5 Low-Budget Marketing Tactics that Work

Rapid shifts have taken place in the past 3 months, forcing marketers to adjust their strategies and reinvent themselves to fit the new landscape. It's during times of chaos that opportunities arise and those who can leverage them will go far.

While many want to jump on the wagons of emerging technologies such as messaging apps, language processing or voice search, they forget that these new tools are at high risk for not being tested long enough. They also demand big budgets that most don't have. But if you are a rebel early adopter, please go for it and let me know how it works for you! :-)

There are many ways of reaching your goals without breaking your wallet or risking damaging your brand with untested tools.

1. Email marketing: While it is one of the oldest tactics, it has made a major comeback being extremely efficient when done right. Doing it right means offering content of high-value to your audience, and delivering it consistently in a "soft sale" mode. The advantage of email marketing is that messages go right into your audience's mailbox, and if your subject line is relevant, your open rate will rise. The down side of email marketing is that you need an email list. If yours is small or if you don't have one, start grabbing those emails on your website or social media platforms. There are many ways to do it.
2. Influencer marketing: You've heard and seen this a lot, yet a lot of us remain skeptical about using this tactic. However, a high percentage of marketers use influencer marketing to build brand awareness and grow sales, because of its potential for high ROI. The challenge is that costs are rising, which makes it not affordable to most if you attempt working with the Kylie Jenners of the world. Instead, seek micro-influencers in your industry who have relatively small following but the right audience for your business. They can go a long way!
3. SEO: By now, it would seem to me that most companies use SEO to generate traffic and sales. I'm however witnessing on a daily basis that this highly-efficient and affordable practice is misused or not used at all. The first thing that people do when they look for a product or service is do a Google Search. If you can't be found with keywords they use to find someone like you, you are missing out on thousands of opportunities, and sales.
4. Video: YouTube reports that users watch 1 billion hours of videos every day. Want a part of it? Add video communication to your marketing mix. Professional quality is not necessary and is actually not recommended for social media platforms that favor "native" content. They want authentic and approachable content that connects and engage. Native videos can be done by anyone using their mobile phone. Give it a try!
5. Chatbots: Great to improve customer service, chatbots are becoming very popular. However, I recommend mixing them with some real human interaction as there is so much a human being will take from computerized lingo (that is until AI reaches new heights...). Use chatbots to test the seriousness of a lead and guide them to a way out if they don't meet your selection criteria. That will save you time, money and lots of unnecessary frustration!

Being successful in marketing no longer means spending gigantic budgets. Those times belong to the past. You can now do it scarcely with a very targeted approach and a value-centered narrative. And always, always focus on quality! Content is nowadays more critical than ever and if done right, you will build a self-serving lead generation funnel with levels of ROI unmet before.

To your success always,

Catherine

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