Whether your monthly marketing budget is upwards of several thousand dollars, or next to niltch, there are marketing activities you can be doing right now that cost nothing.
Really.
Okay, let’s be clear. They’ll take your time.
And your time is valuable. No doubt about that.
But these are activities you can do when your budget is reduced, your staff has shrunk, or maybe you’re not sure where you should be putting your marketing energy for the time being.
These are activities that will prepare you for a time when you’re busy making sales, getting visits, converting leads, etc.
Your marketing materials will be there ready for you, like a quick grab-n-go.
Prepare now, and set yourself up for success later.
After all, these activities take $0 (or next to nothing), and you’ll be oh-so happy you did them when your workload is bigger and badder down the road.
3 Marketing Activities You Can Do For Free
#1. Build Your Library of Assets
Create new content to save for a rainy day, or plan ahead for your marketing activities throughout the year.
Then stash these assets in a library where your marketing team can have access when needed, such as a Dropbox folder or Google Drive.
What kind of assets are we talking?
- Photos
- Videos
- Graphics
- Online and print ads
- Cover images
- Website banners
- Artwork
If your marketing dollars are short, many of these can be done by hand with your phone camera, and online programs such as PicMonkey for editing.
Be sure to think about what kind of content you’ll need throughout the year. Maybe it’s outdoor photos in summer, warm-color graphics in the fall, or promotional banners around the holidays.
What Building a Library can help with:
- Social media planning
- Digital ads
#2. Write Blog Posts
You can also create a library of written material to release throughout the year.
A blog on your website with relevant articles for your audience can help to drive traffic to your site, and establish credibility once visitors land there.
Looking for content ideas?
Think about questions your clients/customers frequently have. Answer them.
Write about upcoming events.
Write about your area of expertise, and why you’re passionate about what you do.
And again, stash your stockpile of blog posts in an online folder that you or your marketing team can access and post live to your website when the time is right.
What Blog Posts can help with:
- Search engine optimization
- Inbound marketing
#3. Stock Up On Review Responses
If your customers or clients leave reviews online, it’s good practice to prepare for the dreaded negative (or 1-star) review.
Prepare your responses ahead of time, and you’ll have a templated reply ready to go in the event that someone has less-than-ideal things to say about your business online.
Try this:
Think about challenges your customers have mentioned in the past, and reasons they might feel the need to leave a poor review. For instance, if you’re a restaurant, maybe it’s:
- Long wait times
- Under/over-cooked food
- Slow service
If you’re a retailer, maybe it’s:
- Poor clothing fit
- Return/refund process
- Customer service
Think about possible pain points for your customers, and how you’d like to address them online.
Planning ahead not only saves you time when responding, but also gives you a non-emotional option when someone has gone online and said something negative about your company. It’s hard not to get upset! But having a templated, branded reply will help ensure that you’re able to respond with a level-headed and prepared statement from your company.
What Review Responses can help with:
- Reputation management
Do these in your downtime
Whether you are ramping up your marketing efforts with a small budget, or you’re finding yourself with downtime to play catch up, hopping on these free marketing activities will set you up for an easier time showcasing your business down the road.
And when you’re ready to add more services to your ongoing marketing plan, let us know! We’re happy to talk about what we can help with and what you can do yourself to grow your business income through online marketing.