After carefully crafting a business plan, your next step should be to create an online presence so you are ready to promote your products or services. Whether you are a startup or an established business trying to cut your marketing spend, there are a number of cost-effective marketing solutions. Liat Karpel Gurwicz, Head of Strategic Marketing at Wix.com, has compiled five ways of how to market your business on a shoestring, both offline and online:

#1 Create a Homepage

As soon as your business has been established, you should be able to show it off with a beautiful, organised website. A great website should be able to capture your visitor’s attention and prompt them to find out more. There are various ways in which you can create a website, including hiring a freelancer from websites such as Fiverr or PeoplePerHour.

Alternatively, you can use a platform such as Wix.com. Nowadays, you don’t need to be an expert in web design or building as tools such as Wix Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) can build you a customised, one-of-a-kind professional website, complete with content and imagery in a few minutes. All you have to do is answer a few initial questions and your site will come to life in front of you.

As your website represents your company, make sure you maintain it by keeping it updated. In addition, use an analytics software like Google Analytics to monitor your website to see how it’s performing and what activities are driving traction.

#2 Get Social

Social media is a great tool to get the word out about your business as it is cost efficient and offers opportunities for engagement with your customers. Choose the platforms that are most relevant and practical so you can easily manage them. Then, set up pages or profiles on these sites and post content regularly – at least once a week (though daily is best). Ensure that you keep the tone of your brand consistent throughout all your social media channels.

#3 Be Offline

It’s always better to put a face to a name. Make the most out of any networking or speaking opportunities; including conferences, workshops, meetups and other types of face-to-face events. Think about where your target audience would be and make sure your presence exists there. Not only will these raise the awareness of the company, but such activities will also build your personal profile. Don’t forget to bring your business cards!

#4 Use Email Marketing

Email marketing is one of the best ways to market your business. Email marketing is useful to reach out to potential or current consumers to let them know when you have a new product, offer or news. Make sure it contains high-quality content on a regular basis to keep your followers involved and interested. Newsletters can be used even for something as simple as a holiday greeting – anything to show your customers that you’re friendly and engaged. Recipients have the tendency to become impatient and frustrated unless they receive creative and personalised emails.

Entice customers and subscribers from your mailing list to share your business and their experience with their friends. In return, offer them a discount for their next purchase. Not only does this increase your subscribers, but it also increases loyalty of current customers. This referral method can also be used when you’re trying to gain followers on your social media platforms.

#5 Seek Valuable Partnerships

Besides tapping into your personal network, you should also reach out to various communities and non-competitive businesses that have synergy with your company or brand in order to build meaningful and ongoing partnerships. Local ventures and initiatives, in particular, will help you engage with your immediate target audience. Setting up agreements with like-minded businesses will guarantee a stream of interest from potential customers, as well as expose you to a larger target audience.

These are just a few ideas on how you can market your business on a small budget. The combination of various offline and online tools and techniques can vastly increase your business potential; this includes creating a digital presence, as well as giving a recognisable and friendly face to your business.

Liat Karpel Gurwicz

Liat is the Head of Strategic Marketing for Wix.com, which includes leading the marketing efforts for Wix Music. Liat is a seasoned branding and marketing expert and prior to joining Wix, she held strategic marketing and communications positions at tech companies including Conduit and dbMotion. She has also been awarded the MAA GLOBE award for excellence in marketing communications.

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