There’s a catch-22 that many fledgling business owners face: To start making a profit, you need to market your business; but to afford professional marketing help, you need to be turning a good profit.

Sue Berry, owner of beachwear line MOSS The Label, finds herself in this very predicament and says she’s even been turned away by marketing companies she has approached for help.

The Perth-based entrepreneur runs her clothing label from home alongside her hairdressing business, but is keen to focus more on growing MOSS The Label.

“My problem is, every time I want to do some marketing, I need thousands of dollars to do it. It’s like one step forward, two steps back. I just don’t know where to go,” Sue laments.

Sue asked Kochie’s Business Builders’ Small Business Help Desk a question we had to answer: “I am struggling with marketing, who to employ and what avenue to take. A few companies have told me if I’m not making $10,000 a month they can’t help me. What can I do?”

 

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Small Business Help Desk: Marketing on a tiny budget

Like many solo business owners, Sue wears all the hats to keep afloat.

“I’m trying to do it all myself, which is killing me,” Sue admits. “I do all my own Instagram and website, but it’s the marketing that takes up so much oxygen.

“If I was making $10k a month, I’d be dancing on the ceiling! But I can’t employ anyone to help me because the business is not turning over a lot of money at the moment, so I work day and night doing it all myself.”

Anaita Sarkar, founder of Sell Anything Online and Hero Packaging, has built an impressive organic social following (with over 330k on TikTok alone) and she believes you don’t need to have a colossal marketing budget to have a big impact on your sales and brand awareness.

To help solve this common conundrum, Anaita shares some simple steps any small business owner can take to make more sales on a tight budget.

5 steps to more sales without breaking the bank

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1. Nail your social content

Social media is the place to be for businesses looking to build up their customer base and brand reach, yet many businesses make the mistake of thinking their social pages are just for sharing their goods or services.

However, Anaita believes truly impactful social content is about being engaging, relevant and accessible to your potential customers.

Customers want to hear the real stories behind your brand – and that can be as simple as filming yourself on your iPhone.

“Focus on creating exceptional social content for your brand,” she suggests. “This could be educational tips and expertise, customer stories, or behind-the-scenes content. This content can also be used on your website and in your ads.”

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Did you know?

NRMA Business Insurance allows you to pick and choose the type of cover that suits your business best. They can help with flexible cover options to suit your business. More information at nrma.com.au.

*General advice only. Always read the PDS & TMDs from NRMA Insurance.

2. Harness the power of Facebook ads

Facebook ads are a cost-effective way to get your brand in front of the right audience and they are easier to manage than you think – no marketing degree required!

“Educate yourself on how to set up and manage Facebook ads,” Anaita urges. “There are many free YouTube videos on this and it’s not as overwhelming as people think it is.”

Anaita suggests starting with a small daily budget to create a Facebook ad that showcases your brand and products or services.

“This can be as little as $8 to $10 a day,” she reveals. “Try using keywords like ‘Best beachwear for under $50’ or simply target your local area.”

3. Collaborate with non-competing brands

Another cost-effective marketing strategy is to get your business in front of another brand’s audience through brand collaborations with non-competing companies.

“Collaborate with other businesses who are at the same level as you to grow each other’s audiences,” Anaita recommends. “You can do a giveaway or joint promotion to generate engagement and new followers.”

This strategy can really help to move the needle on gaining new customers and leads for your brand.

4. Influencers – micro but mighty

Micro-influencers are defined as content creators with between 10,000 and 50,000 followers. And while their audience may be small compared to the ‘celebrity’ influencers out there, micro-influencers have a ready-made, loyal audience of followers seeking ideas, inspiration and recommendations so they are primed to lead new consumers directly to your digital doorstep.

“You can use micro-influencers to become brand ambassadors for your business,” she says. “For example, you might exchange a product or service for content every month, which you can then use on your own social media or website. This gives you exposure and content without having to outlay too much money.”

5. Get your emails flows firing

Who doesn’t love making money while they sleep? According to Anaita, the easiest way to make this a reality is to set up automated email flows to keep your website visitors returning.

“My favourite easy marketing tip is to make sure your email flows are firing and that you’re sending email campaigns to your database regularly,” Anaita explains.

“Email flows are automatic emails that get sent to your database based on what visitors do on your website. It’s a great way to make sure people return back to your website so you make sales while you sleep.”

What tips can you share for cheap and cheerful small business marketing that really gets results? Share below in the comments.

Want more of your small business questions answered? Head to our Small Business Help Desk page for more helpful articles and videos:

This article is brought to you by Kochie’s Business Builders in partnership with NRMA Small Business Insurance.