3 Low-Cost and High-Impact Small Business Marketing Ideas

Elena Velikova

May 22, 2018

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So, you’re at the helm of a small business, are you?

Well, based on that fact alone, there are three things about you that can be instantly deduced without any doubt. First, you work incredibly hard. Second, you’re forward-thinking and provide your customers with an outstanding level of service and responsiveness. Heck, they probably invite you over for barbecues. And third, you need to compete with large enterprises in your marketplace that spend more money on marketing in a month than you do in a year. Or maybe a decade.

The first two aspects aren’t a problem. You’re a hard worker, and your customers love you. But the third part of the picture is indeed a challenge — because if you don’t generate some meaningful brand visibility, then you’ll end up being the best kept secret in your marketplace. That’s bad. In fact, as far as your small business’s future is concerned, in the long-run it could be fatal.

The good news is that you don’t have to launch a GoFundMe campaign to support your small business marketing aims. Nor do you need to take out a second (or maybe a third) mortgage, or run another round of “friends and family” financing. Instead, you can take advantage of these 3 low-cost and high-impact small business marketing ideas:

1. Cross-Promote with Local Small Businesses

Reach out to local businesses (obviously not competitors!) who probably face the same marketing challenge as you, and work with them to create a cross-promotion campaign. For example, if you run a physiotherapy clinic, reach out to local health stores and fitness clubs and offer to give their customers/members 10 percent off your services. You can do the same for their clientele. Everyone wins, and the ROI is massive.

2. Wrap Your Car

Deciding to wrap your car (or truck, van or any other vehicle) is a highly effective way to generate brand visibility, simply by doing something that you do every day: driving around. Or if you wish, you can strategically park your wrapped vehicle to maximize views and engagement. Just remember to have your car wrap professionally designed and installed. You want to make a positive first impression — not a negative last impression.

3. Get on the SEO Bus

SEO is arguably the best thing to happen to small business marketing since, well, ever. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, because unlike pay-per-click advertising, you don’t pay when someone clicks your link. Of course, there are some costs involved, such as generating good content and publishing it on your website and elsewhere. But make no mistake: search engine marketing is well worth the investment when it’s done right.

The Bottom Line

The above low-cost, high-impact marketing ideas will your small business stand out and apart from the crowd, and effectively compete with the big boys in your marketplace for increased visibility, greater brand recognition, and most importantly: more profitable customers