Marketing on a Budget

Anyone who's ever launched a Kickstarter, Teespring, or any other such campaign on a whim will tell you it's not easy.  Well, almost anyone.  There are those few with existing extensive social networks in place with such great ideas that just explode the minute they're announced.  But for the rest of us, it's work.  It isn't a simple snap shot, quick blurt about the idea, and boom, we're making bank.  It's hours of toiling with graphics, rewriting descriptions, blasting our social networks, and then finally failing miserably in the end.

Raise your hand if this has ever been you.

The trick, I'm finding, is in patience and momentum.  And the very first step needs to be a complete and thorough organization of your social media networks.  One Tweet and a post to your pals on Facebook probably isn't going to get it done.

So start off by deciding if this is to be a one time deal (like a shirt idea you want to post up on Teespring, maybe something for for your bowling team or a church function,) or if you've got a product or service you plan on maintaining for some time to come.

If it's a one time sort of thing, I wouldn't recommend investing too much into it.  Just stick to your current social networks (or even expand into new social network territory and grab the LinkedIn account you've been thinking about,) and keep everything on the personal level.  You might even want to make a quick YouTube video describing your cause and drop $35.00 on a week-long Facebook ad campaign (just the basics.)

Now if it's the latter situation and you fully plan on maintaining or expanding your venture then it's time to start thinking about the social side of things.  Keep your personal Facebook out of the picture.  Your potential clientele will most likely not really want to see pictures of your baby's first steps or that monster martini you crushed last night at the bar.  Make a Facebook page for your products/services.  And here we get to a small bit that eludes many.  Branding is key.

You're not a Fortune 500 entity most likely, or you wouldn't be here reading this.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a brand.  You may already have one and are just looking to strengthen your strategy and get a larger bit of your market.  If so, this part isn't for you.  If not, read on.

If you'll notice the little twisting cube in the GIF above, you probably recognize each of the icons present.  This is because they are very well known brands.  When each started out, few if any knew just what they were.  But by sticking with that same simple image over the years, their customers can recognize them anywhere now.  The concept holds true for us little guys too.

So find something you like, from "Susie's Sushi" to "Killa Designs", the name will stick with your customers once they've discovered you and what you have to offer.  Come up with a series of simple graphics (banners, avatars, favicons, etc.)  If design isn't your field, just reach out.  Ask around on your personal networks; maybe one of your own friends tinkers a bit and can get you off the ground.  Otherwise, try Craigslist or Fivrr.  For just a little bit up front, $5-$10, you can usually find someone who can deliver the quality your looking for at a reasonable price.

Now branch out.  Open up a LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook page, Google Plus page, blog, and maybe even a storefront if there's one available for your niche (Teespring is great for shirts and Zazzle for just about anything else as they allow you to implement your own designs into their merchandise - note there are many others out there.)  Pinterest, Flickr, etc can be used to show off your photography or photos of your products.  You can use an about.me page for a bio of your business and link to any other social media you've dedicated to your cause.

Once everything is in place and looking pretty, start pulling in your audience.  Tweet daily about new products or advancements in your product and keep your pages, blogs, etc. up to date with new information and changes.  Offer polls for input from potential customers and interact with those who might comment on your tweets and blog posts.

In short, the more you interact with these networks and get reactions, the more your name and brand will be shared and spread about the networks of others bringing new potential customers and insight to your cause.

Feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts.