No matter how good a product or service is, it’s not going to sell if nobody knows it is there. This is probably the most fundamental and obvious truism known to the business world. And yet so many entrepreneurs balk at the thought of developing a serious and integrated marketing strategy.

Even mega companies with established products with which everyone is familiar, like McDonald’s or Coca Cola, spend vast amounts of money on advertising, and there is a good reason for that. Successful marketing is not just about introducing a product to potential buyers, but keeping it in the public mind at all times and not allowing potential competitors to replace it, even partially, in our subconscious.

Smaller Fish to Fry

The overwhelming majority of businesses of course do not have the spending power of those companies, and marketing objectives will of necessity be more modest.  They have smaller fish to fry, as the saying goes. Nevertheless the principle is the same – potential customers need to know that they exist, and what they have on offer.

Fortunately these days marketing isn’t solely about paid advertising. Social media provides low-cost or sometimes even free platforms for generating widespread product awareness.

A Subtle Approach

But a subtle approach is called for if opportunities provided by social media are to be properly exploited. Whilst Facebook and other outlets offer options for paid advertising, it is possible to use an ordinary account to spread awareness by the clever deployment of viral content which does not read outwardly like an advert, but which nevertheless draws attention to a website or a blog which may itself be a vehicle for your product. It is all about using imagination and being creative.

Pay-per-click is another development which can be put to good use, ensuring that only ads in which a potential client has expressed some kind of interest are paid for by the provider. Like social media, it is a concept which offers up a viable alternative for businesses operating on a low budget.