5 Tips To Make Your Marketing Budget Go Further

Here are some tips to help you maximize your marketing budget without
sacrificing quality or results.

1. Artwork and photography
If possible, when planning a photo shoot, think ahead and try to get
as many shots in as possible. Most photographers charge by half or
whole day, so try to make the most of your money. Having a library
of images for current and future advertising needs will not only save
you time, but money.

Use your existing images and copy in multiple marketing elements.
For example, copy and images from a brochure can also be used on your
website.

2. Do what you can yourself
Hiring experts is always recommended for professional design,
photography, copy writing, press release development, web
development, etc. But it is recommended to do as many tasks in-house
as possible. For example, stuffing press releases into envelopes is
something that you could do which will save your budget for tasks
that really need the expertise of a professional.

3. Smart print buying
When you print anything for your business evaluate your quantities
closely. In most cases running a thousand or two more costs only a
few dollars. If you know that the document will not be changing and
that you will need to reorder within the year, print a two-years
supply vs. one.

Also, contemplate printing multiple items at once. For example

when
printing letterhead, inventory your business cards, note pads,
envelopes, etc. Anything that is printed on the same stock or at
least the same ink colors will save you set up fees and press wash
fees as the printer can run all the jobs simultaneously or in
succession.

4. Use of articles
Remember that article that was written about your company in the
local paper or trade journal? Well, dust it off and use it. Make
copies of it and give it to prospective clients and/or if appropriate
enlarge it and hang it on your wall.

5. Reuse your ads
You paid a lot of money to design your ad and it's working. You are
generating leads. Now take that ad and reprint it to use in your
sales literature. Add additional information to the sheet and make
it a product data sheet, mail a copy of the ad with a sales letter,
turn them into postcards, or if they are really eye catching, make
reprints and make them suitable for framing.
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Nicole Shields has owned and operated a marketing firm since 1996.
She developed a do-it-yourself workbook, 7 Step Marketing Plan, to
help busy business owners and managers easily create marketing plans
that generate profits. You can learn more and sign up for her free
marketing course at: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/adtrack.asp?
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