4 Digital Marketing Strategies You Haven't Tried

So many individuals and small businesses that I work with are hustling to make the most of their often limited marketing budgets. Hosting social media giveaways, slinging hashtags, writing blogs, boosting posts; you name it, they've tried it.

If you've spent ANY time at all dabbling in the digital realm, you probably realized early on that the rules of the game change faster than you have time to master. I've got some good news...acing the algorithm is one of my passions (obsession if I'm being honest). I'm going to share a few of my current favorite, lesser known digital marketing tactics.

Text Marketing

SMS apps such as SimpleTexting and SlickText allow you to communicate with clients or prospects via text message. Many such platforms allow you to build automated campaigns, opt-in graphics, and bulk messaging to help you reach your audience conveniently, and cost-effectively. Think about it...how often do you miss a text message? For often less than $20/month, text marketing services can help you create a big bang for a small buck. Sales and promotions, company updates, tips, videos, newsletters...the possibilities are limitless.

Get Viral

Mini-viral that is! You don't have to get shared by millions or re-Tweeted by a celebrity to gain traction with your content. Let's say you own a local photography business. Come up with a creative challenge or branded hashtag like #FunPhotoFriday asking followers to share their own photos, tagging your company, for a chance to be featured or a chance to win the monthly giveaway of a mini-session. Perhaps you're a small business in the health and wellness industry. Create a "90 Days to Better Health" challenge. Post weekly with tips, products, and services (go ahead and plug your business) to help your followers succeed. Ask them to share their progress and tag your company. Sure, a post that gets shared by millions is ideal, but even gaining traction and influence with your target market can leave a big mark.

Partner with Influencers

Listen, you don't have to be Nike or hire famous athletes, in order to rep your brand in a meaningful way. Think on a smaller scale. Ever heard the term "micro-influencer"? If you're a small business owner, influencers could be the local chamber of commerce or visitors bureau, other prominent local businesses, or even local individuals with a large social media following.

Get active in the chamber and build meaningful relationships with influential figures. Partner with other business owners - host an event together, create a referral program, trade services, etc. Find and follow relevant, local or industry specific micro-influencers. Offer to trade your product or service for a specific action such as writing a positive Yelp review, or mentioning your business on social media. Really want to get their attention? Ask them for their rates or make an offer for their affiliate services. Be prepared - the larger their following, the higher their rates are likely to be.

Create a "Commercial"

How many times have you stood in front of the mirror and rehearsed your elevator pitch? Why wait for your moment, when you can put it out there right now for FREE?! According to Biteable, a video ad generates 480% more clicks than an image. This doesn't have to be complicated. Put on a nice jacket, set up your iphone, and record a 90-second commercial/trailer/elevator pitch video. Keep it simple - who are you, what problem do you solve, and for whom? Take it up a notch by using an app like Canva to create a nice thumbnail image and then upload it all to Youtube so that you can easily grab the link anytime and share it via email, direct message, or social media. That way you'll also have the opportunity to build a Youtube following and easily gather data on how your content is performing.

I could share a mile-long list of digital digital marketing strategies that I use with my clients. Heck, I could even pitch you my services, but I understand very well, the juggling of hats and dollars that most small businesses are facing. I became a small business owner myself at the age of 25. I had put every penny I had into getting it off the ground and I had little to NO budget left for things like marketing. I hustled between clients and deployed every crazy marketing strategy I could, to connect with my community. Fifteen years and several successful small businesses later, I hope to share a few of the most valuable things I've learned and the things that are working for me right now. Be genuine with your audience and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new things!