How to Run a Killer Marketing Program – With NO Marketing Budget

Yeah – I know – you’ve got no extra cash. To get cash you need customers. To get customers, you need marketing.  So how are you supposed to do any of that — with no cash.

No whining now.  It’s 2009 – the year of doing amazing things with no cash.  Here are some resources you can use:

Dead Computer?

Just great – how are you supposed to function with no computer?  No worries.  Get one of those new Dell Mini’s for about $350 you’re all set.  And forget about the software.  Take what they give you and use Google Apps! They will be your e-mail host (with your own custom domain name) all your apps will be online.  You can Collaborate and share and work anywhere.  Oh yeah – and if the computer dies – -so what – it’s all online!  Reformat away my friend.

Crappy Website?

Forget having a traditional web site!  Get yourself over to Wordpress!  Their new 2.7 version is absolutely killer.  No technology required.  You can add individual pages, you can take payment (use PayPal – forget the merchant account).  Have them host it and all you do is provide fresh content.

Brochures?

Nah – who needs a brochure when you can use your blog – and Twitter – and TwitPics and the millions of other possibilities out there.  Forget the designer – forget the printer.  Use your Hp Deskjet and the Hp web site and print creative customized materials right off your desktop.

Survey and Research?

Oh, my friends where do I begin with the free online survey and polling tools out there?  For simple, easy to use surveys, you can’t beat SurveyMonkey.  For more robust research, I love QuestionPro (besides they also have a blog and a community – so you’re not alone).  Try Zoomerang too.  They have a ton of pre-programmed surveys you can use – so you don’t even have to design anything.  To improve your web site and get customer ideas and input.  QuestionPro has Idascale, and there’s also UserVoice.  Both are terrific ways to get feedback from customers and inform them of what you’re doing to improve your product/service.

Well – I’ve got to dash – what FREE tools are you using that you love?