High value and low cost marketing for your firm
Owning or working within a firm is much easier now than it was before the Internet. With digital marketing vehicles like blogs and social media, it’s cheaper than ever to gain visibility, generate leads and boost sales.
However, that doesn’t mean these vehicles don’t require investment. While it used to be that in more traditional advertising industries you got what you paid for, the playing field is much more even in digital marketing. You can invest a pretty penny or barely any money at all. You can have dedicated, inhouse resources or outsource to contractors and consultants, and still come out with a winning digital strategy!
But how does value factor into all this? Some digital marketing vehicles obviously cost more than others. For instance, you won’t invest the same amount of time and money for a series of Twitter messages as you would an informative introduction video to your firm.
If your goal is to ‘keep your costs low while still finding ways to offer your clients as much value as possible’, I’ve got some winning tips for how to make it happen for your firm.
Utilise visual media
Digital marketing isn’t just about text. Images, diagrams, memes, infographics and other forms of visual content also fall under this umbrella, and they may actually be more important than other marketing forms like blog posts and press releases. Visual marketing is the way to go…but how can you utilise it while staying on a budget?
Sites like Slideshare and Canva are free online tools that allow you to create slideshows and incredible graphics without expensive programs or much design knowledge. Instead of a blog post about ways your clients can benefit from your firm’s business, why not create a visual slideshow?
Don’t waste money on content with no value
One of the best tips I can offer firms who want to keep marketing budgets low, is to examine their content closely. Is it actually offering value? Or is it falling victim to an ego trap?
I often find that a lot of content that’s pushed by firms is very ego-centric. It doesn’t actually speak to their clients and instead focuses too much on needless, egotistical information. Quality content focuses on the client, not wholly on the business. Your content should say “this is how I can help you,” not “this is why I’m the best.”
Add personal edge to your firm
Want to build relationships while keeping costs low? Your firm is probably something of a single entity in the mind of your clients — when they hear your firm’s name, they probably picture your logo. Bolster your relationship by introducing your clients to your staff members via published content. These can be fun and informative while simultaneously adding a personal edge to your firm. Put your team out on display; afterall, they’re the ones who deliver your services and make sure that personal relationships with your clients work.
Utilise simple blog formulas
A blog post doesn’t have to be overly complex to be valuable. In fact, the opposite is often the case. Simple blog topics like an industry guide or a comprehensive checklist can be easy to write and cheap to create, and the return on investment is high because these topics are easily understood and shareable. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking your blog has to be ll jargon filled, acronym ridden, all the time – speak to your clients in a way they understand about topics that actually matter to them!
Leverage your publishing channels
Your firm is likely to run it’s own publishing house – and many don’t realise this. Your publishing house may include: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, intranet, client login space, your colour printer (and high quality paper), your email marketing list, a newsletter….any medium and mechanism you have for distributing information to your clients and team. Whenever you produce any new content, whether it’s a checklist, some kind of insight or take a photo of a partner presenting at an event, think about where you can publish it and which of your in-house publishing channels are appropriate to leverage for gaining distribution and profile.
Can you think of more cost-effective ways to bring value to your clients? There are a ton of them out there, and these are only a few methods you can utilise within your firm.
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