No Cost Marketing Tips
What are the top 5 things I could do to market my new product without a marketing budget?
Dear Marketing Challenged:
You have asked the number one question – that is aside from how to lose weight without dieting or exercise. In today’s era of overabundant information and too many choices, I would recommend you start simple. When a business is new or starting out – there is often no marketing budget. Instead there is what a dear friend of mine calls “guerilla marketing.” In short, you do everything you can to get attention for your product – in ways that don’t cost money. The point is to get word out – to generate enough interest so people can see what you’re about and then spread the word. Here are five tips that have worked for me when I’m up against no cost marketing:
(1) Make a list of everyone you know who through their personal or business connections may care about your product. With as much personal contact as possible, let them know about the product and how to find more information (e.g. your website) or get a sample (if it makes sense.) Take your pool of acquaintences up a notch and add to your list any potential sources of business from school directories, business associations etc. Especially consider trade associations that may be relevant to your product or industry. Let them know you’re out there. Email is easy and affordable. Be careful to not be sending spam.
(2) Contact local stores or businesses that may be interested in your product. Don’t forget the local library. Let them know who may be interested in your product and offer to do a demonstration, program, free give away to help them and you.
(3) Get friendly with local media (e.g. newspaper, radio program etc.) and let them know about you and your product. Get them excited and interested about hometown girl/guy making good – seeking the American dream. Articles and programs that talk about you and your product are forms of advertising that the best marketing budgets can’t buy.
(4) Give away plenty of samples and start recording positive testimonials to use on your website or advertising. Nothing sells better than someone else saying how great your product is!
(5) Stay enthusiastic whereever you go and with whoever you meet – about your product and even you. Most goods and services are bought on a personal level because people buy into you. If you talk up your product - and make it as enticing as possible - it’s like you’re baiting a hook to lure in a fish. No bait – no catch.
Bait as many hooks as you can and keep an eye on your lines. By expanding your pool of acquaintenances and those interested in your product, you are maximizing your marketing – even without a big budget. I believe that the energy you put out – will yield results even if you can’t anticipate the particulars. If you do nothing, you will get nothing – so take action and think creatively about how to get others interested in your product. Getting the word out is what matters most. And capturing positive feedback in testimonials can help with “viral marketing,” – i.e., spreading the word.
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