Devising and implementing an outstanding digital marketing strategy with little cash to play with is difficult, but not impossible. It’s simply a case of focusing on viable avenues to explore, rather than dwelling on the various services and schemes you cannot afford.
So if looking to make the most of even the tiniest digital marketing budget, here’s a quick rundown of a few ways of making it happen:
Focus on quality content
Irrespective of budgetary restrictions or otherwise, quality content forms the backbone of any and every digital marketing campaign. Theoretically, fantastic content doesn’t have to cost your business a penny. After all, there really shouldn’t be any more knowledgeable authority in your niche than you yourself. Experiment with blog posts, infographics, original imagery, video clips, case studies, podcasts and so on – anything you can create for next to nothing and boost your profile in the process.
Reach out to the press
Even the biggest businesses in the world cannot put a price on the value of positive press coverage. But what many fail to overlook is the way in which smaller, newer and local businesses are far more likely to be featured in powerful press publications. Local interest pieces, personal stories, supporting good causes, motivational pieces on new start-ups and so on. There are countless options to explore and, if you’re successful, you could be looking at invaluable exposure without having to pay a penny.
Use social media extensively
If you can build a strong following and reputation on social media, you’re golden. Given the fact that social media is technically free for any business to use, it’s something you should probably be using more of. Just because you do not have enough money to invest in massive paid ad campaigns doesn’t mean you cannot stand out from the crowd on social media. In fact, so much as a single article, image or video clip in the right place at the right time could propel your business to overnight stardom.
Network through LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the kind of platform that capitalises on the “It’s not what you know, but who you know” mantra. There’s really no better online platform for reaching out to others within your niche and making potentially powerful contacts. The larger and stronger your network, the better your chances of making a success of your business. Hence, LinkedIn should play a key role in your wider digital marketing strategy.
Build an email list
The key to building a successful email list is proactivity. Rather than waiting for thousands of e-mail addresses to flow your way naturally, encourage every customer and relevant individual you come into contact with to provide you with their email address. It’s also crucially important to keep in touch with your e-mail contacts on a regular basis, as opposed to simply sending them the occasional pointless e-mail every few months or so.
Use influencers
Last but not least, it’s typically smaller businesses with very limited budgets that are the least inclined to give things away for free. Nevertheless, these are also the businesses that stand to benefit mostby doing so. The simple fact of the matter being that you need to get your products out in the open and backed by those with more influence than you. So, why not hand out as many freebies as necessary to the kinds of influencers? Those whose thoughts, words and opinions count for more than yours? Grease the wheels with the right individuals and your digital marketing strategy could take care of itself.
In Summary…
There’s no hard and fast rule that says effective digital marketing has to be expensive. You can spend as much as you like, but there isn’t necessarily any need to. Instead, it’s all about creativity – putting whatever budget you have to the best possible use. You’ll find the biggest investment is time and effort, but it’s an investment that can and will pay dividends.