Big Budget vs Small Budget: 5 Marketing Campaign Strategies

Creating a successful marketing campaign to a limited budget is challenging and often restricts what a marketer can achieve. But despite financial restrictions, your company should not have to compromise on marketing success.

There are many different marketing tactics you can take advantage of. Some are more suited for larger advertising budgets, but there are also cheaper alternatives that can be just as effective.

1. TV Advert vs YouTube

Advertising using video marketing is often the biggest expense for a marketing campaign but the expense is entirely justified. It is a powerful medium, capable of reaching target audiences with high impact.

Statistics from Thinkbox show on average every £1 invested in TV produces £1.79 profit. Costs vary depending on time slot, length of the advert and the channel it is placed on, with detailed pricing and analysis available at TV agency.

If you’ve paid for a TV advert during the break of a show, get the most out of it by targeting people on social media who are talking about it. Recent figures suggest 58% of audiences browse the internet while watching television programming, with 53% watching the show to keep up with social media conversation.

For smaller budgets, utilising youtube adverts can be an equally effective marketing technique. With over one billion users spending around 40 minutes on Youtube per session, advertising only costs around $10 per play. An advantage of Youtube advertising is being able to specify target audiences in the same way that Facebook and Google Advertising allow. Furthermore, the platform’s analytics can help you refine your future targeting as you learn about your advert performance.

2. Events vs Mailing lists

Engaging with customers is another way to attract new and future customers to your business. Business exhibitions like The Business Show provide unique opportunities to network directly with customers and fellow businesses.

Having a bold and well-designed exhibition stand is essential to grab attention at business shows. Integrating interactive technology and augmented reality, such as Rewind’s bespoke motivational mirror for IKEA, can bring a unique visual media element that engages potential customers.

A cheaper option for networking and making a connection can be mailing lists. Offering visitors to your website a newsletter subscription is a great way of collecting emails contacts for potential and existing customers.

If you can’t attend events or create your own opportunity to network directly with your target businesses, mailing lists can be a way to get your brand name out there. Many companies offer business specific mailing lists such as Electric Marketing and InfoUSA, which include new and up-to-date contact details. Even if you’re not marketing to them directly, it can help to refine Google and Facebook Ads to target those people in similar companies.

3. Posters vs Flyers

Taking advantage of both online and offline marketing strategies forms a multifaceted and well-rounded approach. Directly connecting with a customer through direct face to face advertising can be a final push to gain new customers.

For larger budgets, posters and banners for billboards and bus stops are ideal for grabbing attention of commuters and can be printed on large scales by specialist companies to draw the eye. Print specialist Ro-Am Posters note that well-designed prints create high-impact on the viewer, which means watching out for screen to print differences in your posters, such as image resolution and color schemes.

Companies with smaller budgets would be better suited bulk prints, flyers can be printed cheaply in large quantities, yet are still direct in advertising a message. Unlike a poster, flyers allow customers to engage with your advert in their own time.

4. Mainstream magazines vs smaller publications

Print publications are another good way to directly address your audience offline.

Magazine advertising has the advantage of targeting niche audiences but it can be quite costly. However, for established companies and local businesses, platforms such as community magazines, local newsletters can be effective too. Specialist magazines will cost slightly more but are guaranteed to target those who might consider your business.

Being selective over publications is wise. Relevant placements will help increase brand visibility to your target audience. Having a good brand strategy which outlines the goals of your campaign will help guide your marketing campaign to reach your audience.

5. Google Ads vs Facebook Advert

Gaining traffic to your company website using online marketing tools is a great way to increase your company’s online visibility in relevant places.

Depending on the industry, advertising on Google can be an expensive option. However, the cost may well be worth it: advertising on Google increases traffic to your website by placing your ads at the top of a relevant search, and thus reaches the best customers directly.

A cheaper alternative is using social media. Platforms such as Facebook are useful tools as they optimise your advert to reach the audience who are more likely to click on the link. The minimum cost is $1 and Facebook allows you to control your marketing budget to avoid overspending.

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