So you’re a small business and you’re trying to get out there. You know marketing is how you have to do this. But you also know you don’t have a ton of money to make it happen. Here are some things to think about.

Getting started

First – get your mind right. Don’t tell yourself you can’t afford marketing. There are always ways to find marketing that is affordable. 

Second – get a plan in order. Let’s say you’re starting with social media. Start a social media calendar. Create a daily or however often you think calendar that plots out what you will be posting and when. You need to create a schedule for yourself. This is the best way to make sure you’re putting stuff out there.

Grow your email

Your email list. You have an a mail list. Your fiends, family, previous clients, folks you have networked with. You have to build an email list and distribute your content to these folks. They need to know about what you are doing. Don’t be shy to reach out o them. Don’t be shy to show them what you are up top. They want to know. 

Story drives marketing

Put your story out there. This is more of a mental thing, but we all struggle with it. We think maybe they don’t want to hear from us. I know I’ve been there. I lessen what I am doing because I feel like I am this burden to them that by talking about my business, they don’t want to hear it. But let’s be real here. Our friends and family post stuff we don’t want to hear about all the time. And they even invite us to stuff we don’t want to go to all the time. 

So how about instead we focus on our business and love our business and hope that people show up for it. And more often than not, they will. Because they see the love yo have for your small business. They know this means the world to you. So they will come to you coffee. They will buy your new;y designed cards. They will take part in your new wine venture. They will do this for you, just as much as they would go to your wedding or your birthday party. 

So email them. Talk about what you’re doing. Showcase your product. They’re not going to unsubscribe. They’re not going to say “hey please stop emailing me.” Real talk – they probably want to know mroe about your business then get another crazy email from their super conservative aunt who is still ranting about the election of 2020. So yes, I think they’d much rather visit you shop, buy your merchandise, and tell their friends about you. 

Become a content creator

You have to become your own content creator. Every person on TikTok, for instance,e is tourer own small bushings. They are all content creating, marketing themselves or their product. You have to do the same. Your channel may not be TikTok, it may mean something totally different. But you still must create.

Coaches are great. Sales classes are great. And we will talk about those, too. But you have to create things. You have to pick up your phone and shoot video. You have to showcase who you are. You must highlight your business. People today want to see your face. They want to be able to connect with you. They want to know who you are and what you believe in. 

Pick up your phone

So you must grab that phone and press record. When I was working in the mortgage space, I pushed this over and over again. I told my lenders, “you have to pick up that phone.” And they did. They made videos on mortgage rates, and rate increases, and info about what was going on in the markets. They created videos that they then sent as text messages to their colleagues. They sent videos to potential prospects via email. They sent video to their clients to let them know where they are in the home buying process. All this showed to their customer who they were. But then more than that, it provided value to the customer.

Video marketing works

People watch videos event where today. They have their phones with them all the time. They’d much rather watch your video than get anitohert long email form you. They want it fast and simply and to the point. That’s what video can do for you. 

But don’t stop at creating videos. Think about ways you can constantly engage your prospects. Because you’re a small business and your goal right now is getting clients. You could take the sales class. But the sales class is expensive. I know this because i did one of those. I was convinced that this 600 a month class for six months would be my ticket. But I’ll tell you, it didn’t work for me. Sure, it taught me some sales moves, but I wasn’t marketing my business. I got so caught up in learning about selling that I forgot about marketing.

And here’s the thing they have to work together. Whether you’re. A team of one or 100, marketing and sales have to be aligned. You have to market your small business just as much as you’re trying to do cold calls. They have to work together.