No cost marketing

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so how many marketing methods did you get up to? - 10? 20? 30?

When i've curated this exercise at workshops, we've got into big numbers - I think 56 was the highest. 

2 of these no cost methods are going to get a day to themselves later in the course, so here are my suggestions - I talked through a lot of these in my No Cost marketing teleseminar, so i've included the audio file from that session. (you’ll want to advance the slider to about 8minutes so you don’t have to listen to everyone getting used to the technology)

  • Social Media, (including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Blogging) and

  • Email marketing are the top 2 on the list,

  • Telling Friends and neighbours

  • Networking

  • Emails

  • Surveys of current friends and family if no customers yet

  • pdf magazine

  • Writing articles

  • Giving talks

  • Offering prizes for a raffle or silent auction

  • Doing complimentary displays

  • Giving away samples

  • Taking part in country wide promotions e.g lonely bouquet / British flowers week / Flower farmers big weekend

  • Word of mouth

  • Google reviews

  • Facebook reviews

  • Online review websites

  • Selling at markets

  • Collaborations

  • Awards


A lot of these may be "Well yeah of course" but have you actually really thought about them properly as marketing strategies?

For instance next time your friend pops round, ask them to tell you what you do. Do they know? Would you be happy with them giving that explanation to someone else? If you wouldn't, make sure you tell them what you actually do (don't forget the benefits, not just the features)

One of my best methods of marketing is Networking, and yes Business networking with formal groups of other business people is on the low cost marketing page next, but i'm talking here about those cup of tea/ waiting at a school gate/ in a queue moments that you have at various times in your week. Are you in marketing mode when that happens?

Here's an example

At this time of year I get flowers delivered to me to supplement mine. This morning my delivery driver turned up at my home address, recognised me and said "aren't you usually up the road?" (meaning my farm which is about a mile and a half away)

 I could have said "yes, working from home today" or something like that, but instead I said "no it's too cold, I was with a Bride and Groom for a meeting earlier, and it's all frozen so i can't do anything with the flowers there" This got a puzzled look from him - "Bride - as in getting married?" "Yes i was having the meeting with them about their wedding flowers in a few weeks, these ones that you deliver to me go with the ones i grow up there." - "oh" he says, "I didn't know you did flowers " (He has delivered them to me most weeks through the winter for the last 3 years, but i guess they're just a box to him!) "I'm getting married in the summer, and my fiancé wants lots of flowers" 

Bingo i have a prospect (someone at the top end of that funnel) .... He now has a business card, he'll look at the photos on my website, i'll show him my photo-book next time he deliverers, and i'll have a discussion with him each week about his wedding. He's not a customer yet, but he is in my funnel.