You started your business. It’s an exciting time for you.
It should be! Congratulations on your amazing achievement. Now that you have your store setup, the website that you dreamed of, and the product ready to help new customers, you realize that you’re not sure where to start.
Maybe you have a business already, but you are tight on a budget because you want to work on improving your employees’ benefits or have a new project in mind. Growing your business doesn’t need to be expensive.
Yes, it does help if you have a budget, but you can still grow a business especially nowadays when there are so many tools readily available to you.
In this post, we’ll be discussing the following:
Let’s get started, shall we?
Keep Your Google Business Profile Updated
It’s Google. There is nothing really more to say than that about being added onto Google Business Profile. People use Google as a way to find new businesses. If you’re missing a profile on Google, chances are you might not be found.
Google Business Profile is free. You can claim your business or request a business listing if it’s not available. You can personalize your Google Business Profile with images, content, and information about your business.
Did I mention you can have a really awesome profile that doubles down as a review hot spot?
This is an example of a friend’s business. After having a few of her students’ review, she said she received more calls and emails the next day.
More people trust Google Reviews than you think. Despite the common misconceptions, customers trust Google Reviews because they find them reliable. In other words, customers trust Google Reviews as much as they trust their friends.
Google Business Profile is a great way to really bring in new business for virtually nothing. It’s free to use and costs you nothing to update. I’ve seen businesses shine with their Google Business Profile.
I’d recommend updating your profile frequently including posts, images, products, and services. Keep your Google Business Profile updated and it will do you wonders. Businesses can generate more leads and sales via their listing on Google.
There is no getting around it. Customers trust online reviews.
Sharing and Joining Conversations on Social Media
Social Media is a small business’s best friend. You’ll find that having a social media page can have your business stand out. If you’re new, starting with social media is your best bet.
This is because you can create a social media account for nothing and connect with your customers online.
Here are some examples of how to build your social media presence online with $0:
Join Facebook Groups Relevant to Your Services
Follow Instagram Accounts Near Your Location
Share content at least once or twice per day
Build and Network on LinkedIn with Potential Partners
Share Your Products on Facebook and Instagram Shops
Share Products on Tik Tok
Add Pins on Pinterest to Build Traffic On Your Website
You’ll see already that you have an option to choose from. I’d start with the key social media channels such as Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Twitter is another good option too, but I find that LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram are the go-to’s for small
businesses.
Word-of-Mouth
Word-of-Mouth marketing is not dead despite the digital age. Can you think about a time one of your friends or family members recommended a product? What were your thoughts? I know that as soon as there is someone I know who recommends me a product to, I’ll take their word for it.
In fact, it’s a flex if you can really achieve business with only word-of-mouth. It’s quite impressive to a customer to hear that your customer base is primarily referrals.
Let’s say you aim to focus your budget on your services. This is great and could lead to an advantage long term. This is because businesses that can adjust their services to match what customers want will shine in the end.
I stress the importance of Word-of-Mouth marketing to you because there’s nothing quite like it. If your product or service is really out of this world, you won’t need to mass market because your customers will do the marketing for you.
Billing Frequently
You might have a product or a service that requires a monthly subscription. While I don’t recommend bombarding your customers with invoices, I would suggest you notify them early that their payment is due on a certain date.
If you can, try to have their invoices set up automatically. This way you’re not scrambling about trying to see who owes you a payment. Being organized will help your business generate cash flow while growing the business. There are free tools, such as Stripe and PayPal, that are a great choice especially if your business offers online services.
Increase Your Business’ Visibility
This is done through marketing. If you don’t want to spend money on marketing, you still need to find an online presence through different channels. You can increase your business’ visibility using the tactics above including word of mouth, Google Business Profile, and positive reviews online.
You can aim to improve your SEO too through informative blog posts and weekly newsletters that keep your customers engaged with your brand. Repeat customers are a good source of revenue generation too. Actually, repeat customers should make up to at least 50% of your prospects. It’s really difficult to gain new customers, but a customer that is already sold on your product is likely to return.
Don’t worry if you don’t have customers yet.
Focus on increasing your business’ visibility via the free sources mentioned in this article
Simplify Your Business
Simple products lead to simple purchases and high profits. Products that are both hard to understand and fulfill can turn into nightmares for your customers. Choosing a simple service or product can offer a customer a convenient solution that you can fulfill on time and keep your customers happy.
When your business is simple, it’s easy to maintain and manage too.
Final Thoughts
With all the free resources available online today, you can build your business with little to no cost.
You don’t need a big budget to increase your sales or bring business. While having a budget for marketing can certainly help boost your sales quicker, that doesn’t mean you should give up on the organic stuff automatically.
Marketing is a tool where different strategies and price ranges are effective.
Businesses that can generate their customers through inexpensive ways will last the test of time.