To promote business for free…

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To promote business for free…

 

I’ve received an interesting question within one of my presentations earlier … during the quarantine, there was some time to shape it as a short article ) 

 

In this article, I talk about seven of them. But remember that even an effective marketing tool, by itself, does not work. Its qualitative implementation quite often leaves much to be desire) All of them so called free because require a human resource and, in some cases, very insignificant investments. 

“7 free of charge tools to promote your business”

 

1.Out-of-box thinking 

I consider the classics of the 60th would be the best explanation example. So, at that time Mcllhenny had no advertising budget, and sales of Tobasco spicy sauce were catastrophically falling. A cohort of advertising agencies offered costly ideas for boosting sales. And only an internal creative approach, for $ 5 (!) solved the issue. Within the further 4 years gross profit has grown by millions of dollars. 

 

How? Very simple, just replacing one cheap element on the production line. Just imagine, the “nail”, which makes a hole in the tube of sauce. The simplicity was that the diameter of the “nail” itself was increased. That trick is allowed to spend the sauce faster and owing to it stimulate the necessity of further  purchases demand 

 

Majority of us nowadays do not have a habit of paying for ideas. Talk to your staff. As a rule, great options of those same “nails” are already in the “burning eyes” of your employees. During the conversation, you will definitely find the necessary options or at least you could find/ feel a vector of its direction. One more option is to hold brainstorming with those representatives of your advertising agencies, who really desire to raise up asap with unique cases. You will give both parts the best opportunities. 

 

2.PR opportunities 

At the beginning of the 20th century Shustov used to warm up demand and own trademark awareness via simple, but effective tools. Crowds of Shustov’s acquaintances and invited students went into Moscow taverns and requested / demanded alcohol from TM “Shustov”. When the product of TM “Shustov” was not available for obvious reasons, there were brawls and fights. Such information has appeared in the morning newspapers and was widely discussed within the country. Thus people found out about a new alcoholic drink).

 

Also the brand “Sitronics” used a similar example. Its representatives were making phone calls to electronics stores and its category managers, checking about the availability of “Sitronics” products in stores. Additionally, the “friends” of the brand pretending to look like real buyers with shopping boxes excitedly praised their acquisitions. Brand awareness corresponding measurements after that campaign showed an increase from 26% to 44%. There are many such cases, I won’t talk about today in order not to hurt any of the partners, but your fantasies are very welcomed in this regard. At that budget for such activities tends to zero)

 

3.Networking

A tool that needs no introduction. Now there are a lot of platforms and events for holding regular meetings with interesting / potential customers and / or partners, initiation of collaborations. The main thing is to have a strong Elevator Pitch and your own distinguishing business qualities of you and your TOP managers in order to find new business opportunities.

 

4.Free of charge platforms usage: social networks, applications  

  • Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, YouTube, Tik Tok … share information about your product in the form in which your consumer consumes it, try and experiment. Use those social networks where your consumer really is available (!)
  • Remember the launch of Mailbox! Viral video promoted via social networks that was developed simply and fast via so called home available sources. And as discussed later by the press, the turn of those who want to join the service was over expectations. Which literally imposed to potential users the desire to use this service.
  • Instagram itself easily occupied the AppStore due to the uniqueness of its product.
  • My most successful experience with so called conditionally free of charge budget:

target – max brand awareness

budget – 30 thousand UAH

CPC (cost per contact) with the target audience – 0.04 UAH

result – 897 000 people

the key is in the unique business idea that hasn’t been used before.

  • Google map dot will help you to maximally tell about your business, show the location where to go, add photos of your products, videos, a link to the website, feedback option and actively be engaged in reputation marketing. You can make advertising to it. This tool is perfectly indexed by Google services.
  • ticketsForEvent – an event registration software tool. If you are dealing with events, for example.
  • helpSMI is a service where you have the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise in popular media, comment on journalists’ requests for important events and issues in the world / Ukraine, etc. thus working with reputation marketing.

 

5.Guerilla marketing 

  • Work with reviews and comments. Look for information about you and / or your competitors, give feedback, offer your product / tell and explain.
  • Explore the biggest “crossroads” on your consumers’ journey, think of the most creative way to attract attention, for example, even like this:

The company near by their shop of grill goods used a sewer manhole reminding a real grill. They stuck a grill fork and added call to action.  Conditionally free of charge eye catching idea rising awareness. 

 

6.CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

So called knowledge databases of customer relationship management. Nowadays, many researchers claim that only about 10% use this tool deeply and professionally in Ukraine. But those 10% are market leaders and it’s not difficult to guess who they are) Yes it’s expensive, but you could start trying the available tools in 1C, even Excel, simple mathematics shows how much cheaper it is to sell to loyal customers for the 2nd, the 3rd, the 4th time than to constantly attract new ones. Gather and work with your customer bases.

 

7.Reputational marketing

Use your expertise. If your business is about handmade, services that will be useful to parents, talk about the advantages and creative side of your products in schools / universities, conduct master classes. In the beginning – let it be free. As time goes by, your expertise and word of mouth after the master classes will obligatory be converted into sales. If successful cases of your business are relevant at conferences where the necessary target audience is present, immediately use and develop yourself and your team.

 

You can and should use these tools by yourself. The core of all of them is THE IDEA that is the most hard and the most successful! 

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