Most Effective Use Of Marketing Budget For Small Businesses

Marketing is a crucial part of any business. However people often associate marketing campaigns with large companies. This doesn’t have to be the case- if you use your marketing budget effectively you can help your business grow and develop.

What is your demographic?

This question is not as simple as you may think- you should have an idea of who you are promoting towards and your marketing ought to reflect that. However keep an eye on sales and campaigns as sometimes the results may not always reflect this- for example while video games and consoles are traditionally marketed towards teenage boys the audience for consoles and gaming is a lot more diverse now and companies have received criticism in the past for not recognising this.

Do your research

There are a lot of businesses that say they can help you get more followers on social media or can help you get results. However a bit of research can allow you to check those claims- if someone who says they can get you thousands of followers only has a few themselves then be wary.

Some promotion costs nothing

Marketing doesn’t necessarily have to cost money- for example if you are launching a business in the local area you should contact local newspapers, radio stations etc. It helps to be present at networking, charity events and so forth.

When it comes to social media you have to consider what you want to achieve- for example some platforms are better for organising groups, others are better for audience interaction.

Paying for advertising on these platforms can be effective but one of the best benefits is being able to gauge whether or not you are appealing to the right target audience.

Competitions and giveaways

Competitions and giveaways are a great way of getting people on board and offer a variety of opportunities- a chance to work with a company to offer a prize and also to get people spreading the word. Remember to keep the terms and conditions of a competition clear (for example what they need to do, how to claim the prize etc).

Follow up

The important thing with any promotion is to follow up afterwards- for example if you are featured in a magazine article make sure you mention it in a social media campaign. If you got a convention you ought to get pictures and share them, tagging relevant people in there as well (and if you meet someone get in touch with them afterwards).

Marketing is rarely instant- you have to build up an image and try to stay consistent. With the right mixture of video, content and presence you can develop a brand people trust and want to engage with.

Advice

We believe in helping people get more from their marketing campaigns. If you want to know more about what we can do for you please contact us today and we will be happy to discuss your needs in more detail.