4 Affordable & Effective Marketing Tools for Small Businesses

Marketing isn’t the reserve of the big brands. Nor does it need to be expensive. Standing out from the competition online has never been more important, but with the rise of social media and sophistication of SEO, the goal posts have changed in the last decade. High-impact, one-off campaigns still have their place in marketing, but to really establish an online presence the key to success is consistency.

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from these affordable and effective marketing tools, and if you’re not harnessing at least one of these it may be time to rethink your approach.

1. Email Marketing

Your database offers a lucrative opportunity to gain and retain customers. Prospects can be nurtured towards the point of sale, whilst existing customers can often be encouraged towards repeat sales, cross-sells and upsells if you use the right techniques. Email marketing is a cost-effective way to target existing contacts in your database, so don’t leave them to go stale by failing to develop a strategy.

2. Social Media Marketing

One of the biggest obstacles to marketing for small businesses and freelancers is funding. Free to set up and maintain, it’s common sense for any modern brand to establish a social media presence, even before investing in a website. Depending on your target audience, and whether you have a b2b or b2c focus, the social media platform you choose may vary.

Start with one or two platforms that you can commit to updating regularly; social media management websites and agencies can help you to post interesting content if you haven’t got the time or inspiration to do so yourself.

3. Blogging

Blogs are a fantastic resource to share on social media, and maintaining a regular blog will enable you to establish your business as an expert in your niche. Providing your target audience with engaging, informative and shareable content will quickly improve your online presence, allowing you to build a network of potential customers. Subtle calls to action can be woven into content, as well as keywords that will boost your brand’s authority for SEO purposes.

4. SEO Content

Ok, search engine optimisation may not jump out as a form of marketing like direct mail or social media campaigns, but perfecting your SEO is essential if you want to get found online. Many businesses channel huge amounts of funding into PPC (pay per click campaigns) to feature on page one of Google. However in the long run you need to improve your organic search engine ranking if you want to make a good ROI. SEO content can achieve this, by optimising your website for the keywords and phrases that will allow you to climb the rankings naturally.

From targeted email marketing strategies to SEO pages that will boost the visibility of your website, businesses have an armoury of tools at their disposable for online marketing. Not sure where to start, or how much it will cost to outsource your copywriting requirements? Get in touch with Making You Content and we’d be happy to have a chat!

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