Marketing is one of those skills that every person needs to have these days, even if you don’t have your own company. You need to market yourself just to get a regular W-2 job these days, after all.
Thankfully, marketing is no longer something that you have to pay a big firm to do for you. You can do it yourself and it doesn’t have to cost a thing. These old-school, low-cost marketing methods can be the way you get your next client or your next big break.
1. Email Marketing
Email marketing costs literally nothing to start up and yet remains one of the highest ROI marketing methods in the world. You can get anywhere from 20 to 40 dollars back for every dollar you spend on your email marketing list.
Most people associate email marketing with ecommerce, and while it’s true that works, it can be just as effective with professional works too. If you run a PR firm, are a model, or even work in the world of research, email marketing can make a world of difference.
The reason why is simple: email marketing feels personal and is also delivered through a method that is regularly checked by almost everyone. It keeps your brand fresh as long as you regularly send out newsletters.
If you aren’t collecting emails, what are you doing, bro?
2. Telemarketing
I know, I know. Everyone and their grandma hates telemarketers. In fact, grandmas probably hate telemarketers more than most. However, telemarketing still happens because it’s still profitable and effective. If it wasn’t, people wouldn’t do it.
Cold calling has a 2 percent success rate that can be boosted up significantly by doing simple things like asking how the potential lead is. The big issue with telemarketing is that it can be annoying to do from your direct cellphone line, not to mention the time consumption factor.
Telemarketing is best for B2B sales or to set up appointments with potential clients. Big ticket items tend to be the best services and products for telemarketers to sell. With that said, if you’re looking for a sales job, it never hurts to call.
3. Cold Messaging
Not to be mistaken with cold-calling, cold messaging is the online, social media version of telemarketing. The way it works is simple. You follow people. You reach out to them via direct messaging, asking them if they need work done on their team.
In many cases, cold messaging will go nowhere. However, you only need it to work on a handful of people before you have a decent client roster. You might be surprised at who’s amenable to working on projects with you.
4. Networking Meetups
Sometimes, the easiest way to pick up clients is to actually meet up with them in-person, chat with them, and figure out whether or not you want to work with them. In-person meets, whether it’s at a convention or at a local market, give you the advantage of meeting others who want to do business.
Next time you go to a local event, carry a stack of business cards with you. Reach out to the people you meet. Since they met you IRL, you might be able to re-establish a connection better than you thought you could.
5. Low-Cost Social Media Advertising
Finally, let’s talk about ads. Love them or hate them, they work as long as you target the right demographic. They bring your content and your products to the eyes of the people who need them the most.
Social media ads can cost a bit more than the others on this list, but in many cases, it can be the best way to find clients you otherwise wouldn’t be able to get.
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