If COVID-19 has taught us one thing with marketing activities (Eds note: if only it was just one thing), it’s how quickly marketing budgets can change.
We saw many of our clients go from hundreds of thousands of marketing dollars to a next-to-nothing budget. It made us think about the marketing activities that can be achieved when your marketing dollars run dry.
Regardless of if you had a large budget to start with or are just starting out in business, we’ve got five marketing activities you can implement to boost your brand that won’t cost you a dime – or cent, because #Australia.
1. Organic social media
Did you know social media usage has grown by nine per cent in the past year alone and has over 3.8 billion active users?
From where we’re sitting, that’s a whole lot of potential eyeballs on your product or service for the cost of downloading your social media app of choice (which is free) and being active.
To get started, all you need to do is to work out which channels are for you, complete one of these DIY marketing calendars for the month ahead and get scheduling.
Sound like a lot of effort? Don’t worry our Social Media Handbook takes you through a step-by-step approach to setting up your channels for your business.
While you might need to dip into your business wallet to book a professional photographer to build a photo library to get going, don’t forget your smartphone is a great tool if you need to DIY.
For DIY photography tips, you’ll love Episode 7 of our Contentious Podcast where we sit down with Krista Eppelstun and talk all things smartphone photography.
2. Ask for a review
Show of virtual hands if you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole of TripAdvisor when planning a holiday or Google Reviews before deciding where to eat? Yep, us too!
In fact, we’ve been known to not even read the host’s description on Airbnb but go straight to the guest reviews to get a real read on how ‘spacious’ the New York studio apartment is.
If you’re looking at reviews when deciding where to go, stay or eat, what makes you think people aren’t screening the reviews of your business too?
Reviews are so powerful, we even called reviews the secret sauce your business needs, but if you don’t believe us, these stats will have you starting on your review strategy:
- 97% of people read reviews for local business
- 93% of people say their online reviews impact purchasing decisions
- 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to purchase after reading a trusted review
You know the secret to getting more reviews?
It’s not a trick question – you just need to ask for them.
The best way to do this is to build asking for reviews into your standard operating procedures or point of sale.
Remember, your best chance of getting a customer to leave a review is in the moment. As soon as they cross the threshold of your business, they’re onto the next thing and next request for review.
3. Call your current customers and see how they are
Every single business has two audiences – existing customers and ones who don’t know about you yet.
Most businesses make the mistake of only marketing to the latter, rather than pointing their efforts inwards on existing customers and giving them a reason to stay.
Now more than ever, communication and connectivity are important. Use this time to engage on a personal level with your customers and ask how they are. The cost? Just your time.
If you’re waiting for the next enquiry to drop in your inbox, you could be missing out.
Ask yourself these two questions:
- What if my client has been too swamped to reach out but needs help with a job
- What if my client doesn’t know I can help with a certain job
Eliminate any room for doubt and reach out to your existing customers. Too often these ‘what ifs’ are just confidence blocks standing in the way of your next sale.
4. Write a blog post
Tap, tap, tap – can you hear the keyboard working its magic?
While you’ll find us at Media Mortar HQ crafting words for clients, we also dedicate time to write our own blog posts. Case. In. Point.
Put pen to virtual paper and share your knowledge and expertise with your audience. Create an editorial calendar of value-laden blog posts you can share with your audience.
What you’ll find is your website traffic starts to grow and time spent on your website rises. This is a powerful combination that anyone who sells online will know drives new sales.
Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered with this blog post (see what we did there…).
5. Ask for a referral
Nailed a recent job? Delivered an exceptional campaign? Designed the ultimate creative that’s going straight to the pool room?
That’s all great but did you ask for a referral from those satisfied clients to turn your homerun into something more?
We’re yet to meet a business owner who doesn’t say word of mouth referrals are their best sales-tool. So many miss the opportunity to capture the glowing sentiment of a happy customer by asking for a referral.
It’s not just us who swears by referrals, some companies report referred clients are three times more likely to convert than someone who wasn’t.
Not sure where to start? We recommend asking your golden clients if they are happy to refer you to their industry connections (if they’re ok with it, of course).
Leave those feelings of awkwardness at the door, because we’ve never met a client who wasn’t happy to help when your request comes from a genuine place.
Just remember ‘what you appreciate, appreciates’ so don’t be shy to also pass on the favour and refer your clients to others too.
What are your favourite free marketing activities?
By Rochelle Vaisanen
When not climbing mountains on two wheels, Rochelle can be found on the hunt for the best almond croissant around town. A lover of good coffee, food and wine, and with a passion for travel, Rochelle is always on the lookout for new adventures locally and abroad.
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