Advertising dosen’t have to cost a fortune!

As soon as we think of the word ‘advertising’ we often associate it with spending a significant amount of money. From spending anywhere from £20,000 plus for an advert in one of the UK tabloids to £100,000s on a TV advert or in the case of the 2016 Christmas advert for John Lewis a staggering £7 million!

The good news is that you don’t need to invest a lot to see a return, you just have to think outside the box. Simply start by planning what you want to achieve, identify who you are targeting and how you will reach them. Take some time out with the team and dig out the flip chart paper or create a giant wipe wall in the office, and let the creativity flow.

Get Online

Not being online is no longer an option in today’s world of business, if you want to compete you need to have a website. However you don’t need to shell out thousands of pounds on a custom built site, there are inexpensive WordPress templated sites available. These can either be created by yourself, or a professional and often the templates can be bought online ready for you to populate with your content.

Social Interaction

Nowadays everyone in on at least one social media platform and therefore creating brand awareness can be easy and free. From LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook to Instagram you can soon be joining groups and having conversations with potential clients generating a buzz about your products and services. You don’t even have to spend a lot of time posting either as you can utilise a scheduling platform such as Hootsuite or Buffer so that you can plan posts for the future at a time convenient to you.

Be Seen

Get yourself out into the wider arena by exhibiting at an event. Yes the big ones at venues such as the NEC, Earls Court and Olympia can be on the pricey side, but there are a plethora of alternative options. More local events may only cost around £200 for a space and with some inexpensive pull up banners, leaflets and some promotional freebies to give away you’ll soon be getting your company name out there to your prospects. If you have a dedicated budget you may want to consider sponsoring an event to provide even more exposure for your company.

Communication is Key

E-mail marketing is an inexpensive method of communicating with customers and prospects. By sending a monthly newsletter via free online software such as MailChimp you can promote your services whilst educating your end audience with blogs, e-books or whitepapers. Just remember to ask permission before sending an email and always give them the option to unsubscribe.

Make a Noise

If your company supports a local charity or is taking part in an activity that will benefit the community then be sure to shout about it. PR is great way of getting free advertising out in the local press whether that is the newspaper, radio station or on the TV. By submitting a carefully created press release and an impactful image you’ll hopefully soon be seeing your news making a stir. Remember to include your web address and contact details so that people can follow up, after all that is the main aim!

So you see advertising doesn’t have to be expensive, by simply taking the time to be creative you can still get your company name out there whilst promoting your goods and services without breaking the bank.