Low Cost Marketing Techniques

Advertising is the biggest item in most marketing budgets, usually overshadowing all other marketing activity.

So it's easy to ignore other strategies, many of which make advertising more effective.

I'm not saying you should stop advertising, just that your marketing can be more effective if you spend some of your budget on lower cost techniques.

Here's seven ways (of more than 60) in which businesses and not-for-profit organisations can get their message across without paying for advertising space. I use these techniques, among others, for clients and in my own marketing:

1. Write articles
Research shows articles have more credibility than advertisements.

Don't risk your credibility by trying to sneak advertising messages into an article. Editors (and readers) don't like that sort of thing.

The objective of writing an article for publication is not to sell. You may generate some inquiries, but the real purpose is to build awareness and credibility as a basis for other forms of marketing.

The key is to provide useful information and insights in a way that's relevant and interesting to the audience.

2. Exploit speaking opportunities
Speaking engagements are an opportunity to get your message across to greater numbers than is possible by meeting with individuals.

Like writing articles, speaking is not a "sell job". Rather, the audience expects to be informed and entertained, maybe even challenged.

It's important you're able to do that. If you're not totally confident of your ability to "stand and deliver", you should consider using a specialist coach.

3. Networking and encouraging referrals
This is the process of meeting with other people on a regular basis to make use of their "who knows who" knowledge (and for them to make use of yours).

It works best when the people in the group have contacts among your target market.

If you first "make things happen" for others, they will be more willing to help you, perhaps in answer to a request for a specific introduction at a later date.

4. Publish a newsletter
A newsletter is essentially a means of keeping in touch with customers, potential customers, referrers and other important audiences.

Effectiveness depends on how relevant and useful the content is for the audience, and how often it is distributed. Both content and frequency should match the results of research into your audiences' preferences.

5. Achieve media coverage
Media outlets receive hundreds of press releases every day, but most end up in the bin because they're of no interest to their audience.

Editors and journalists want to preserve their market share (and their integrity) by publishing and broadcasting material of interest.

Using an experienced professional to help identify justifiable and compelling "angles" and match them to appropriate media will markedly improve your "hit rate".

6. Create an event
Events are a great way to focus attention on an issue, a product, or a new development in a market.

From grand openings to open days, product demonstrations to special presentations, events enable you to create an audience for your message.

This can involve lots of preparation, but the pay-off is in the "buzz" you create and the impact on your audience.

7. Target key influencers
When you're seeking new customers or clients, it's easy to focus on them as if they make decisions on their own.

They don't of course. They ask others for their views - bosses, colleagues, external advisers, friends and family.

Including "key influencers" as a target for marketing communications, especially if your product or service is of high-value and/or purchased infrequently, can play a vital part in a decision in your favour.

Remember your marketing needs to be researched, planned and integrated for best effect. If you're spending time planning and writing a newsletter, why not also use some of the material in an article? What about placement of a version on a website (yours and someone else's)? What about the speaking opportunities?