Low Cost / No Cost Marketing 123: 3 Steps to Effective Marketing with Little or No Money

Small business owners are always looking for the most cost-effective way to market their product or service. In fact, many small business owners want to find a way to do effective marketing while spending little or no money. This eGuide documents a practical, proven way to do just that. It explains a 3-step strategy that combines online marketing, public relations, and community engagement – all of which have little or no cost associated with them.

The strategy was developed by branding and marketing expert Barry Silverstein. His thirty-five years of experience was spent with his own direct marketing agency, and other marketing agencies, servicing mid-sized and large clients. These clients always had marketing budgets, so they could buy media and execute direct marketing and advertising. They often had a staff of people to do the work. Much of what they did revolved around programs that integrated every form of media into a coordinated marketing effort.

When Silverstein started counseling small business owners at a Small Business Center ten years ago, they all wanted to know how they could execute effective marketing with little or no money. He thought about this and decided to analyze what his previous clients were doing with a focus on the marketing tactics that cost the least but were still effective. He finally arrived at an overall strategy that concentrated on three specific areas that had little or no cost associated with them and that became the basis for a low cost / no cost marketing strategy. That strategy has been refined over time but the core principles remain the same.

This eGuide, intended for small business owners with limited marketing knowledge and experience, offers an overview of each of the three areas and provides specific tips for implementation. Additional resources selected specifically for small business owners are included.