The biggest concern for small businesses in the UK right now is the rising cost of living. 42% of small businesses say rising inflation is their biggest challenge, while 38% cite energy prices. Overall, one in five small business owners worries about their company’s future.

However, continuing to grow your business and support existing customers while reducing expenses will be paramount in this challenging climate. This includes investing in marketing – and not all marketing strategies require a significant budget.

Here are five low-cost (or free) ways to market your business. 

Get On Social Media

Social media is one of the easiest ways of growing your business today. Though you may already have an Instagram account or Facebook page, investing time in growing your audience can hugely affect your ability to attract new customers. Research which platform best aligns with your current customer base, and then commit to posting at least once every couple of days to generate interest in your business.

Create A Google My Business

If most of your customers are local to your area, opening a Google My Business account is a straightforward and free way to market your business. You’ll ensure that you appear on Google Maps and in searches for your products or services. List as much information as possible on your page, including attractive photos, contact info, and website links.

Email Marketing

Creating an email list is easy, and once you have a database of potential customers, there’s plenty of low-cost email marketing software to help you connect with your followers. Your email marketing doesn’t have to be a lengthy newsletter, either. For example, you could send an email to prompt people to return to your website after purchase or tell their friends about your product or service.

Champion User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is original content created and posted by users that showcase your brand authentically. This content – testimonials, photos, or videos – can increase brand loyalty and influence purchasing decisions. To encourage customers to create content, you could start a weekly or monthly competition for the best photo or video or give away gift cards for written testimonials or reviews. 

Apply To Business Awards

Winning an award can make a massive difference to your marketing campaigns. So, it’s worth seeing what kinds of awards exist and apply to those relevant to your business and industry. Usually, submitting your company for consideration is low-cost, and even if you don’t win, being shortlisted can significantly increase your credibility and attract new customers.

Our Advice

Even as the cost of living crisis bites, this doesn’t mean you need to reduce your marketing efforts. There are plenty of free and low-cost ways to market your business that are just as effective as running paid social campaigns and physical advertising. 

However, not all marketing strategies will be relevant to your business. Carefully consider which methods will be most effective, and tailor all campaigns to your industry and customers to increase your chances of success.