We all want to be actively marketing our businesses and there’s plenty of free and low-cost activity for consideration, so don’t let a lack of budget hold you back.

Over three posts we’ll cover the most effective ‘free’ marketing tactics that you can employ, breaking the subject down into manageable chucks, with this post considering how you can leverage your customers for free marketing.

Feedback – Ask customers why they chose you and what they like about you (other than price – though that’s important too). And take the opportunity to ask them if you could be doing anything more to improve your service to them.

Testimonials – Nice quotes are great, but how about testimonial videos to put on your website to show off happy customers. Nothing markets your business or builds credibility more than a satisfied client. I’m sure you can find some that love the camera and don’t forget to ask for referrals.

Create a survey – Use a free web platform like SurveyMonkey (they’re really easy to use) to create a survey asking simple questions. Encourage participation by giving a small gift (I know that’s a cost 🙂  Once you’ve collected the results, you can turn your research into a newsworthy press release or you can put the data to good old marketing use and improve your business offering overall.

Reward repeat business – Encourage and reward repeat bookings. How you reward them is up to you. Some companies may discourage personal gain and you will need to be mindful of legislation, though offering a discount or additional service would not be controversial.

Exclusive deals – Send regular marketing campaigns, offering some exclusive deals to your best customers. Make your deals timely and more relevant by tapping into specific needs, events, holidays or seasons.

and finally…………..

Networking – When lockdown finally lifts, invite your customers to an ‘open day’. It’ll give you the opportunity to present your facilities, team and maybe a pitch for your hottest product. You’ll make stronger relationships with your customers and it’s very likely that they’ll cross-network and uncover opportunities for themselves – which you’ll get the kudos for.