If you want to market your business without spending a dime, there are tons of creative (and surprisingly powerful) ways to do it. Here are some of the best ones:
🌐 Build Your Online Presence
Website
kingdomMEDIA Marketing recommends you start with a website. And, yes, there are some platforms out there that allow you to set up a website for free. Google, GoDaddy, WordPress, Wix, just to name a few, are platforms that will let you create your own website without having to spend any money. We also recommend you buy a domain name unique to your business, but for the sake of this article we will focus on the fact that you can get a website without getting your own domain name. It will likely have your account_name.platform.com, but we’ll move on from this topic for now.
A website also allows you to write blog posts, FAQs, or guides that answer questions your ideal customers search for. This helps with SEO (Search Engine Optimization), which is a good foundation for today’s newest AI search engines.
Maps, Services, Reviews
If you have a location and an address where you meet customers, and have times you “are open for business” we highly recommend taking advantage of at least these 3 foundational listing sites. These listings will also help your business get listed on Google Maps and Apple Maps (Yelp’s listings are used for Apple Maps). And these 3 sites are some of the most trusted sites for reviews. Don’t forget to ask your customers to go review/recommend your business!
- Google Business Profile – Set one up and optimize it. It’s free, boosts local SEO, and shows you on Google Maps.
- Facebook: Not your personal account where you see all the photos from your niece and nephews birthday parties. You will want to create a Business Page (here are instructions on how to do this) where people can “Like” and/or “Follow” your business.
- yelp for business: Go to https://business.yelp.com/ and search for your business. If it is not there, add your business name, and go through the wizard to claim your Yelp Page.
Social Media Accounts
Almost all Social Media Accounts are free. And, while you can sign up for all of them, we recommend only creating accounts where your customers hang out most. Stay active on those platforms where your audience hangs out using trending hashtags and engage with your followers. This will help you stay top of mind.
👥 Networking (Online & Offline)
Joining groups on Facebook and LinkedIn or local business associations are great ways to begin networking with other businesses. Get involved and share helpful advice. Don’t just joining and start hard selling your product or services. No one likes being ‘sold’. If you provide value you will gain trust of those in the group that could turn into business for you.
Teaming up with other small businesses for giveaways, bundle deals, or cross-promotions is another excellent way to partner and collaborate. You can also volunteer and/or sponsor (time not money) local events. Sometimes just showing up and meeting people in the community can lead to connections you might not have made otherwise.
🎥 Content That Works Hard for You
Not only do we recommend creating content to share, but also use User-Generated Content to marketing for your business. Encourage customers to post about your product/service and tag you. Nothing like word of mouth marketing to help spread the word about your business.
Almost everyone on planet Earth these days has a device in their pocket that can do multiple functions. Use your phone to make DIY videos, quick tips, behind-the-scenes clips, or “day in the life” style videos.
Reviews. Reviews. Reviews. Ask happy clients to give your business reviews/recommendations on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Social proof is free gold.
📩 Free Direct Marketing
Start an Email List. Tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Klaviyo, Hubspot have free options that will allow you to get started without spending any money. Then, offer something valuable in exchange for sign-ups (tips, guides, discounts).
Don’t forget about your past customers. A simple follow-up email or check-in message can spark repeat business.
Ask your existing network for referrals. You can sweeten the ask with recognition (doesn’t always have to be money).
💡 Extra Tips
Consistency beats perfection. Posting regularly works better than posting rarely with “perfect” content. But be yourself. Be human. Share your journey. Your why. Even your bloopers. Authenticity, especially on video, can help you connect with your audience far more effectively than the perfect sales pitch.
Work smarter, not harder. Repurpose a blog article into multiple posts, a video, an email, and a LinkedIn article. Don’t reinvent the wheel.