Tea Cup Tuesday- Low Cost Marketing

Marketing is a necessity in my opinion when it comes to running a business. In my finding’s, normally also a costly one!

However there are forms of marketing that are free and if you play it right can really help your business bloom.

Here are a few free forms of marketing that I can recommend.

Facebook

Set yourself up with a business page. Update your status with friendly talk, engaging conversation, images of you and your products and lovely links to your website. 
Give yourself a personality. From my experience I have found that people like to know how things are made, what makes them unique and who makes them. 
facebook.com

Twitter

A free way of networking and communicating with like minded businesses. Creating a little fan base by tweeting about your products and following and engaging with potential clients.
twitter.com

Mailchimp

A fabulous way of sending out emailable campaigns to your clients. It’s easy, it’s simple and really quite clever. Sending bulk mailings out via mailchimp means they are less likely to hit the trash or spam files of the recipient.

Mailchimp also helps you design your email in a simple aesthetic way if that isn’t your forte!

mailchimp.com

Community Sites, for instance-

UKhandmade

If you are a handmade crafter UKhandmade have a section on their website where you can advertise your business or product. You are invited to write about what you do and share it with their readers. 

ukhandmade.co.uk

Clearly crafting community,

A great place on facebook & twitter to ask crafty related questions, reply to the client requests,  reply to the CCC requests for products in colour or a beginning with a certain letter and generally follow the chitter chatter of like minded crafters and clients looking for unique products. These community sites are great at marrying a wanting client with a capable maker

Networking

Join local networking communities. Help, ask for help, get your product out there by people seeing your name, you talking about what you do and getting to know like minded business people.

Markets & Events

If you are a maker, book a stall or table at local events and fetes. It's the perfect place to not only sell your product but market it to local lovelies. And don't be disheartened at the end of the day if the cash taken isn't much. If you have had a day of talking positively about your product, smiling and handing out business cards to prospective clients it has definitely been a positive one. The selling experience quite often goes beyond market day....with sales following weeks or months later. Clients taking cards on the day and making purchases in later months is still a market/event sale!

Word of mouth

Always the best form of marketing! In my opinion one of the BEST forms of free marketing!
Talk about your business positively. If you are sold your positive vision will inspire others. Always have a sample and flyers to hand. You never know when you may need them.

unikgifts.co.uk