Knowing how to promote a business or product, when you start a new project, is one of the main challenges that you face, and especially when it is very likely that you have very little budget.
If this is your situation you are in luck, because in this article I am going to propose a dozen promotional actions that will help you achieve that visibility that your business needs for much less than you think.
Online Promotion Actions
Given that digital consulting is my thing, you are going to allow me that my first proposals, to show you how to promote a product, are actions carried out on the Internet for very little money.
1 – Website
One of the best ways to advertise your business is to have a website where you put information about it, your products, your team, the benefits you bring, testimonials from clients, etc.
Having a company website allows you to multiply your reach and make yourself accessible and visible to potential clients who, otherwise, would never know you.
And even if they are at the other end of the world.
In addition, a good website will allow you to stand out from your competition.
If you have a little knowledge, and you want to dedicate some time, you can create a website with a WordPress installation and a simple hosting to start, although my recommendation is that you locate a good designer that guarantees a simple but professional website.
Think that there is nothing worse than working to position your website and that your visitors leave lost or scared.
2 – Blog
Another ideal tool to promote your product or business is the blog, because it will provide great visibility to your website and, with it, your business.
You can prepare a content plan and create articles that show the value that your products or services bring to your customers.
Remember that it is not about “selling” the technical benefits of your solution, but about what this, or your company, can do for your clients.
This way you will be able to show the benefits of your products, educate your visitors and create an incentive for them to come back for new contents, and get your brand known and recognized.
With this you will be generating content for visitors at different levels of the conversion funnel, enhancing the possibility of getting conversions or leads.
Also, if you have created your website with WordPress, you have it for free, and the only thing you will have to do will be some time.
3 – Social Networks
Social networks will bring a lot of visibility and virality to your business and your content.
Therefore, they are a very useful tool to promote a product and create an interested community around your brand.
And open the profiles is free.
To take advantage of the effect, determine in which social networks your clients move and open professional profiles in them.
Think that some, like YouTube or Vimeo, practically allow you to create your own television network.
Create content appropriate to each type of network and the philosophy of each of them, and remember that social networks work much better as a recommendation channel than as a sales channel.
Therefore, it seeks to provide value, entertain and educate and, from time to time, present some offer or novelty that may be of interest.
For this you can use the comments and suggestions of your visitors as a source of inspiration and as a tool for detecting needs.
And, of course, interact with your followers, answering their doubts, thanking their comments, encouraging their contributions, etc.
The goal here is to create a community committed to your brand that amplifies the benefits of your solutions.
4 – Advertising on the Display network
If what you are looking for are possible customers interested in buying your products, you can carry out advertising campaigns in the Google Adwords search network (the ads that appear when you search for something).
The problem is that if you are in a sector where there is a lot of competition, and you are a newcomer, the price of your bids will have to be much higher than your competition.
Also, you have the problem that you are a stranger, so it is very possible that netizens ignore you.
To avoid this you can start your first advertising campaigns on the Google Display Network (those ads that usually appear on some websites) where, unlike the search network, you will pay for the number of views and not the number of clicks.
With them the level of sales or conversions achieved will be much lower, but the price will be much lower (with a lot of difference) and what you will get, segmenting them properly, is to appear on websites related to your topic and that your brand or your product will be familiar to your potential customers.
So you prepare the way for other more direct actions of advertising and sale.
5 – Advertising on YouTube
Similarly, ads on YouTube are quite cheap and the visibility they bring to your business can be very interesting.
Remember that YouTube is the second search engine after Google and you can create both text ads and promotional videos.
In addition, the virality of this channel is tremendous, so a video well-conceived and executed can make an incredible impact.
And you do not need infinite budgets or big technical teams. A simple, original, useful and / or fun video can give you impressive visibility.
Once your brand is known, it is when you can start thinking about strengthening your ads in the Google search network.
Offline Promotion Actions
Of course, online actions are not the only ones that will give you visibility, although it is true that their potential reach is incredibly superior.
However, offline promotion actions will also give a lot of visibility to your business or brand.
1 – Signage
The signage and stationery is essential to give visibility to your company, both in the immediate environment and in your business contacts.
Therefore, design your company image, logos, logos, colors, typography and create materials with them.
Business cards, letterhead and contact, envelopes, folders, etc., will help you to give your business image and it has a more than accessible price.
Remember to include your web address and email address in all your signatures, and invite them to follow you on social networks.
In addition, the posters will help to make your business known quickly and cheaply. For it:
- Locate the usual routes and environments of your potential audience and place advertising for your business.
- Of course, create a striking showcase or poster for your facade.
- Think you can make an adhesive vinyl and you can put it in your car or on a magnetic surface to put on and take off.
2 – Flyers
If your business is local, another way to promote it is to opt to send and distribute flyers or flyers in your area.
It is cheap and in a short time allows you to reach a relatively large area.
In this case, you have the advantage of knowing the target audience well, so you can adjust the message very well.
Now, look for a good company to help you in this and in the case of wanting to distribute flyers in the street on your own, consult before local regulations, because not all municipalities (or all countries) allow the distribution of flyers in the Street.
3 – Meetings / Fairs
A classic business promotion. Knowing someone who can open doors for you is an essential asset for any business. Therefore, do not hesitate to attend as many fairs and professional meetings as possible and where interest profiles for your business are concentrated.
But think that it’s not about exchanging cards, but about getting to know people. Know what they need or care about and let them know what you can offer them and do for them. The exchange of cards is only useful if afterwards there is a follow-up and new real contacts.
4 – Word of mouth
Probably, the best advertising of all that a business can have for its promotion. It is received by someone who is very interested or in need of services or products like ours, the source is a person of confidence of the prospective client and the experience with our business has been positive.
True, the scope is very limited, but the effectiveness is usually very high and, if we do it well, the new client will become a new prescriber.
5 – Press / Radio / Television
Yes, I know you’re going to think I’ve gone crazy, but remember that there are stations and local press in which advertising can be quite economical.
In addition, many of them can be open to possible collaborations to create programs or sections of interest for your audience and in which you can contribute your knowledge.
6 – Exchange of services
In line with the previous one, the last promotional action that I propose may sound strange, but it works. It is about reaching agreements with other companies or businesses with which we can share target public but to which we provide different products or services. It’s like cross selling but collaborating with other companies.
Imagine a mechanical workshop, a paint shop and a manual car cleaning company. Same target audience but different services.
In addition, if the circumstance occurs that we are, at the same time, customers and mutual suppliers you can also consider the possibility of exchanging services, which may not be bad for you when you start and you are just from treasury.
7 – Merchandising
Promotional products are also a very interesting source of promotion for your business.
They can be products that are related to your business and the needs of your potential customers, custom office materials (USBs, mats, etc.) or more generic products such as keychains, caps or personalized shirts.
With this you will be able to be present in the daily life of your potential client and, even, that they themselves become promoters of your brand.
Conclusion
Well, here are some actions that will help you promote your business with a budget. In some cases you will pay with what you usually have at the beginning, as it is time and desire; in other cases you will have to invest some more money, but if you do it with good professionals you will be worth the last cent.
So cheer up, prepare a good plan and go ahead. You will see how you find more than one helping hand on the road.
What other economic promotional actions did you use when you started your business?
Did you find it interesting? You would do me a great favor by sharing it on your social networks.
