10 ways to maximize your marketing budget in 2015

It’s all about the Benjamin's baby

And no matter how many you have to spend

or don’t have

you want to maximize your exposure

using the most impactful methods.

Facebook’s organic reach of self-promoting posts is dropping. average Facebook

user spends 40 minutes a day on the platform

What this means to you…

you need to pay to play for promotional content

So create posts with sharing in mind.

Use this opportunity to educate

and engage your audience.

What if it was silent while this pic was taken?

Don’t forget to cross-promote on other social platforms.

Interact on each major platform

Strengths: Widely-adopted by large segments of the population.

Weaknesses: Will the younger generation stay on

Facebook once Grandma has “friended” them?

47% say Facebook has the greatest impact on purchase behavior

Strengths: Used by large segments of the population.

Weaknesses: Can be a distraction

79% of Twitter users are more likely to recommend brands they follow

Instagram

Strengths: A fun, easy-to-use app.

Weaknesses: Other apps provide a similar experience.

Instagram is used by 200 million people each month

Pinterest

Strengths: A visually-appealing way to share information with followers.

Weaknesses: Competition from a wide variety of other social media platforms.

57% of users discuss food-related content

LinkedIn 2 new LinkedIn users are added every second

Strengths: Everybody’s on LinkedIn.

Weaknesses: Most people have trouble knowing what to do with LinkedIn after they upload their business information.

Google+

Strengths: Ease-of-use and uncluttered environment. Weaknesses: Competition from other well-established social media platforms.

Google+ actually averages more visits per month than Facebook.

Market to customers as frequently as you would like (but not too frequently).

Reach customers at specific times.

$44.25 is the average return for every $1 spent on email marketing

91% open rate for direct mail sent to prospects

People feel special when they receive a personalized piece of mail

which means they’ll be more likely to read it and respond.

Network with the BIG BOYS and get your name out there.

Share your knowledge at professional industry association events

while subtly promoting

your business

which could potentially

lead to partnerships.

Invite people to learn something they can do on their own.

Two is always better than one.

Collaborating on a specific effort, or an ongoing series of initiatives

provides the opportunity for you to access additional audiences and potential customers

that you might not ordinarily reach.

Give back to the community that helped your business prosper.

Hecky Powell (middle) Owner of Hecky’s Barbecue Evanston IL

Disseminate a positive message about your company

which makes people more receptive to doing business with you.

So in the end, it’s not the size of your budget, but how you use it.