Most startup companies usually don’t have a lot of money to spend on marketing, at least not right away. But there are some low cost ways to help boost your marketing at all levels. These 5 marketing tips are low effort and low budget, but any startup company can see high results.
- Good website and CMS
A good website that contains good content is key. It is also very important to use a great program that helps create and organize your digital content (this is where CMS comes in) A website with compelling content will drive visitors to stick around and will also be more likely to gain referrals. First, you need to establish what you want people to do when they visit your page. You can use free tools like Google Analytics to help monitor many things on your website and it can also help give you ideas on how to make your site more user friendly. There are also some affordable services to make buying products on your site easy and safe. You will need to do your research based on the wants and needs of your company, but know there are a number of free services out there for every type of startup. Remember, it may seem like a no brainer, but having a clean and appealing web design is going to be one of the most important things for your company.
- Organic SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a powerful and free tool to help generate traffic to your site. You can improve rankings instantly if done right. Placing target keywords in the right places is very beneficial, but so is having valuable content on your site. Keeping up with the latest technologies is always in your favor and you can do this by including videos and blogs along with your other digital content. This will gain more visitors to your site and keep them interested in browsing around.
- Social media
Social media just might be the most valuable free tool for any startup company. You will really want to take advantage of all of the free things each social media site offers. It can really help your company gain some serious exposure and there are several different types of social media platforms to help target a wide variety of people. It is smart to make a company page on pretty much all of the social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest, just to name a few. Use these media accounts to interact and converse with your visitors and also use it to stay connected to customers, new and old. Plus, this will be one of the main ways for your company to gain referrals. You will want to have fun with your posts and interactions, but make sure to always stay relevant and remember to always include the links to your social media pages on your website, blogs and even emails.
- Mailchimp
Another great and free way to stay connected with new and existing customers is through email marketing. Everyone loves email and people actually do read their messages. One of the first things to do as a startup is to establish an email marketing campaign. Mailchimp offers free services and additional affordable services to send emails and newsletters. You can also use this tool to reach out to potential customers. Your emails can contain many different things like more information on your business or any special deals or events. Just make sure to not over do it because there is such a thing as sending too many emails. Be strategic based on the needs and goals of your company.
- Lead Capture Form
Lead capture forms can help your company collect leads, in a free and low effortless way. It will also help draw attention to your website. You can ask for basic contact information and in return, offer a free e-book, webinar or even a demonstration. Just be careful and never ask for too much information up front. You want to get the basics first to establish a connection. Start off by getting a name and email. You can always get more information later on after establishing a trusting relationship. There are several things to keep in mind when developing a lead capture form. Stay tuned for a blog on more in-depth tips on how to make the perfect form.
Remember to think about your marketing goals and try different strategies. You will find the best and most effective marketing tool for your business with practice. These easy and free tools are a good start and can be very successful, without having to spend a lot of time or money.
