How to do marketing for my small business for FREE
There’s only one way to do marketing for *free*.
You choose organic over paid growth.
Undeniably social platforms are showing less content to your audience, and growth is recognisably harder.
With the right marketing strategy, and using a proven framework for your approach, you won’t need to resort to paid ads.
It requires an unwavering commitment to strategy and smart moves that play to our brain's psychology and funny quirks (cognitive biases) but it works.
It also requires some left-field thinking – I mean how else do you expect to stand out and get noticed amongst the noise?
Think about it….
In 2023 there were approximately 159,000,000 emails sent to people on Cyber Monday.
In 2024 Black Friday sales were $74.4B globally and that’s with a 7% increase alone in the US from 2023.
The comms and content coming at people is like a tsunami and you want them to hit click on your brand?
Let’s take a deep dive into how…
1. Get your foundations in place
2. Organic social
3. Smart marketing moves
4. Email strategy
The goal here should be to create raving fans first, who then turn into buyers (customers).
Firstly, get strategic and put the foundations in place
Figure out what makes you unique, and what your unique perspective on the world is.
This is your proposition.
It’s also your product-market fit - it confirms where you fit and why in the world.
Ideally, from an overall business strategy perspective and the reason you were created, you should be able to say …
We’re going to be C, which means we must do X,Y and Z to own that space in the market.
It doesn’t matter what you sell, there is an audience for it.
Caveat: only if you solve a real problem, and offer a transformation that your audience needs or wants i.e. you are C in the market and stand out because of it or for it.
Audience:
You need to know who your target people are
Knowing the people who will become your best customers, AND knowing what resonates with them will help you grow faster.
I explain here how to create your audience profile and strategy.
It costs more to acquire a customer than to retain them.
Make sure to consider this and remember that you want to retain the customers you worked so hard to get.
Brand:
Humanise your brand, give it values and personality,
make it possible to connect with people
Think about the brands you love, the ones that say things that make you think….yeah, that’s me.
They communicate in ways that make them sound and feel human.
A brand strategy, playbook, bible…whatever you want to name it does exactly this.
It contains values, personality traits,a backstory.
It highlights why you exist, and what you stand for.
It contains your mission and vision, why you exist and what you exist to do.
It should also contain a Messaging House: what you say and how you say it.
This makes sure you have an umbrella message statement followed by 3 key unique messages.
No matter where your brand shows up it will always communicate the same messages with the same words and phrases to ensure consistency and clarity across touchpoints.
Content:
Here’s where the magic starts
A content strategy means you have mapped out your customer’s journey.
You are super clear on what, where and how to speak to your target people.
Here is a list of things you will have figured out from your audience and brand strategies, which make your content strategy easy to create:
You will know:
Who your best target audience is, and have created a profile of one person who represents that audience
Where they hang out offline and online
What appeals to them: the messages and content they like to consume
How you solve a problem for them and the language and words to use that best resonate with them
You will also have:
Shaped a brand personality i.e. humanised your brand with values and human traits
A messaging house
A vision or at least a mission to guide your business
Goals and KPI’s
Topics you will be known for and create content about
Once you know all this you can map out your content and *divide* it into 3 buckets.
Attract content, Build trust content and Convert content.
This is your customer journey funnel.
I wrote a blog post here if you want to read more about marketing funnels and why you are going to need one.
Each bucket then makes sure you create content that engages and brings people authentically on a journey to purchase/conversion.
Organic Social
Social media is the best place to hack your marketing
It’s a set of free marketing platforms that you can use to attract and build trust with the right people.
The biggest piece of advice though – do not focus on selling on social platforms.
80% of your content should NOT be about selling.
You need to share content that is relatable, aspirational or controversial.
Once you give people a reason to follow and support you, they will buy.
Not using social platforms seems criminal since it’s free and no-one cares about polished content.
Choose the platforms where your target audience hangs out and where you are most likely to reach them.
Don’t overload and do every channel and platform (unless that’s easy for you)
Start with one, and build up.
You just have to post real authentic content that represents your story and brand.
What smart marketing moves could you build into your content strategy?
You don’t have to rely on discounts or high-cost marketing activities to create sales.
Instead, you can focus on adding in:
1. Social proof: one of the principles of persuasion
2. Easy to implement personalisation
3. Scarcity & urgency for limited edition products or new launches
4. Value add: cross-sell & up-sell
5. Customer loyalty VIP perks/programme
All these are peppered with and powered by …..your email strategy.
1. Social proof: one of the principles of persuasion
People need to trust you to buy from you.
Same for brands – you’ll need to back your product up with proof if you want people to buy it.
Especially if it’s a brand-new product that doesn’t have its own reviews *yet*.
So use reviews of past products that demonstrate efficacy and that you are the real deal.
If you’re starting from scratch share reviews of people who tested or tasted your product.
Those who helped you develop it and sign it off.
Sharing the words of happy customers and showing that your product does indeed work is gold.
Share reviews on your website Home Page.
Highlight them across your social content and in Instagram Stories.
Showcase happy customer reviews in your emails.
Using the words of actual customers consistently is a trust builder.
People are more likely to buy when they see others like themselves using your product.
2. Easy to implement personalisation
Video:
Have you ever thought of sending a personal video note to your customers?
Or, making the experience on your website stand out and *be more personal* by adding a video that feels like you are addressing them personally?
There are oodles of free services - video is a powerful way of communicating your difference and creating an emotional connection with your target audience.
Emotion influences 90% of our buying decisions so focus on making people feel something about your brand from the outset.
Hand-written note:
A study in 2022 found that a handwritten thank you note - or a photocopy of one - increases future customer spending by up to 2x.
Yep, even a photocopy of a personal thank you note increases customer spending by 100%.
This is such an easy way to add a personal touch, and creates warmth towards your brand.
A sample or incentive is a recognised and obvious incentive that people are familiar with.
A hand-written note is less expected and therefore more powerful..
Email in plain text from the founder:
Few brands send personal emails - that is a note that appears sent from the founder and without images. (not html)
It is sent directly from their email ( via your ESP) written in their tone of voice and signed by them.
This is a powerful and raw version of email.
If sent with the right message and context it can build interest and trust in ways that other platforms and methods cannot.
Use it wisely, perhaps for a big announcement.
Or, when there is a mistake or a problem and you need to explain.
3. Scarcity & urgency for limited edition products or new launches
Have you noticed how much “limited-edition” or “Only 10 left” catches your attention?
Or, when you read “First month free”
Why did you just have to act for fear of missing out?
Or in some cases why did taking action feel so *exciting*?!
Studies show that when something is limited. Its perceived value increases.
Simple as that.
There are two types of scarcity:
Positive scarcity which frames things as *exciting*
Negative scarcity which frames things with a sense of *fear of missing out*
We all know what FOMO is! And how it works.
If positive scarcity appeals then let’s look at ways you can use this.
Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Nike all offer limited edition and insider access products.
The SNKRS app from Nike gives access to limited edition sneakers to the select few – those who’ve signed up to the app.
They get the excitement of access to sought after items that are considered rare and valuable.
Starbucks and Costa coffee reveal their Christmas season drinks line-up and then serve them in limited edition cups.
This creates a fun and positive experience that finds people often stocking up on several more lattes than they need, just to feel excited.
You can make limited offers feel unique and special and have fun with them too.
4. Value add: cross-sell & up-sell
If someone is already at checkout and you’ve gone to a lot of trouble to get them there, don’t forget to use this opportunity to recommend and up-sell!
These are some magical words that work…
“You might also like…”
“Someone who just bought x also bought y “
“ Why not try x to finish the look”
Suggesting accessories or add-ons that genuinely add value and will delight the customer can be a game-changer for revenue.
This is a simple and effective way to increase basket spend and delight your customers without offering discounts.
NOTE: don’t forget the power of free shipping.
Even with minimum spend this is also a powerful way to nudge towards a higher basket spend.
5. Customer loyalty VIP perks/programme
Make people feel special by offering early access to launches, give them secret codes and insider info or create a rewards programme.
It’s also a great way not just to sell more, but it creates loyalty and connection.
It costs so much more to win new customers so why not retain the ones you have and strengthen your relationship with them?
These are also the people who will share feedback, and tell you what’s good or bad with your product so you can improve.
Email strategy
If you don’t have an email strategy you’re losing out.
This is a direct line to your customers.
Once they sign up, they give you permission to connect and talk to them about:
New launch and products
Your story and more of what your brand is about
Feedback and reviews
This zero-party data means that even if Meta were to shut you down tomorrow you can still communicate directly with your customers.
You can use email to do any or all of the following:
A welcome series
A post-purchase (upsell) email
Abandoned card email and checkout recovery email
Brand story and news update emails
Any campaign and launch comms
Limited edition secret codes and offers
The thing about emails is that there is no point in sending emails only when you want something i.e. a sale.
The purpose of email is to nurture, build trust and a direct connection with your best customers.
Sales will come naturally once you have built trust.
If you’re offering people the chance to be part of something they truly believe should be in their lives they will be happy to receive emails.
A misconception a lot of business owners have is that it’s possible to send too many emails and they can be intrusive.
It’s not!
Emails with a message and content your audience is looking for will always be a positive thing.
You cannot send too many!
Make sure to give people a reason (incentive) to sign up initially though.
You can use Stories and social platforms to encourage sign-up.
If you see it as a tool for sales only however, your audience will soon realise and unsubscribe.
BONUS TIPS:
1. If you’re still using static Canva graphics, guess what – these are RIP.
You’re going to need to get yourself a ring light and swallow your stage fright.
Short-form content i.e. reels are king and the algorithms are set up this way.
Just get started, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
2. Small *free* gifts go a long way
Reciprocity is the sense that we feel compelled to return favours.
A study showed that when diners were given a free mint with their bill the waiter’s tip increased by 3%.
When the diners were given 2 free mints with their bill the waiter’s tip increased by 14%.
When the waiter came back a few minutes later and added another free mint the tip increased by 23%
Woah. Nuff said.
[Give a freebie, or a trial or a taster and watch what happens…..]
3. Don’t forget about the opportunities to live offline amongst your target people
Digital is king, it’s by far the best way to attract and grow with the right customers.
In addition to hand-written notes, packaging is a mini billboard to communicate your message. Use it!
Inserts and playful printed materials, if they work for your brand are also powerful.
For some brands a postcard in the post is a unique touch. (Boden built their business this way)
In-person events never get old - can you partner with and show up with brands that fit with yours?
Thanks for reading,
Claire.
Are you a founder or small business owner curious about doing better marketing?
Here’s how I can help.
Hi! I’m Claire,
If you're a founder or business owner with big dreams of success and growth—and a big, scary to-do list standing in your way every time you sit down to *do* your marketing—nice to meet you, I'm your new solution.
I'll help you find your target audience, and your brand's voice, perfectly position you, and craft messaging for your content strategy that will resonate with your ideal audience.
And I'll do it all while keeping your goals to ensure that your brand aligns with what you want to achieve.
I’ve been in marketing for over 20 years and I’m busting through the bull**** and industry nonsense to give you straight-talking and proven strategic marketing that will grow your business.