In our entertainment society, advertising visibility is a constant struggle. However, very small companies or small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) sometimes find it difficult to consider setting up an advertising campaign in the face of increasing competition from large companies with large advertising budgets. However, it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to launch an advertising campaign. Timing, targeting the right customers, word of mouth, strategic use of social media and personalised gifts can work just as well as a large-scale advertising campaign.
Here are our tips for launching an innovative advertising campaign on a small budget.
Objectives of a successful advertising campaign
You know that your company is interesting to customers and you offer products that appeal to the market, but the problem is a lack of visibility, which makes it difficult to develop. The solution is an advertising marketing campaign. But don’t jump into the pool and first take the time to research your field. Here are some tips. You need to answer the following questions so that you don’t lose your initial objective.
Why do you want to run an advertising campaign?
What is the objective of this visibility action? An advertising campaign cannot satisfy all your needs at once. Therefore, it is necessary to prioritise the objective to be achieved.
● Making people discover your brand? You are new to the market and you want consumers to discover your products to awaken their curiosity.
● Establishing your brand in people’s minds? If you want to make a lasting impression on consumers’ memories, your advertising will be impactful so that they remember you.
● To introduce a new product? You have diversified and want your potential customers to discover your brand’s new products.
Defining the objective of the campaign will help you determine the type of advertising campaign you should launch and, for example, the type of giveaways you should create around it.
Who is the target audience?
An advertisement is not addressed to everyone. To be beneficial for your brand, it must be targeted to your audience. Do a study to determine your customer profile (age, gender, social class, hobbies, etc.) so that the campaign reaches them specifically.
How do you do this advertising campaign?
It is about determining your communication strategy to reach your targets. If large groups can afford to display themselves everywhere on the streets of big cities, there are also other opportunities available to you. Social media, word of mouth, personalised giveaways like the ones you can do at ID GAMAX, street marketing or a well-chosen and well-placed advertising site are all tactics that have proven to be effective, and all at a lower cost.
Our tips for minimising the budget of an advertising campaign
These days you don’t need a lot of TV, radio, cinema or street ads to create a successful advertising campaign. In fact, social media and the originality of the slogan, as well as the gifts used can be enough to increase the visibility of your company in the market.
Prioritise content
In order not to multiply costs, the content of advertising must be targeted and prioritised. In fact, having a short and punchy slogan that goes straight to the target is a way to save money on your advertising campaign. Brainstorm with your teams and choose all the good ideas, especially the ones that are closest to your main objective. If, for example, your product is aimed at children, don’t hesitate to ask your children or nephews and nieces for ideas. Take a risk! Boldness often pays off in the world of communication. Once you have selected a slogan, test it with your family and friends to get their opinion.
Keep timing in mind
An advertising campaign, no matter how good it is, can fail if the timing is not right. To avoid having to repeat it and therefore paying a second time, decide the best time to launch your campaign. To do this, study the market and the positioning of your potential competitors. If they have already launched a campaign, postpone yours in order to fill the gap in the market. Then, don’t forget the key moments in the consumer’s life, such as holidays and public holidays.
Work on proximity
Depending on the product or service on offer, using local consumption is sometimes a cheaper and more effective solution than opting for a national campaign which, due to a lack of budget, risks being weakened. To concentrate the essence of your message, focus on a smaller scale. In addition, regions sometimes offer grants for entrepreneurs that you can take advantage of.
Be visible on social networks
Nowadays, communication cannot do without social networks. By offering you high media coverage at low cost, the use of social media is the cornerstone of a successful advertising campaign with a small budget. Depending on the product or service you are selling, use different media. For sharing your creativity and originality, we use Instagram.. For a wider audience, Facebook is your platform. Post on it regularly to create a link with the community. Don’t hesitate to share videos of your company, share interesting information and use humour. You can also use Tik Tok to target young people. There are many possibilities, choose the most appropriate one!
Originality and boldness in broadcasting above all!
Don’t be afraid to stand out, consumers expect originality above all. Nowadays it seems that everything has been done before, and you don’t have the resources of the big groups to revolutionise the market. But you can stand out by being bold. Print your slogan on the bread wrappers of your town’s shops, leave personalised gifts with your slogan in a restaurant chain or at the entrance of the metro… Any means you can think of is good!
An unbeatable technique: Word of mouth
For a low-cost campaign, use word of mouth. Your family and friends or people close to your employees can spread the message and, above all, the gifts of your campaign. This way, your magnets, pens and key rings will spread over a wide area without costing you a penny.
Look for freebies
Some partnerships can be free. Base your partnership with others on, for example, good customer ratings and opinions on review sites. Some trade fairs or public events may also invite entrepreneurs to present their products, so take advantage of the opportunity. In professional forums, contribute to the discussion by offering your services.
Create your own gifts
A good way to run an advertising campaign is to use gifts. Indeed, personalised gifts allow you to leave a mark in the minds of consumers. By giving them attention, you create affection for them and for your brand. For an advertising campaign using gifts, you can turn to ID GAMAX, a leading provider of solutions for creating your own personalised gifts. Thanks to our user-friendly machines, you can easily create key rings, magnets or badges with your brand or your advertising slogan.