Tips - marketing on a tight budget

sally · #1 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 15:59

Thought we could add things we have learnt about marketing on a tight budget to help people starting off.

My first tip:

Build a relationship with your first few customers and use them to help you with marketing.

I had 500 flyers printed, for less than £100 and asked for volunteers to put them up at work and social places.

One thing is not to send anyone 50 of the flyers, they will get bored and throw them away or keep them hidden in a drawer. Ask them to think of how many places they could put one up and send the appropriate amount (I found between 3 and 8 usually).

Also carry a few flyers in your car at all times, you never know when you will pop in somewhere that has a notice board.

Calibre Designs · #2 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 17:03

Thanks Sally.

You are so right! Start small and generate interest first. A small budget means that you have to be even more effective over where you spend your money. We had a very tight budget when we started out too.

Having a few in the car is very important. May I also add that it is worth visiting your local Business Link. They are in contact with so many businesses in your local area, they will be able to advise where is the best place to leave them. We were even able to leave 100 leaflets at our local branch in the waiting area. That worked wonders for us.

stephendoyle · #3 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 20:42

hi sally / calibre

very good points made.

there are all forms of marketing on a budget that you can
implement.

i will assume that you have a small customer base and here's
a few tips.

1. Work your Existing Customers
have you offered everything that you can to your customer base?
what are you not offering that your competitors will be?

offer a back end product and up sell or add sell when they are client's

2. Keep in Contact
always keep in contact with them.

newsletters, emails, texts offers let them know that their custom
is appreciated.

3. Capture customer information
make sure that even the minimum of information is captured so that
you may contact that prospect in the near future even if it was just an
enquiry.

4. Make a rule of speaking to your best customers often.
most businesses work on the 80 / 20 rule where 20% of your customers
will be worth 80% of your money so look after them!

5. SEO
start by doing some simple SEO, Links, Directory submissions, Articles,
blogs

6. PPC - pay per click
start a very simple and easy pay per click campaign.

start with a small budget even a fiver a day. do some research and
find the keywords and sentences that your customers are keying in.

roll it out larger if it is working - always test and measure this and watch
your budget.

7. IRP immediate referral plan
if you have a customer base offer an incentive for them to recommend
others that want your products or services.

always do this as you have just signed them up or they have ordered.

8. Sales Process
have a sales process in place.

for example - customer makes an enquiry.

call (confirm offer price)
email (follow up and confirm price with discount)
newsletter (compelling offer)
email again, (follow up compelling offer)
newsletter (further compelling offer)
call (follow up and speak)
email

on average it takes 7 attempts to get a prospect to a customer.

always advise your staff and everyone involved of the sales process
as those who answer the phones and email etc are very important.

if i think of any more i will add them to the list.

regards
stephen doyle

sally · #4 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephendoyle

3. Capture customer information
make sure that even the minimum of information is captured so that
may contact that prospect in the near future even if it was just an
enquiry.

Great list, thank you for taking the time Stephen

What information can you capture without getting into the realms of data protection?

stephendoyle · #5 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by sally

Great list, thank you for taking the time Stephen

What information can you capture without getting into the realms of data protection?

as long as you get their permission i would capture at the very least,
a contact number, email address and name.

enough so that you can keep in touch with them.

advise them that you have a newsletter and run regular discounts
that they shouldn't miss out on.

it is easier to capture information from a website but it can be
done customer facing as long as all the staff know what to ask
for etc...

regards
stephen doyle