Let’s face it, as much as we all wish it was so, starting out really isn’t as easy as becoming an overnight sensation out of nowhere. That doesn’t happen. When it comes to getting your name out there, startup marketing is a huge deal. But what can you do when you just don’t have the budget for a big marketing campaign?
Let’s go over a few things that can get your marketing moving in the right direction, without having to spend much besides sweat equity.
1. Build a Network with Online Influencers in your Industry
Building a strong online network should be the foundation of any free marketing strategy. Having other people share your brand simply because they want to is an incredibly powerful thing.
If you find yourself in a position where your network is…lacking, get out there and start being active with influential people. Follow them on their social networks, comment on their posts, share their content with your friends, engage with them and make them notice you. Don’t be a pest, but show them that you care about who they are and they should care about you too. Always be sure to include a link to your site in your signature.
2. Start With a Smaller Niche
Today our product can be used to generate all kinds of landing pages and opt in forms… but we started as JUST a tool to launch new businesses. We only had 3 themes and only allowed you to collect a person’s email address without any additional information.
Although the product was limited it meant we had a smaller, more approachable, target (entrepreneurs) to market to. It allowed us to focus on those communities and those influencers without worrying about the larger community of online marketers. If you don’t start with a niche you could have some larger problems…
3. Grow Your Email & Lead List
If you don’t yet have a list of subscribers, you can start building one by utilizing a landing page or set of opt-in forms on your website. If you haven’t built a website, you can even use your landing page as your main page – until yours is up and running.
Offer potential subscribers an incentive for signing up – contests are a great way to collect Email addresses!
4. Publish Industry Specific Content Regularly
This goes hand in hand with networking and social media. A great way to get your name out there without having to spend any money is by publishing great content on a regular basis. The things you write should cover topics that are in your general niche, but you really can write about just about anything. You don’t need to be a master of prose to start blogging, just make sure the content that you post is relevant to your potential customers.
5. Publish Higher Value Content for Subscribers
If you’re really not sure where to start, make an awesome how-to guide as a downloadable resource! People have a thirst for knowledge and when it comes to the Internet, “how to…” is the most commonly used search phrase. Take advantage of this by making a how-to guide that is better than anyone else’s. It’s amazing how much more value people place on something that’s downloadable vs “just another blog post”.
You want to write something that people will use and remember. Not only will this make your readers more likely to share your guide with their friends, it will make other content influencers more likely to promote your guide to their readers.
6. Start Locally
Sometimes the easiest way to get your name out there is by starting local. Utilize your friends and family! Ask them to share your brand with all of their friends and families. Make a few posts on your local Craigslist community and discussions forum. Place a free ad in your local newspaper or a local magazine. Get involved with a like-minded Meetup.com group and share your start-up with them.
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