Out-of-the-Box, Budget-Friendly Outbound Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses
1. Introduction
Hello, fellow small business owners! Are you ready to explore some unique and budget-friendly outbound marketing ideas that haven’t been done to death? We’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll delve into some creative strategies that won’t break the bank but will help you make a lasting impact on your target audience. Let’s get started!
2. Collaborative Giveaways
Team up with other local small businesses to organise collaborative giveaways. This tactic not only reduces your marketing expenses but also expands your reach. Here’s how to do it:
Partner with complementary businesses in your area and create a package of products or services. Use common sense here, if there’s any element of competition, it’s unlikely the business will be receptive.
Promote the giveaway on your social media channels, asking participants to follow all businesses involved and share the post. Top tip – be careful not to promote competitions using paid ads on platforms such as Facebook as it can sometimes result in your ads account being suspended.
Choose a winner at random and announce it on your social media accounts. For added exposure, ask the winner to re-post your post on their profiles! If you don’t ask, you don’t get…
3. Localised Podcast Advertising
Podcast advertising can be a cost-effective way to reach a highly engaged audience. Try localised podcast advertising for better targeting:
Research local podcasts relevant to your niche or industry.
Approach podcast hosts with a proposal for a sponsored message or an interview. For the best engagement, you’ll need to be hyper-specific with your offer.
Track the success of your podcast ads by offering unique promo codes or tracking URLs. Remember – if you can’t track it, you can’t be sure if you’ve made a positive ROI (return on investment)!
4. Eco-Friendly Promotional Products
Offering eco-friendly promotional products can help your business stand out and showcase your commitment to sustainability. Here’s how:
Source environmentally friendly promotional items, such as reusable bags or plantable seed paper.
Customise the products with your logo and business information.
Distribute them at local events or include them in your direct mail campaigns.
Eco-products, especially those which are customised, can be expensive so make sure you’re selective with who you target as a recipient for them.
5. Crowdsourced Social Media Campaigns
Leverage the power of your audience by creating a crowdsourced social media campaign. This strategy encourages user-generated content and increases engagement and is really effective particularly with products which solve a problem and are quick to explain:
Launch a social media contest asking your followers to share creative photos or videos featuring your product or service.
Offer a prize for the most creative or popular submission.
Share the best submissions on your own social media accounts, giving credit to the creators. If it’s really successful, this could become part of your monthly or quarterly marketing campaign.
6. Video Testimonials
Collecting video testimonials from satisfied customers is a powerful way to build trust and authenticity. It’s much more personal and in today’s day and age where consumers are more and more attuned to false reviews, it’s a great way to build trust. Here’s how you can implement this strategy:
Reach out to your most loyal customers and ask if they would be willing to record a short video testimonial. If your service is product based, try searching for existing reviews of it on TikTok.
Offer a small incentive, such as a discount code or a free product, in return for their time.
Share the testimonials on your website, social media channels, and other marketing materials.
7. Reverse Graffiti Advertising
Reverse graffiti, also known as clean advertising, is an eco-friendly and eye-catching way to promote your business. This tip comes with a forewarning – the law in the UK is unclear on it and whilst there are no known fines to date, it is somewhat risky. Here’s how it works:
Design a stencil featuring your logo, tagline, or a creative message.
Use a pressure washer to “clean” the design onto dirty pavements or walls, leaving a positive image behind.
Choose high-traffic areas in your local community to maximise visibility.
8. “Spot the Difference” Interactive Website Game
Create a fun and engaging “Spot the Difference” game on your website featuring your products or services. This can drive more traffic to your site, increase user engagement, and encourage users to explore your offerings:
Collaborate with a web designer to create an interactive game that showcases your products or services. If you don’t have the budget for this, then creating a ‘Where’s Wally’ style campaign where the visitors have to find a small image somewhere on your website, could be a better option.
Offer a discount code or a special offer to users who successfully complete the game.
Promote the game on your social media channels, newsletters, and other marketing materials.
9. QR Code Scavenger Hunt
Organise a QR code scavenger hunt in your local community, driving potential customers to your website as they participate:
Create a series of QR codes that, when you scan them, take users to different pages on your website containing clues or riddles.
Print off posters, stickers and flyers of the QR codes in strategic locations around your community, such as parks, local businesses, or popular gathering spots.
Encourage participants to share their progress on social media, using a specific hashtag related to your brand.
10. “Caption This” Website Photo Contest
Host a “Caption This” photo contest on your website, encouraging users to come up with creative and entertaining captions for images related to your business:
Select a series of images featuring your products, services, or business environment.
Create a dedicated contest page on your website where users can submit their captions.
Offer a prize, such as a discount or a free product, to the user who submits the best caption.
Promote the contest on your social media channels and through your email marketing campaigns.
11. Virtual Reality (VR) Product Tours
Provide virtual reality (VR) product tours on your website, giving potential customers a unique and immersive way to explore your offerings:
Collaborate with a VR developer to create 360-degree videos showcasing your products or services.
Integrate the VR tour on your website, allowing users to experience your offerings in a new and engaging way.
Promote the VR tour on your social media channels, in your email newsletters, and in other marketing materials.
12. Conclusion
It’s often difficult to think of completely unique, engaging ideas to market your business, so hopefully some of these ideas will spark your creativity. Remember that marketing your business doesn’t have to be boring – if it sparks emotion with your target audience and is enticing enough for them to remember you next time they need your product, it’s done it’s job! When conducting outbound marketing, it’s easy to become disheartened if you’re not generating sales immediately from it, but remember that outbound marketing by it’s sheer nature, is educating an audience who may not be ready to make a purchase at that exact time. Instead, it positions your business as the likely ‘go-to’ when they do want to buy.
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