Low Cost Ways to Grow Your Small Business
As a small business, you have to invest in marketing yourself, especially in the beginning. There’s no way around it, but there are ways to grow your small business on a budget. With all the costs that come with starting a business, it’s essential to know where you can cut costs, while getting your name out there in any way you can.
Attend Networking Events
Attending networking events (with your business card, of course!) can help your business thrive, especially when you’re just starting out. You want to get your name out there as much as possible, and when people can put a face to your business, they’re more likely to form a connection to it, which can lead to sales. You never know what contacts or connections you could make at a networking event, and the more you become known locally, the better!
Start a Blog
Whether you’re selling products, services, or both, starting a blog is a smart way to acquire more customers. A blog gives you a way to connect and share with your audience in a more personalized way, gives your brand a voice, and positions you as an expert in your field.
Make sure you’re always sharing valuable content, and keep it consistent. You can learn a lot about your audience and what they’re looking for (through click-throughs, shares, and popular topics) by simply creating a blog.
Develop Your Social Media Strategy & Run Lead Ads
Social media is completely free, and a great way to grow your small business. Start with conducting research to find out what platform(s) your audience hangs out on most, and learn everything you can about how to grow your brand and community there. A solid social media strategy can give your business amazing exposure.
But a content strategy isn’t always enough. Enter: lead ads. Lead ads are lead generation campaigns you can run on Facebook or Instagram. Instead of sending users to a landing page, they allow your audience to access offers without ever leaving the social platforms. Users can submit their information and show direct interest in a product or service, which makes it incredibly easy for you to follow up with them and make a sale.
Start an Email List
If you want to grow your small business, you need to start an email list. Your email list is filled with your biggest fans who will likely buy from you if you have the right strategies in place.
You need people consistently funnelling into your email database. Lead ads will help with this, as will website opt-in forms, website pop-ups, call-to-actions, and bonus incentives.
Create Regular Video
Video is the new king (or queen) of marketing, so if you haven’t implemented it yet, it’s time to jump on the video bandwagon. Whether you do Facebook Lives, start a Youtube channel, or add a product video on your landing page, video marketing can do great things for your small business.
Video boosts conversions and sales, builds trust and engages your audience, and encourages social shares. And since video increases the time spend on your site, Google loves it. All pluses in my book.
6. Collaborate
Collaboration is key to business growth, no matter what industry you’re in. A successful collaboration brings two businesses together who have different strengths and can help propel each other forward.
In a collaboration, you each bring different knowledge, resources and skills to the table, which can help you scale your business and reach new markets and a bigger audience. Collaboration helps you grow, step outside your comfort zone and become a stronger business overall.
Written by the lovely and delightfully delightful Kate Bialowas!