brand and attract new customers. It doesn’t have to be a large-scale event. Small can be just as effective. Don’t forget to promote the event through social media and your existing networks.

Referral Programmes

Word of mouth is important for most businesses and a key way to gain leads and potential customers.

A customer reward system Is a great way to reward customers who refer others to you. Something as small as a Thank You card or a $5 coffee voucher makes your customers feel appreciated. This not only encourages brand loyalty but can also attract more like-minded customers. For a small outlay, the benefits can be huge.

Collaborate with other businesses

Teaming up with a business related to your industry is an excellent way for you to introduce your business to a whole new audience. You can do this by collaborating online with a webinar or offline through an exclusive event. Partnering with a local company can be as simple as placing reciprocal business cards and flyers in each other’s store or linking to each other’s website.