Every marketing strategy, from television advertising to a Twitter feed, has benefits and drawbacks. Television advertising may cost a lot, but you'll get any results you're going to receive - quickly. Whereas a Twitter feed is going to take a lot of time and attention over a long period of time to see any measurable results. It's all about understanding if you have more time than money, more talent than money, or more money than time & talent. Use this presentation to guide you through the some of the most powerful "cheap" marketing options.

1. Marketing
on the “Cheap”
The Good News & The Bad News
Melinda A. Caughill, Vice President of Marketing & Strategy

2. Is “cheap” marketing
right for you?
Every marketing strategy — cheap or not —
has BENEFITS...
... and DRAWBACKS.

3. The best way to
choose “cheap”
1. Start by taking a look at your organization.
How well do you KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE?
What is your MARKETING BUDGET?
Do you have TIME TO DO THE WORK?
Do you have the SKILLS TO DO THE WORK?
Does your marketing have a DEADLINE?

4. 2. Compare your organizations needs with
the fundamental elements needed for a
successful marketing campaign.
SELECT A TARGET AUDIENCE
CRAFT A COMPELLING OFFER
DEVELOP A CAMPAIGN CONCEPT
WRITE YOUR COPY
DESIGN YOUR PIECE
PRODUCE YOUR PIECE
DELIVER YOUR PIECE
MEASURE THE RESULTS

5. The “Cheap” Options
• Social Media/Web 2.0
• Guerilla Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Paid Search Advertising
• Public Relations • Cold Calling
• Email Marketing • Simple Direct Mail
• Networking • Ask for Referrals

6. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
A category of web sites that is
based on user participation and
user-generated content.

7. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
Blogs (Web Logs)
• Mass marketed with
BlogSpot,WordPress,
and eBlogger
• Personal Blogs
• Business Blogs

8. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
Podcasting
Audio or video programs that
are educational, informational,
promotional, entertaining, etc.

9. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
Micro-Blogs
• Twitter –
A cross between texting,
online chatting, and blogging

10. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
Social Networking
• Personal sites like
Facebook, MySpace
• Professional sites like
LinkedIn, Plaxo

11. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
Social News
• User-submitted
• User-ranked

12. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
User Reviews
• On sites devoted to
only user reviews
• On sites selling
products

13. Social Media/Web 2.0
What is it?
User Provided
Content
• Wikis
• Video

14. Social Media/Web 2.0
The Good News
•
Participation is free
•
Reach a wide audience
Message spreads virally
•
Impress business peers
Attract media attention

15. Social Media/Web 2.0
The Bad News
•
Difficult to target
•
Very hard to measure ROI
•
Successful participation takes
a great deal of time
•
Use caution when making
a sales pitch

16. Social Media/Web 2.0
Suggestions for Use
• Start by just “listening”
• Try it for:
✴ Public Relations
✴ Audience Research
✴ Customer Relations
✴ Test Marketing

17. Search Engine Optimization
What is it?
The process of improving the volume and
quality of traffic to a web site from search
engines via “natural” or “organic” search
results.

18. Search Engine Optimization
“Natural” or “Organic” Search Rankings

19. Search Engine Optimization
How do you do it?
• Identify your AUDIENCE
• Determine your KEYWORDS
• Write PAGE TITLES
• Create HEADINGS
• Utilize INTERNAL LINKING
• Employ IMAGE TAGS
• Use BOLD & ITALIC TEXT

20. Search Engine Optimization
How do you do it?
Learn more at:
• podcast.neo1seo.com
• www.seomoz.org
Or:
• Sign up for “7 Simple Steps to Basic
Search Engine Optimization” at
www.third-person.net

21. Search Engine Optimization
The Good News
•
Highly targetable
•
Once completed, it works for
you 24/7/365 – absolutely free
•
Sell, sell, sell
•
The results are easily tracked with
free web site analytics software

22. Search Engine Optimization
The Bad News
•
You must know
your audience
•
Can require programming skills
•
Learning, testing, and monitoring
SEO can be time consuming
•
Search engines work on their own
schedules – not yours

23. Search Engine Optimization
Suggestions for Use
• If a majority of your target audience is
online, begin an SEO program now
• When you create a new web site or
redesign an existing site, engage in SEO
• If you have someone on staff who has
basic programming skills, involve this
person in SEO
• Beware of any SEO provider that promises
1st page results fast

24. Paid Search Advertising
What is it?
A method of placing text advertisements on
web pages showing search engine query
results. Ads can also be placed on other web
sites publishing related content.

25. Paid Search Advertising

26. Paid Search Advertising
The Good News
•
Highly targetable
•
Sell, sell, sell
•
Whether your budget is $1 or $1,000,
you only pay when you get clicks.
•
The results are easily tracked with search
engine analytics programs
•
Get on the first page of search results
today.

27. Paid Search Advertising
The Bad News
•
Don’t bother if you
have a substandard a web site
•
Understanding, monitoring, and
adjusting a paid search campaign
can be very time consuming

28. Paid Search Advertising
Suggestions for Use
• When you can’t seem to get a good organic
ranking, paid search allows you to have a
place on the first pages of search results.
• Use unique ads, landing pages, and offers
for each unique target audience.
• Test... tweak... repeat
• Forget trying to get a #1 ranking. Shoot
for being 4 or 5 on page 1. You’ll pay a lot
less for the same results.

29. Other “Cheap” Mediums
The more traditional options:
• Public Relations
• Email Marketing
• Networking
• Cold Calling
• Simple Direct Mail
• Ask for Referrals

30. Thank you!
Melinda A. Caughill, Vice President of Marketing & Strategy