Adverting a business is never easy. There are so many little things that you have to get right for an advert to flow, and to actually bring in customers with it can sometimes feel like quite an achievement. When you think of advertisements, you probably think of big billboards on the subway or commercial breaks on the television. However, if you are on a budget, the likelihood of you being able to afford either of those is so slim that if you it turned sideways, you wouldn’t be able to see it at all. So, if you are in need of some more cost-effective alternatives, here are some of the best ways that you can advertise your business while you are on a budget, and you never know, it might work better than any flashy TV ad ever could.
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#1 Custom swag
Custom swag is criminally overlooked but very important when it comes to advertising. It is a subtle way that you can get ongoing publicity with just a single one-off payment, and here’s how it works:
Say, for example, you own a business that provides sportswear and equipment. One of your first-time customers purchases a tennis racket, some shoes, and a cap. You have some custom swag to hand, which you carefully select to put in the package with the other item, such as a custom pair of socks from anthem branding. You put in a little note saying: ‘Thank you for this purchase. Here is a free pair of socks to help you stay comfortable. Have fun playing sports.’ Then you send it off.
On the other side of the exchange, your customer is very excited for their new tennis gear to arrive. They open the box, take out their items (which they are delighted with) and find your note and socks. They enjoy the design and feel it goes very well with their other purchases. They take it with them to their tennis practice, and twelve people comment on how nice their socks are. They mention it was a free gift from your company for buying the shoes, cap, and racket.
You have gained another twelve potential customers and won the loyalty of another, just because of one item.
#2 Social media
Social media is a great marketing tool if you are on a budget. There are trends that you can jump on, hashtags that you can use to tailor your posts to a certain audience and community, or even just blog on there. Many businesses use their social media accounts to announce events, product launches, and pretty much everything else as well.
Others just use it to bring in a larger audience. One of the best things about social media is that you can choose how much money you want to put into it. This can be anything from looking into social media influencer marketing to simply putting up some wholesome pictures of your employees wishing people a merry Christmas or a happy Ramadan. There is so much that you can do on social media to help you market to an international audience.