Jamillah Warner talks about balancing free marketing (online social channels) and paid marketing (traditional) in her post. Winning in Business on a Budget: Marketing on Small Business Trends.com – and we say, If the Marketing is Free – take it!
It sounds obvious, but many businesses are still dragging their feet when it comes to jumping into the online arena. In marketing, we know how important it is to be an early adopter of technology in order to get ahead in an industry. However, convincing other departments can be a hard sell. Especially when no one can agree to what should be expected and how to measure the return. The kicker is, right now, you could be doing it for just the time you spend – and it could end up being the difference between you and ‘the other guy’.
Marketing can be extremely expensive – think Super Bowl Commercial – because it has a ginormous viewer base. Compared to Facebook though – it has nothing. You don’t get repeat exposure during the Super Bowl, you don’t get engagement from an outgoing broadcast either. So why wouldn’t you want to jump on board and learn this social media thing now, and know that you are going to be in the lead because your competitors aren’t even thinking about getting social?
“Marketing doesn’t guarantee that people will want to buy your products or services. It only guarantees that people will have a chance to see your message,” says Jamillah.
2 Universal Tips from her post:
- Be friendly, sincere, and helpful.
- Make your story matter to your community.
Don’t be afraid to jump into the Social Media waters, do it now – while no one is watching. Be the leader in your industry, in your area, in your field. It will pay off down the line, and the initial investment is minimal.
